Wine of the Week: August '12

August 5th

Trinity Hill Tempranillo 2009 RRP $34
Lovely, lush aromas of raspberry and plum hang in the glass with a touch of spice. On the palate it's all about sweet raspberry fruit backed up by vanilla, oak and hints of lovely liquorice and tobacco leaf character. It's the grape that made Rioja famous and it's doing beautifully in Hawke's Bay as well.

August 12th

Crossroads Milestone Series Gewurztraminer 2008 RRP $23.99
Held back to give it a little bottle age, this is an absolutely charming wine. Packed with heady aromas of fat fruit, lychees and rose petals, it also has a lovely fumy character from the bottle ageing. It packs a huge punch on the palate, a big and beautiful blend of fruit, spice, honey and Turkish delight that rolls on for ages. Brilliant.

August 19th

Villa Maria Private Bin Sauvignon Blanc 2012 RRP $21
A bit special this — the 50th vintage of Villa's trademark sauvignon and it's a little beauty. Lots of ripe gooseberry and passionfruit on the nose but the weight and texture on the palate are really exciting. Rich, intense and seductive, this is a wonderful wine at a wonderful price and proof that the 2012 Marl- borough vintage will be one to watch.

August 26th

Lynfer Pinot Noir 2010 RRP $26
A lovely Wairarapa pinot, from near Gladstone, this has everything that made pinot famous in this country in the first place. Gentle wafts of oak, cherry and plum come out of the glass on the nose and they carry on to the palate. Never showy and not a power pinot, this has a velvety softness that caresses the palate and makes for a sublime glass on its own or with lamb dishes.