Wine Reviews

A wine of history and pure joy, this watermelon Jolly Rancher-colored sparkling wine bursts out of the glass with aromas of wild strawberry, green herbs and candied rose petals. The bracing palate pops with electric acidity, tart lime, watermelon and saline. A bottle for all occasions.

A lucid lift of heady aromas, from blueberry and cherry to pressed rose petals and dried herbs, leads to an elegant palate. There’s drive, balance and a crowd-pleasing factor that makes this modern, North Island Pinot an easy sip solo, but also capable of evolving over the next several years

Luscious berry aromas take the lead on this concentrated Pinot from one of New Zealand’s best-known red producers. The florals, vanilla and toasty spice notes are just whispers for the moment. The silky palate is rich and primary, with layers of flavor that are still tightly packed in. Drink now with a decanter at hand or hold for another few years

The nose is primarily warm, meaty and sanguine, but also saline, herbaceous and slightly tart, with a dash of salt and pepper tying the fresh to the savory. The palate strikes a similar balance between the levity of mint and berries and the dusty warmth of coffee and chocolate.

This wine opens with muddled rose petal, black cherry, hibiscus and boysenberry. Velvety in texture, it bathes in concentrated black fruit on the midpalate with an undercurrent of grippy tannins. The wine reveals the subtleties that a cool vintage can provide. Put this wine down and revisit after 2026