Wednesday Wines – Episode 108 – The NZ Top 40
Episode 108 – The NZ Top 40
from the New Zealand Trade Tasting 2022
The Annual New Zealand Trade Tasting was postponed from January until last week. From an attendance point of view, it was a rather feeble affair, but this certainly allowed me to work rapidly and without interruption. Of the 250+ wines I tasted, I thought that it might be helpful for me to pull out my favourite Top 40 for you to savour. I used to compile this list decades ago for my followers after each of these annual tastings, and I thought it would be nice to resurrect this initiative. While I haven’t had enough time to collate all of the various stockists and accurate RRPs, I have included ballpark pricing provided by the generic marketing body, New Zealand Wine. These prices are usually a little out of step with reality, but they will give you a steer. I have only included wines that scored high silver or gold medal scores in my notes – those above 18/20, so I can assure you that these were the finest wines on the day.
WHITES
Sauvignon Blanc
2021 Babich, Select Blocks, Organic Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough £15.99
2021 Yealands Estate, Single Block L5 Sauvignon Blanc, Awatere Valley, Marlborough £15.99
2021 Blank Canvas, Holdaway Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc, Wairau Valley, Marlborough £19.99
2020 Nautilus Estate, The Paper Sauvignon Blanc, Wairau Valley, Marlborough £24.99
Riesling
2020 Felton Road, Riesling, Bannockburn, Central Otago £24.00
2020 Felton Road, Dry Riesling, Bannockburn, Central Otago £24.00
2020 Framingham, F-Series Old Vine Riesling, Marlborough £24.49
2020 Pegasus Bay, Bel Canto Dry Riesling, Canterbury/Waipara £26.50
Chardonnay
2020 Nautilus Estate, Chardonnay, Wairau Valley, Marlborough £23.99
2019 Kelly Washington, Organic Chardonnay, Wairau Valley, Marlborough £24.95
2020 Blank Canvas, Reed Vineyard Chardonnay, Wairau Valley, Marlborough £29.99
2020 Fincher & Co., Amped & Wilde Chardonnay, Marlborough £31.95
2019 Te Mata Estate, Elston Chardonnay, Hawke’s Bay £32.99
2020 Felton Road, Block 6 Chardonnay, Bannockburn, Central Otago £37.75
Other Dry Whites
2020 Te Whare Ra, Single Vineyard Field Blend Toru (Gewurztraminer / Riesling / Pinot Gris), Wairau Valley, Marlborough £19.49
2020 Fincher & Co., On the Brink Sauvignon Blanc / Semillon, Marlborough £21.95
2020 Ata Rangi, Lismore Pinot Gris, Martinborough £27.99
2021 Akitu, Pinot Noir Blanc, Wanaka, Central Otago £32.00
Sweet Whites
2020 Pegasus Bay, Aria Late Picked Riesling, Canterbury / Waipara £27.75
REDS
Pinot Noir
2020 Auntsfield, Single Vineyard Pinot Noir, Marlborough £24.75
2020 Mt Difficulty, Pinot Noir, Bannockburn, Central Otago £27.99
2020 Palliser Estate, Pinot Noir, Martinborough £30.00
2020 Greywacke Vineyards, Pinot Noir, Wairau Valley, Marlborough £35.99
2020 Two Paddocks, Estate Pinot Noir, Central Otago £36.00
2019 Blank Canvas, Escaroth Pinot Noir, Wairau Valley, Marlborough £36.99
2019 Akitu, A1 Pinot Noir, Wanaka, Central Otago £42.00
2020 Felton Road, Cornish Point Pinot Noir, Bannockburn, Central Otago £48.00
2019 Burn Cottage, Central Otago Vineyard Pinot Noir £52.99
2020 Valli, Gibbston Vineyard Pinot Noir, Central Otago £54.50
2020 Valli, Bannockburn Vineyard Pinot Noir, Central Otago £54.50
2020 Felton Road, Block 3 Pinot Noir, Bannockburn, Central Otago £62.50
2019 Ata Rangi, Pinot Noir, Martinborough £67.99
2019 Craggy Range, Aroha Pinot Noir, Martinborough £75.00
Syrah
2019 Vidal, Reserve Gimblett Gravels Syrah, Hawke’s Bay £17.55
2019 Trinity Hill, Syrah, Gimblett Gravels, Hawke’s Bay £25.99
2019 Te Mata Estate, Bullnose Syrah, Hawke’s Bay £44.99
2019 Craggy Range, Le Sol Syrah, Gimblett Gravels, Hawke’s Bay £75.00
2018 Trinity Hill, Homage Syrah, Gimblett Gravels, Hawke’s Bay £98.99
Other Reds
2019 Craggy Range, Sophia Red Blend (Merlot / Cabernet Franc / Cabernet Sauvignon), Gimblett Gravels, Hawke’s Bay £75.00
2019 Te Mata Estate, Coleraine (Cabernet Sauvignon / Merlot / Cabernet Franc), Hawke’s Bay £72.99
