With about 5000 different labels on the shelves, there’s no shortage of wine and almost all offer decent quality. However, the art of wine-buying involves selecting labels that offer the magical combination of high quality and sharp pricing – in other words, they are bargain-priced.
Whites
Brown Brothers Origins Series Prosecco NV
★★★★
Instantly appealing, this gently effervescent Victorian wine is freshly scented, with very good vigour and depth of lemony, appley flavours, crisp and dryish. (12% alc/vol) $13-$20
Delta Estate Marlborough Chardonnay 2021
★★★★
This refined, partly barrel-fermented wine was grown in the lower Wairau Valley. Fragrant, with a slightly buttery bouquet, it is full-bodied, with ripe, peachy, citrusy flavours showing good complexity, delicacy and length. $20
Flaxmore Moutere Nelson Pinot Gris 2022
★★★★½
Estate-grown, this finely poised, vigorous wine was hand-harvested at Upper Moutere. Tank-fermented and aged on its yeast lees, it is attractively scented and already drinking well. Its excellent body and depth of peach, pear and spice flavours build to a long, basically dry, finish. $25
Grove Mill Wairau Valley Marlborough Chardonnay 2022
★★★★
Bargain-priced, this fresh, lively wine was grown in the lower Wairau Valley and fermented and matured for nearly a year in French oak barrels. Bright lemon/green, it is mouthfilling, with generous, ripe stonefruit flavours to the fore, a gentle seasoning of oak, vibrant acidity and a dry finish. Best drinking mid-2024+. $16-$20
Lake Chalice The Falcon Marlborough Riesling 2021
★★★★
Enjoyable now, but ageworthy, too, this is a light-bodied wine, fresh and vigorous, with good intensity of citrusy, slightly appley flavours, a gentle splash of sweetness and appetising acidity. (10.5% alc/vol) $19
Loveblock Marlborough Pinot Gris 2022
★★★★½ - visit www.loveblockwine.com
Certified organic, this characterful, easy-drinking wine was estate-grown in the Awatere Valley, and handled with some use of oak barrels and concrete egg fermentation tanks. Light lemon/green, with a fragrant, fresh, gently spicy bouquet, it is mouthfilling and sweet-fruited. Its vibrant peach, pear and spice flavours show very good complexity, a vague hint of sweetness and plenty of flavour and personality. $23
Main Divide North Canterbury Chardonnay 2022
★★★★ - visit www.maindivide.com
Fermented and lees-aged in French oak casks, this energetic wine is bright yellow/green, with a fragrant, slightly smoky bouquet. Full-bodied, it is youthful, with strong, vibrant, peachy flavours, finely integrated oak, fresh acidity and very good complexity. (From Pegasus Bay.) $22
Mount Brown Estates North Canterbury Pinot Gris 2022
★★★★
Delicious young, this invitingly scented wine is medium- to full-bodied, with strong, vibrant, peachy flavours, fresh acidity and an off-dry, finely balanced finish. (12.5% alc/vol) $16
Old Coach Road Nelson Sauvignon Blanc 2022
★★★½
This is Seifried Estate’s lowest-tier sauvignon, priced sharply. Bright, light yellow/green, it is medium-bodied, with lively, ripe passionfruit/lime flavours showing good depth, and a basically dry, crisp finish. (12.5% alc/vol) $15
Pask Gimblett Gravels Chardonnay 2021
★★★★
This Hawke’s Bay chardonnay is made to highlight its vibrant fruit characters, with a subtle wood influence. Already delicious, it is fresh and mouthfilling, with peachy, slightly mealy and biscuity flavours showing good complexity, and a dry, well-rounded finish. $22
Seifried Nelson Chardonnay 2020
★★★★
Offering fine value, this estate-grown wine was fermented in tanks, then lees-aged for a year in seasoned French oak barriques. Bright, light lemon/green, it is a stylish wine, developing well, with mouthfilling body and vibrant, ripe, peachy flavours showing very good complexity and depth. $20
Stoneleigh Organic Marlborough Chardonnay 2020
★★★★
Certified organic, this full-bodied wine has ripe, stone-fruit flavours, slightly toasty notes adding complexity, fresh acidity keeping things lively, and very good depth. $20
The Landing Bay of Islands Boathouse Chardonnay 2021
★★★★★ - visit www.thelandingwine.co.nz
A great introduction to Northland whites, this very harmonious wine was estate-grown and hand-picked. Highly refined, it is full-bodied, with strong, vibrant, peachy, citrusy flavours to the fore, a subtle seasoning of oak, mealy notes adding complexity, good acid spine and a lengthy finish. Delicious in its youth, it should be at its best mid-2024+. $24-$30
Thornbury Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2022
★★★★
Offering top value, this Awatere Valley wine was tank-fermented and lees-aged. Bright, light lemon/green, it is mouthfilling and appetisingly crisp, in a strongly varietal style with very good depth of tropical-fruit and herbaceous flavours and a dry finish. (From Villa Maria.) $14
Tohu Awatere Valley Marlborough Pinot Gris 2022
★★★★
Fresh and full-bodied, this vibrantly fruity wine has very good depth of pear, lychee and spice flavours, lively acidity and a dry, finely balanced, lasting finish. $18
Villa Maria Reserve Marlborough Pinot Gris 2021
★★★★★
This classy, highly fragrant wine was estate-grown in the Awatere Valley, and fermented in a mix of stainless-steel tanks (80%) and seasoned oak barriques (20%). Full-bodied, it is rich and rounded, with concentrated, ripe peach and pear flavours, gentle acidity and an off-dry finish. $25
Reds
Alpha Domus Hawke’s Bay Syrah 2020
★★★★
This powerful, sturdy red was estate-grown in the Bridge Pā Triangle and matured in French oak barriques. Full-coloured, it has generous, ripe, berryish, spicy flavours, fresh and supple, savoury notes adding complexity, and potential for cellaring. $23
Brass Knocker Central Otago Pinot Noir 2021
★★★★½ - visit www.mcarthurridge.com
Estate-grown at Alexandra, this bright, ruby-hued red is mouthfilling, savoury and smooth. Still very youthful, it has generous, ripe cherry, plum and spice flavours showing good complexity, and obvious potential for cellaring. Fine value from McArthur Ridge. $23-$25
Church Road McDonald Series Hawke’s Bay Syrah 2020
★★★★½
This full-coloured red has a fragrant, spicy bouquet. Mouthfilling, it has generous plum and black-pepper flavours seasoned with nutty oak, excellent complexity and harmony, and ripe, supple tannins. Best drinking 2024+. $27
Domaine-Thomson Explorer Central Otago Pinot Noir 2022
★★★★½
This organically certified red was estate-grown at Lowburn, in the Cromwell Basin. Made to be “fruit focused” and “easily accessible” in its youth, it is bright-ruby, mouthfilling, generous and supple, with strong, vibrant cherry, plum and spice flavours. Savoury notes add complexity and it has excellent vigour and harmony. $35
Eight Ranges Trail Rider Central Otago Pinot Noir 2021
★★★★
Estate-grown at Alexandra and handled with “playful French oak”, this is a mouthfilling, lively and supple red, with cherry, plum and spice flavours, a hint of herbs and very good vigour and depth. Best drinking mid-2024+. $27
Esk Valley Gimblett Gravels Merlot/Cabernet Sauvignon/Malbec 2021
★★★★½
Bargain-priced, this blend of merlot (59%), cabernet sauvignon (23%) and malbec (18%) was partly barrel-aged. Deeply coloured, it is full-bodied and supple, with good concentration of ripe blackcurrant, plum and spice flavours, fresh acidity and a smooth, finely poised finish. Best drinking 2025+. $20
Mission Reserve Gimblett Gravels Hawke’s Bay Merlot 2021
★★★★½ - visit www.missionestate.co.nz
Well worth cellaring, this fine-value red was matured for a year in French oak casks. Deeply coloured, it is fleshy, with concentrated, ripe blackcurrant, plum and spice flavours showing good complexity, and a structured, fairly firm finish. $25
Paritua Stone Paddock Hawke’s Bay Merlot 2020
★★★★½
This attractive, youthful red was estate-grown in the Bridge Pā Triangle and barrel-aged for a year. Full-coloured and fragrant, it is mouthfilling and smooth, with concentrated, ripe berry, plum and spice flavours gently seasoned with oak, considerable complexity and excellent richness and harmony. $24
Seifried Nelson Pinot Noir 2021
★★★★
This sharply priced red was harvested from vines more than 30 years old and aged in French oak barriques. Bright ruby, it is mouthfilling and finely balanced, with vibrant cherry, plum and spice flavours, a hint of herbs and a fresh, lingering finish. Already drinking well, it should be at its best by 2024+. $20
Shed Five Thirty Estate Woolshed Red 2021
★★★★½
This generous red was blended from merlot, malbec and cabernet sauvignon. Full-coloured, it is mouthfilling and sweet-fruited, with good intensity of berry, plum and spice flavours, a hint of liquorice and ripe, supple tannins. Drink now or cellar. $27
Stables Ngatarawa Reserve Hawke’s Bay Syrah 2021
★★★½ - visit www.stableswines.co.nz
A “steal” at this price. Full-coloured and mouthfilling, it has very good depth of fresh, ripe plum and spice flavours showing some savoury complexity, gentle tannins and a smooth, harmonious finish. It’s already drinking well. $16-$18
Taylors Estate Limestone Coast/Clare Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2021
★★★★
Priced sharply, this full-bodied red has strong fresh blackcurrant, plum and spice flavours gently seasoned with nutty oak, and a rich, finely balanced finish. Best drinking 2025+. (14.5% alc/vol) $16-$19
Te Mata Estate Hawke’s Bay Syrah 2021
★★★★½
Arguably the best vintage yet of this label, it was estate-grown and aged for a year in French oak barrels. Deeply coloured, with a fragrant, spicy bouquet, it is full-bodied, with rich, fresh blackcurrant, plum and spice flavours showing excellent complexity, vigour and depth, and obvious potential for cellaring. $29
Villa Maria Cellar Selection Marlborough Pinot Noir 2021
★★★★
Bright ruby, this is a graceful, youthful red. Full-bodied, it has strong, vigorous cherry, plum and spice flavours showing considerable complexity, and a seductively smooth finish. $25
Wirra Wirra Scrubby Rise McLaren Vale Shiraz 2021
★★★★
Crafted as a drink-young style, this deeply coloured, buoyantly fruity red is sturdy, with rich, ripe plum, berry and spice flavours, a hint of liquorice and a fresh, smooth finish. (14.5% alc/vol) $17
Note: all wines are 13-14% alc vol, unless stated otherwise.
