Look out for the Food Top Wine Award stickers on these bottles at supermarkets and selected liquor retailers.
Old Coach Road Nelson Riesling 2017 ($15)
This simple, fruity, luscious wine will please lots of people. The flavours remind me ofRose's lime marmalade; it is light and fresh in the mouth, with some sweetness on the finish. Lovely.
This simple, fruity, luscious wine will please lots of people. The flavours remind me ofRose's lime marmalade; it is light and fresh in the mouth, with some sweetness on the finish. Lovely.
Villa Maria Private Bin Marlborough Riesling 2018 ($15)
Great nose, floral, honeyed, even a minty lift. This is fresh and lively, moderately sweet on the palate, yet nicely balanced with citrusy acidity. This is a lovely palate freshener, for sipping on its own.
Great nose, floral, honeyed, even a minty lift. This is fresh and lively, moderately sweet on the palate, yet nicely balanced with citrusy acidity. This is a lovely palate freshener, for sipping on its own.
Villa Maria Cellar Selection Marlborough Dry Riesling 2017 ($18)
Riesling lovers, this is the real deal: toasty, limey nose, firm acidity, with a creamy complexity in the mouth and just a hint of sweetness on finish. I would pair this with fresh flounder.
Riesling lovers, this is the real deal: toasty, limey nose, firm acidity, with a creamy complexity in the mouth and just a hint of sweetness on finish. I would pair this with fresh flounder.
Main Divide Waipara Valley Riesling 2015 ($18)
This off-dry example has some age on it and is toasty and honeyed. Yet there is also some elegance and finesse here; this would make a versatile food-matching wine, yet with enough sweetness to enjoy by itself.
This off-dry example has some age on it and is toasty and honeyed. Yet there is also some elegance and finesse here; this would make a versatile food-matching wine, yet with enough sweetness to enjoy by itself.
Vidal Marlborough Riesling 2017 ($17)
A nice toasty impression, delicate restraint, some residual sugar; a clean, fresh, yet interesting wine with excellent length. It would be great with the right food; nice deft touch on the winemaking.
A nice toasty impression, delicate restraint, some residual sugar; a clean, fresh, yet interesting wine with excellent length. It would be great with the right food; nice deft touch on the winemaking.
Sherwood Estate Stratum Waipara Valley Riesling 2018 ($20)
A classical expression of Riesling at a stunning price, citrus peel and honey, a minerally secondary character, and firm, sharp acidity. Just a suggestion of fruit sweetness in the mouth, but this is an elegant dryish wine that begs for seafood or spicy food.
A classical expression of Riesling at a stunning price, citrus peel and honey, a minerally secondary character, and firm, sharp acidity. Just a suggestion of fruit sweetness in the mouth, but this is an elegant dryish wine that begs for seafood or spicy food.
Greystone North Canterbury Riesling 2017 ($26)
A moderately sweet wine that can be enjoyed by itself, but if you wanted to match it with something – a salty cheese, or intensely flavoured dishes like paté – it would be worth a go. This wine is still very youthful, with tight citrus and floral aromas, subtle fruit on the palate and racy acidity. A classy Riesling which should age gracefully.
A moderately sweet wine that can be enjoyed by itself, but if you wanted to match it with something – a salty cheese, or intensely flavoured dishes like paté – it would be worth a go. This wine is still very youthful, with tight citrus and floral aromas, subtle fruit on the palate and racy acidity. A classy Riesling which should age gracefully.
Old Coach Road Nelson Gewürztraminer 2018 ($15)
I admit that I did a double take when I saw the price of this wine – this is pretty much as pure an expression of what Gewürztraminer should taste like, at an incredibly low price. Rose petal, lychee, ginger spice aromatics; the palate has some firm, grippy tannins, but these are balanced with a dollop of residual sweetness. Gewürz is such a versatile food wine – it seems to work with almost anything.
I admit that I did a double take when I saw the price of this wine – this is pretty much as pure an expression of what Gewürztraminer should taste like, at an incredibly low price. Rose petal, lychee, ginger spice aromatics; the palate has some firm, grippy tannins, but these are balanced with a dollop of residual sweetness. Gewürz is such a versatile food wine – it seems to work with almost anything.
