by Chris | 11 Oct 2019 | New Zealand, Pinot Noir
Ata Rangi is owned and run by Clive Paton and his wife Phyll, together with Clive’s sister Alison and winemaker Helen Masters. Clive planted the bare, stony home paddock at the edge of Martinborough in 1980 and, in doing so, was one of a handful of people who...
by Alison | 17 Dec 2018 | Champagne, France, New Zealand, Pinot Noir
Well, we knew what the wines were going to be, so then to work backwards to choose the food. We had a Champagne and a Pinot Noir from New Zealand. The Champagne was flying solo, and we decided on a NZ rack of lamb (only fitting) cooked on the Weber Baby Q, with roast...
by Chris | 3 Jun 2012 | New Zealand, Red Wines
Tasted May 2012 with hickory smoked leg of lamb and roast vegetables. This comes from that area in NZ north island called Gimblett Gravels, an astonishing breeding ground for outstanding red wines, mainly of the Bordeaux right bank mix, that is Merlot predominant....
by Chris | 10 Mar 2009 | New Zealand, Pinot Noir
The 2007 Craggy Range Calvert Vineyard Pinot Noir was last week’s wine of the week in the SMH. Huon Hooke wrote:From Central Otago’s Bannockburn district, this is just one of a clutch of outstanding single-vineyard pinot noirs from one of New...
by Chris | 12 Nov 2008 | New Zealand, Sauvignon Blanc, White Wines
The 2008 Forrest Estate Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc is the wine of the week in today’s SMH. Huon Hooke writes:From one of New Zealand’s finest producers, this is about as good as Marlborough sauvignon blanc gets. They haven’t messed around with oak...
by Chris | 10 Sep 2008 | New Zealand, Pinot Noir, Red Wines
This wine was tasted alongside a 2005 Provenance Pinot from Geelong that actually lost little in the contest, the Provenance being lighter and softer but also delightful to drink.Below are the winemakers notes on the Maude; and we agree. It is a quite stunning wine...
