Newly released wines to toast. Photo / Getty Images
Newly released wines to toast. Photo / Getty Images
This week’s recent releases included a trio of distinctly different pinot noirs, two excellent sauvignon blancs and a delightful riesling.
Thirteen Forty Five, a new wine selection, is made by Villa Maria and available exclusively to customers of Air New Zealand. Escarpment Winery ranks among the best in Martinborough. PegasusBay, a source of top-notch Waipara, North Canterbury, wines since 1991, has re-released, under its Aged Release label, two of its classic wines made a decade ago.
Escarpment Martinborough Sauvignon Blanc 2024
★★★★½
Grown on the Martinborough Terrace, this youthful wine was mostly handled in stainless steel tanks; 20% was fermented in French oak puncheons. Bright, light lemon/green, it is full-bodied, with vigorous, ripe, tropical fruit flavours, gentle herbal notes and good acid spine. Fresh and dry, it shows good concentration and complexity. (13% alc/vol) $30
Thirteen Forty Five Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2024
★★★★
Grown in the Wairau and Awatere Valleys, this freshly scented, mouthfilling wine has good intensity of tropical fruit and herbaceous flavours and a crisp, dry, persistent finish. Lees-ageing notes add a touch of complexity. Good value. (13% alc/vol) $20
Highly refined, this savoury, ruby-hued pinot was hand-picked, matured in French oak barriques, and bottled unfined and unfiltered. Invitingly fragrant, it is mouthfilling and supple, with generous, ripe cherry, plum and spice flavours, hints of herbs and nuts, balanced acidity and excellent complexity and harmony. (13.5% alc/vol) $55
Pegasus Bay Aged Release Pinot Noir 2015
★★★★★
Deep and still bright in colour, this classy red was hand-harvested at Waipara from mature vines – many over 25 years old at that stage – and aged for 18 months in French oak barriques. Weighty and sweet-fruited, it is rich and savoury, with supple tannins, lovely balance and depth of flavour, and an enticing perfume. (13.5% alc/vol) $70
This easy-drinking red was grown in the Wairau Valley and matured in tanks and seasoned French oak barriques. Bright ruby, it is medium-to-full-bodied, with satisfying depth of youthful cherry, plum, herb and spice flavours, and has a smooth finish. (13% alc/vol) $25
Wine of the week
Pegasus Bay Aged Release Riesling 2015
★★★★★
At 10 years old, this North Canterbury beauty is currently in full stride. Bright, light-gold/green, it has peachy, vaguely honeyed flavours, gentle sweetness, and lovely richness, vigour and length. Still very lively, with toasty, bottle-aged notes emerging, it’s for enjoying now and over the next five years. (12.5% alc/vol) $45
