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Spotlight on New Zealand: And Co. Supernatural Sauvignon Blanc 2009
I did not intend to cover any Sauvignon Blanc in this spotlight, primarily because while certainly distinctive, the grape has tended to overshadow much of the far more interesting wines being made in...
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Spotlight on New Zealand: Kumeu River Village Chardonnay 2008
Chardonnay has crept up the New Zealand sales charts to enter the #2 position after Sauvignon Blanc. Despite this, most people haven’t tasted much Kiwi chard, let alone good Kiwi chard. I first tasted...
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Spotlight on New Zealand: Ata Rangi Pinot Noir 2008
Jake at Cherries and Clay just posted on the possibilities of aging new world Pinot Noir by looking at a 2004 Rippon Pinot from Central Otago in New Zealand. In that piece he considered how red...
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Spotlight on New Zealand: Sacred Hill Deerstalkers Syrah 2007
With all the hype over Kiwi Pinot Noir, it has been a huge surprise to me that the most exciting wines I have tasted for this spotlight have been not of the famed Burgundian grape, but rather of the...
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Spotlight on New Zealand: Craggy Range Le Sol Syrah 2005
I’ve been pretty excited about the New Zealand Syrahs I’ve tasted in this spotlight. This wine, however, has proven to be somewhat of an enigma. A New Zealand Giant Craggy Range is one of the bigger...
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Spotlight on New Zealand: Pyramid Valley Vineyards – Fanaticism and Perfection
New Zealand is a country that is still discovering its vinous identity. While much further along than British Columbia, Kiwi wineries are still experimenting and discovering what works best and where....
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Spotlight on New Zealand: Kumeu River Estate Chardonnay 2007
This will be the last post in the New Zealand spotlight. And I feel it is suitable to end with a wine that represents how New Zealand is moving towards it own unique sense of terroir, marrying cool...
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Burn Cottage Pinot Noir 2010
Burn Cottage is now one of the hottest wines coming out of New Zealand. A joint project of the Sauvage family (owners of Koehler Ruprecht in Pfalz and famed California wine maker Ted Lemon of...
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Spotlight on Riesling: Rippon Riesling 2008
It would be easy to focus this entire spotlight on the Germans, given the sheer diversity, quantity and quality of Riesling from that land. However, Riesling has also made some strides in other parts...
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Pyramid Valley Lion’s Tooth Chardonnay 2009
Pyramid Valley’s home vineyard wines are some of the most intriguing in New Zealand. Owner and winemaker Mike Weersing is known to be an soft spoken, intellectual obsessive totally dedicated to his...
View ArticleMilton Vineyards and Winery ‘Libiamo’ Gewurztraminer 2014
Some grapes are so difficult to master that they become known for mediocre wine. The two most maligned these days are the low acid grapes Viognier and Gewurztraminer. The reputation for these grapes...
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A Few Notable Bottles of Boutique and Cult White Burgundy
The British Columbia market is quite limited in its burgundy selections, particularly white burgundy. We mostly have access to the large negocients and large producers. We are lucky to see a few top...
View ArticleSacred Hill Riflemans Chardonnay 2010
Hawkes Bay Chardonnay does not show up in cellars often – the only way to assess quality over time. Sacred Hill has been imported into our market in small quantities for a few years now. They represent...
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Rippon “Mature Vine” Pinot Noir 2013
Fall speaks to me of Bourgogne Rouge and thereabouts. Great Pinot Noir speaks in hues. Fall is a time to slow down and look back. Rippon has been making great wine for many years. Ten years ago when I...
View ArticlePyramid Valley Vineyards Earth Smoke Pinot Noir 2009
Pyramid Valley is one of the more remarkable estates in the new world. Located in the Waikari Valley in southern New Zealand, near Christchurch, Mike and Claudia Weersing spent 15 years looking for...
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