Although some of these tasting notes may be found elsewhere on this site, this page brings together most of 'Other White Wines' (other than Chardonnay, Gewurztraminer, Riesling, Pinot Gris and Sauvignon Blanc), listed alphabetically by Producer. Click here for rating systems and abbreviations.

Blackenbrook Nelson Muscat 2010 (sc) Tantalising aroma of fresh Muscat grapes, jasmine and honeysuckle makes you think this wine going to be sweet, and it's slightly sweetish, but there's a well balanced citrus-like tang running through the wine that keeps the fresh, fruity sweetness in check and a tingle of ginger-like spice adds to the tantalising verve. Serve chilled it is very easy to drink. 13% alc. $21.90. 4Oct2010.

Churton Marlborough Viognier 2010 (c) A heady aromatic wine, with a gem-like citrine hue, there are smoky nuances joining the delicately spicy and tantalising blossomy scent. The aromatics flourish in the palate – apricots, five spice, orange blossom, and then a creaminess from the oak. A rich and scented wine, moderately high-toned, with well-defined orange zest on the lingering finish and a pretty, floral aftertaste with a biscuity sweetness. 14.8% lc. $36. 4Jul2010.

Coopers Creek Gisborne 'The Groover' Gruner Veltliner 2010 (sc) Smells quite neutral but there is an appealing exoticness to the flavour with a hint of musk and guava. A little Euro-centric in style, it has body and texture and is perhaps off dry. Seems like it would be a good food wine. 13.5% alc. $20. 7Sep2010.
Smelling like a dry Riesling when served chilled straight from the refrigerator. It's floral and limey with a hint of talc, but that's where any Riesling similarity ends. It has soft acidity and an oily richness to the texture and is nutty and spicy with a delicate musk and apple sweetness, yet finishes dry. I like the mouthfeel and mouthcoating fullness and the subtle suggestion of tarragon that lingers on the finish. It really is a delicious summer drinking wine. 13.5% alc. $19.00. 10Jan2011.
A neutral wine at first, seemingly a little earthy and austere, but this is an exciting example of this New Zealand-grown Austrian grape. It's oily textured with ginger, green apple, guava and grape with racy acidity stimulating the taste buds and providing a fresh, dry finish. 13.5% alc. $20.99. 20Apr2011.

Dry River Martinborough Viognier 2010 (c) A gemmy, moderate to light gold colour; delightfully aromatic with scents of spice and hints of the alcohol richness within; this is a wine of richness and power with nuances of flower musk, hints of botrytis, a touch of liquorice (aka tarragon) and a tickle of ginger . High-toned and spicy with flavours of sweet poached pear, tart apple and tangelo zest with a suggestion of freshly picked Golden Queen peach on the finish. Dry yet luscious, steely yet supple with a full body and a perfect slippery texture. 14% alc. $45. 29Aug2010.

Esk Valley Hawkes Bay Verdelho 2010 (sc) Apples dominate the aroma and infiltrate the grapey flavour. A full-bodied dry and very crisp wine throughout but this was a freshly opened bottle that seemed to have come straight out of the fridge. It seemed to me quite phenolic. 14% alc. $24. 31Oct2010.

Forrest The Doctors' Marlborough Gruner Veltliner 2010 (sc) A neutral wine both in aroma and flavour but rich and textural to the taste. Just off dry, with sweet apple characters poking through. 13.5% alc. $25.

Gladstone Vineyard Wairarapa Viognier 2010 (sc)Yellow gold coloured with a lovely rich, creamy, spicy aroma that is infused with those distinctive apricot scents. Quite mellow in the palate and perhaps a little warm, but full of quintessential apricot with apple and a little bit of spice, and a zing of underlying citrus adding zest. 3 stars. 14.2% alc. $24. 11Feb2011.

Longview White Diamond 2010 (sc) The bouquet is like a bunch of table grapes and that distinct grapey flavour comes through in the taste. It's a sweetish wine but not overly sweet and chilling it down, as it should be drunk, adds to its fruity charm. Clean, fresh and intoxicating, not only from the alcohol but also from the memories it invokes - especially if you were a kid that put your hand through the fence to steal the neighbour's grapes. 13.5% alc. 28. 21Sep2010.

Mills Reef Hawkes Bay Viognier 2010 (sc) Beautifully aromatic with a hint of spicy oak and concentrated apricot quintessential to the variety. Fragrant also to the taste with apricot to the fore and an underlying bready richness. It has an ethereal grapey brightness that I really like. It has a very appealing rounded mouthfeel and tarragon lingers on the finish with apricot and spice. 5 stars. 14% alc. $24.95. 29Mar2011.

Villa Maria Cellar Selection Hawkes Bay Arneis 2010 (sc) Fermented with natural and aromatic yeasts, the bouquet is delicately floral with slightly musky/nutty scents adding to its appeal. With a smooth slippery texture and lovely ripe grapey flavours, finishing dry, it seemed to me like the combo of a good Viognier and a good Pinot Gris and I think it will have wide appeal - after all Ar-nayz is not too hard to say. 13% alc. $24. 31Oct2010.

Villa Maria Cellar Selection Hawkes Bay Viognier 2010 (sc) Fragrantly aromatic and full-bodied and flavoursome with a Gewurz-like spiciness, smoky oak, bubble gum, apricots and a savoury bready note to the finish. It's a powerful wine with a touch of oiliness to the texture that is texturally pleasing. 14.5% alc. $17.99. 30Mar2011.
The heady aroma has an initial whiff of smoke followed by a soft jubey sweetness and floral nuances, perhaps carnation. Full-bodied in the palate with a little tannin grip, it has a rich yet dry mouth feel. Partial malo adds creaminess to the wine and the 15% new oak adds to the texture (and perhaps introduces the tannins). Lime blossoms and apricots float on the ethereal finish. 14.5% alc. $17.99. 8Jun2011.

Villa Maria Single Vineyard Ihumatao Verdelho 2010 (sc) This is grown on the vineyard surrounding Villa Maria's Auckland winery and I tasted this immediately after the Arneis. The first impression is that is has more acidity than the Arneis with green apple and grape skin scents. Steely on entry to palate but then softening with a flower musk-like oiliness creeping in and the lingering taste is of apples and pears with a delicate underpinning of spice. 13.5% alc. $27. 31Oct2010.

Waimea Nelson Gruner Veltliner 2010 (sc) Fairly dry but with textural richness that adds weight, this is neutral on the nose and rounded in the palate with delicate hints of aniseed, perhaps tarragon, a bit of that sucking on an apricot kernel character and a hint of flower musk creeping in on the finish. Of three GV's tasted, this was my favourite. 13.5% alc. $NA. 7Sep2010.
This is deliciously refreshing when served very chilled. The aromas are aromatic with a hint of lemon zest and the punchy flavours are juicy and herbal with a tropical fruit richness. There's a Sauvignon Blanc similarity to the flavour profile but as the wine warms up in the glass the inherent spiciness of the Gruner Veltliner grape comes through, and it finishes nutty and dry. 13.5% alc. $23.90. 10Jan2011.

Butterfish Bay Northland Viognier 2009. (sc) Very pale. It takes a while for the aroma to open up, but it is worth the wait - it is fragrant and full of apricot and delivers, apart from No, 2, the best aroma of the lot. Apricot, Dutch spices, youthful esters and underlying phenolics - proudly strutting its youth. It is texturally interesting with a slight oiliness and lift to the fruit sweet finish. Next day the taste hints of the warm alcohol - though the wine is dry, it is alcohol sweet and heady. 14.5% alc. $27.95. 13Aug2009.

CJ Pask Hawkes Bay Viognier 2009 (sc) Lemon gold. Fragrant apricot and pear drop aromas with apricot sweetness brimming through the palate together with vanilla and port wine magnolia-like florals and a lifted finish. A smooth, powerful, weighty wine with a spicy kick. Slightly controversial in the tasting - some people found it too overpowering. 14% alc. $16.99. 12May2010.

Church Road Reserve Hawkes Bay Viognier 2009 (sc) On the nose, florals, nuts, and spice and in the palate a full-bodied creamy texture with flavours of vanilla, apricot, lime zest, guava-like fruit and nuts. A powerful wine with a warm whack of oily lusciousness, yet the finish seems dry. A lovely example of the Kiwi style. 13.5% alc. $29.99. 12Jan2011.

Coopers Creek 'The Little Rascal' SV Gisborne Arneis 2009 (sc) There's an oily richness to the scent that when very cold hints only of lemon zest, but as it warms up in the glass is tantalisingly more floral with the fruity deliciousness of cherimoya. It's quite full-bodied in the palate with a musky, spicy note and dominant flavours are apple skin, spice and white pepper and the wine finishes dry. But what is so delightful about this wine is the oily, silky, mouth-coating texture and the delicate flavours of apricot that linger on the finish. 14% alc. $19.00. 10Jan2011.

Dry River Martinborough Viognier 2009 (c) Pale with a spicy scent combining with nuts, apple and apricot with a hint of pineapple coming through. In the palate the spice is zingy and the fruit is juicy - there's apple, apricot, tropical fruit and pear. Seems to have high acidity, or perhaps it's the phenolics, but the edges are rounded and there's honey too. There's a delicacy to the wine and it is perhaps not as concentrated as I had expected, and mealy undertones come through as the flavours linger. 14% alc. $na. 11Feb2011.

Estuary Kingsview Estate Mangawhai Viognier 2009 (sc) Delicately scented with ripe juicy flavours of tropical fruit, yellow guava, melon and musky grapes with soft acidity and loads of fresh juicy richness. Perhaps a hint of smoke coming through on the well-balanced finish. Delicious summer drinking. 12.5% alc. $18.99. 10Feb2010.

Gladstone Wairarapa Viognier 2009 (sc) A light citrine hue with a glassy lustre. It's aromatic and heady with scents reminiscent of creamed nuts, spiced pears and hints of musk (as in smoker lollies). It's dry to the taste with an impression of ripe fruit and is smooth and gentle in attack with a texture that is viscous and glycerolic. It's neither oaky nor pungent - it's simply an all round good fellow and when matched to a variety of seafood it seems to meld into every seafood's comfort zone and leaves you with a feeling of pleasure and satisfaction. 14.8% alc. $29. 31Dec2009.

Forrest The Doctors' Marlborough Arneis 2009 (sc) Very pale straw in colour. Perfumed, floral on the nose and a little pinot gris-like in the palate with spiced apple and pear, but perhaps more body and richness and just a touch of sweetness with well-balanced underlying acidity and a bright orange juice / orange zest zing. Light and fresh but with power to the finish. Some anise-y like herbs coming through too. Quite intriguing. 14% alc. $26.99. 19Aug2009.

Matawhero Gisborne Arneis 2009 (sc) Moderate light yellow gold. Creamy, nutty, lightly floral aroma - moderately high-toned - a mezzo-soprano. Fruity yet savoury with a yeasty richness and warm, soft tones of melon and apricot accented with apple and just a hint of ginger. A dry, weighty wine with a firm, phenolic finish. There are some characters here reminiscent of Viognier, but also of Pinot Gris. 14.4% alc. $23.99. 1Jun2010.

Moana Park Vineyard Selection Dartmoor Valley Viognier 2009 Light gold. Warm, inviting apricot and bready scents. Lovely rich, ripe, warm flavours infused with florals, apricot and just a hint of honey. Rich, flavoursome, stylish, with a toasty full-bodied richness and a touch of spice as it lingers. Excellent. 13.8% alc. $14.99. 28Apr2010.

Selaks Winemaker's Favourite Hawkes Bay Viognier 2009 (sc) Yellow gold coloured with a nutty/apple/apricot skin aroma and a suggestion of plasticine too. Rich, luscious palate, yet earthy and spicy. A fat style with a honeyed finish, but flabby and alcoholic without chilling.15% alc. $21. 11Feb2011.

Te Mata Zara Hawkes Bay Viognier 2009 (D)Served very lightly chilled, the aromas and flavours are perfect. The fragrance is subtle but tempts with apricot, pear, nut, nougat and a hint of smoke and the texture is lightly creamy with a spicy allure to the flavour that has a fine seam of lemon verbena and a depth of apricot fruit. There's an exciting complexity and a lingering salty tang. Made from NZ's oldest Viognier vines, 85% of the wine was fermented in seasoned oak, the remainder in tank. Impressive. 14% alc. $25.99. 17Mar2010.
Delicately perfumed with hints of nougat, this seems a very young wine with pink bubblegum esters, a peach and tropical fruit freshness and a nutty richness. Texturally pleasing with low acidity and a touch of spice on the bright fruit finish. 14% alc. Diam. $25.99. 18Aug2010.
Fragrant, lifted, floral and apricot skin scent. There's a high-toned salty nuance to this wine too and youthful chewing gum esters with an ethereal halo to the beautifully balanced flavours of apricot, flower musk and exotic spices. The fine texture is creamy, almost oily, and the finish is tight (rather than flabby as some V's can go). It has evolved beautifully in the bottle since tasting last year. 14% alc. $26.99. 9Mar2011.

Villa Maria Cellar Selection Hawkes Bay Viognier 2009 (sc) Perfumed, floral with lemon and honeysuckle, hints of apricot and nutbread. Textural wine with viscosity to mouthfeel with apricots, nuts, nougat and flower musk. A dry wine with a steely backbone, vinous sweetness and a fresh, youthful, lithe, caressing, light creamy mouthfeel. This wine improves in the bottle over a day. 14.5% alc. $21.99. 2May2010.

Waimea Nelson Edel 2009 (sc) A blend of 47% Riesling, 38% Pinot Gris and 15% Gewurz, this is an interesting wine to the taste – pinot gris-like orchard fruit up front, then the lychees and spice of the Gewurz the kicker on the finish, and there's a waxy honey / honeysuckle character that could only come from the Riesling that provides the acidity to balance the fruity sweetness. With its rounded structure and fruit/spice flavours that are not too over powering, I think it could have wide appeal but it musy be served chilled. 13% alc. $21.90. 1Apr2011.

Waimea Nelson Viognier 2009 (sc) Light to medium gold in colour, this is a fragrant wine with tantalising scents of nougat, fig and apricot and a wonderful luscious, lightly oily texture. A hint of oak underpins the savoury, leesy, nutty flavours with apricot emerging to linger gracefully. Texturally intense with a tingle of spice and a touch of sweetness to the finish. Delicious. 14% alc. $18.99. 22Sep2010.
Yellow gold coloured with a rich, full bouquet with tantalising apricot and ripe peach scents, some rose petal florals too. A sweet honeyed style and I wonder if it has some oak - yes, it does! Fruit is ripe and fleshy, infused with citrus, but no way acidic. This is Viognier for Chardonnay drinkers and it takes chilling well. 4.5 stars. 14% alc. $23.90. 11Feb2011.
Golden yellow with a floral perfume, it tastes very ripe almost tending towards Turkish delight. It has a gloriously smooth slippery texture with flower musk infiltrating the tropical guava and apricot fruit and the delicate spice. Takes chilling well and finishes with heady ethereal notes and even a suggestion of toffee creams. 14% alc. $19.99. 15Jun2011.

Alpha Domus The Wingwalker Viognier 2008 (sc) Wow, this is a big, rich wine - a heady wine with alcohol adding to the instant appeal of this full-bodied blockbuster. The aromatic aromas lead into a spicy flavoured wine with a little honey, a nice touch of smoky oak, some leesy notes and a touch of grapefruit. A pleasing barrel fermented style of Viognier. 14% alc. $21.50. 20Nov2009.

Coopers Creek 'The Little Rascal' Gisborne Arneis 2008 (sc) Pale straw gold with a juicy, fruit-driven aroma, this full-bodied, unoaked white has a fruity flavour reminiscent of pineapple jubes with soft acidity and a slight salty tang to the heady finish. While still quite fresh, there's a pleasing textural richness and served chilled, it's delicious summer drinking now. 14.5% alc. $20.99. 26Jan2011.

Dry River Estate Viognier 2008 (c) Light yellow gold, lustrous with an oily citrine glow. Aromatic and fresh with hints of apricot, lemon verbena and an earthy nut bread scent. Packed with tropical fruit in the palate - there's pineapple, orange blossom, and a driving acid brightness. Rounded and full with apricot making its presence know on the bright, zesty finish - lots of citrus peel adds a marmalade nuance too. ****1/2. 14% alc. 6 Sep2008.

Karikari Estate Viognier Chardonnay 2008 (D) A little 'baked' on the nose - baked apple / custard apple and mealy yeast lees. Dry in palate with that unusual character detected on nose coming through - a hint of ginger too. Different in its own special way. broad - stewed apple and peach and a steeliness to the finish. An unoaked blend of 62% Viognier and 38% Chardonnay. 14% alc. $30. 13Aug2009.

Millton Riverpoint Vineyard Gisborne Viognier 2009 (sc) A fragrant wine, perfumed with lemon oil, hints of apricot and flower musk, it's smooth and oily in texture with lifted flavours of apricot nectar, citrus and spice. A smoky nuance comes through and hints of caramel corn with rose petal on the floral finish and a tangy, clean, almost salty aftertaste that lingers beautifully. 14% alc. $23.99. 25Nov2010.

Millton Te Arai Vineyard Gisborne Chenin Blanc 2008 Not expressing too much on the nose - some oily nuances with delicate florals and zest, but delicious and luscious in the powerful, full-bodied palate, this is spicy to the max with wonderful acidity in the form of orange and tangelo zest and a lasting expression of Granny Smith apple. The oiliness detected on the nose comes through in the texture and there's a hint of gunflint on the finish. An excellent New World example of this famous Loire Valley grape. 14.5% alc. $29.99. 1Sep2010.
Bright yellow gold with a gentle bouquet of honey, dried hay and lanolin, this is lifted on entry to the palate with zingy Granny Smith apple acidity tempered by honeysuckle and beeswax with a fumé-like savouriness from fermentation in oak barrels. It's off dry in sweetness level and has a great deal of finesse. Made to biodynamic principles and certified organic. 12.5% alc. $23.99. 6Apr2011.

Pasquale Alma Mater 2008 (sc) A blend of Pinot Gris, Riesling and Gewurztraminer from the Hakataramea Valley (north of the Waitaki River), it is light yellow gold in colour and has a delicate, perfumed Gewurz-like scent with rose petal florals and a hint of pink bubblegum infused by a brighter aromatic component, no doubt due to the Riesling. Quite-acid driven in the palate with a touch of sweetness and juicy lime and ripe apple fruit, it starts off bright and racy then softens and lingers gently. We liked this 'just off dry' wine, deciding it's the kind of wine to drink when you don't know what to drink. 12% alc. $27. 10Oct2009.

Passage Rock Waiheke Island Viognier 2008 (sc) This pale straw lemon-coloured wine has a blossoming fragrance - it's delicately smoky, a little bready with apricot and a sweet floral and nougat scent. Then the flavour - the gorgeous flavour - the palate equivalent of heady - this is rich and textural and though it is probably bone dry, there is a mealy, winey, alcoholic sweetness. There's a subtle nutty toastiness, the apricot, peach and nougat take over, there's a touch of exotic spiciness and the lifted finish is rich and full. There's a lovely lemony intonation too - like citrus curd or lemon verbena. *****. 14% alc. $30. 20Dec2008.

Trinity Hill Gimblett Gravels Hawkes Bay Viognier 2008 (sc)Golden coloured with citrus, nut biscuits, creamy oak and nougat aromas and toasty, mealy flavours with a malty undercurrent, well-balanced acidity and a citrussy flourish to the bright fruity finish with apricot and spice flavours lingering. 14.5% alc. $34.99. 23Jun2010.

TW Gisborne Viognier 2008 (sc) Nutty on the nose, creamy in the palate with hints of apples and pears and savoury oak adding a Chardonnay-like signature to the finish, it's smooth and creamy and nice to drink but perhaps not as varietally distinctive as the apricotty 2007. 13% alc. $22.99. 26Aug2009.

Vidal Estate East Coast Viognier 2008 (sc) Straw gold with a hint of yellow, this wine has a pretty perfume that is floral and delicately nutty with a hint of flower musk. A little spritzy on the first taste, it tones down to reveal a full-bodied richness with a creamy/oily texture, apricot and exotic tropical fruit, perhaps a hint of oak adding complexity, and zesty spice. Gentle and warm with a nut bread finish. 14.5% alc. $15.99. 25Mar2009.

Villa Maria Private Bin East Coast Viognier 2008 (sc) A light to moderate gold. Delicately perfumed with a bread sauce savouriness, hints of apricot and lemon zest - nose is tantalising and exciting. Beautiful texture - perfectly oily - gentle attack with apricot, peach and citrus, a white pepper nuance and flower musk. Full-bodied, concentrated, alcoholic - I feel it even though I'm spitting. Finishes dry with a lingering savouriness. Gisborne & Hawkes Bay fruit with 6 months in seasoned oak barriques and tank. 14.% alc. $17.99. 20May2009.

Waimea Nelson Viognier 2008 (sc) Moderate gold colour with aromas that are quite neutral - nutty and bready with a delicate hint of apricot. However the palate is so much more flavoursome that the nose would suggest. Although there is a bready / yeasty undercurrent, the wine is fresh and bright, light in its attack with a dancing texture and a citrussy finish, there's a subtle hint of grassy herb pushing through. 17.5/20. 14% alc. $21.90. 5May2009.

Alpha Domus Hawkes Bay Viognier 2007 (sc) Very pale and just a little oily in appearance. Zesty and spicy with lemon and lime to the fore. Lime peel and lime juice makes this inherently aromatic upfront with a creamy mid-palate and a bright, fresh, lifted finish. 14% alc. $27. 9Oct2007.
Just bottled when tasted last time, this wine has settled nicely. Gone are the upfront lemon and lime citrussy notes and it now offers spicy, bready aromatics infused with apricot and honeysuckle. It's creamy in texture with a creamed nut underlay to the fleshy but delicate peach and apricot fruit. Quite alcohol and heady with some balancing phenolics, hints of lemon and a moderately dry and bright zesty finish, it is clean and focussed and delivers what it is meant to. 35% oak ferment. 14% alc. $27. 11Mar2008.

Church Road Reserve Hawkes Bay Viognier 2007 (sc) Light honey gold. Served chilled the initial scent is nutty and mealy while the taste of this powerful wine is savoury and crisp with an oily warmth to the texture and an aftertaste I can only liken to full-bodied Champagne. As the wine warms up it is beautifully aromatic with hints of apricot carrying through to the palate with a touch of lemongrass, a bright spiciness, a delicate suggestion of salinity and just a hint of earthiness to the long and lingering aftertaste. Old oak adds to the complexity of this savoury mouthful as well as about 25% wild fermentation and partial malolactic fermentation. WOTW May 2008. 14.5% alc. $33.95. 14May2008.
A straw gold colour. Initially quite savoury with the nuttiness from the yeast lees quite dominant together with a subtle smoky nuance that draws back like a curtain at the start of a performance to let a chorus of orange blossom and the star of Viognier - apricot - come through. A full-bodied dry wine - rich, opulent and heady with an creamy/ oily texture, vinous sweetness to the finish and a tangy, almost salty character that makes it all so interesting. 14.5% $32.99. 12Aug2009.

Clayridge Marlborough Pinot Blanc 2007 (sc) Buttery oak, creamy and bright, hints of apricot and a long, delicious, juicy finish. An interesting wine that starts off a little like chardonnay but morphs into something like Viognier with the apricot infusion into the bright, floral finish. Still a baby when tasted, this fascinating wine should be even more exciting with a little more time. 13%. 2Sep2007.
Delicately citrussy scent with a hint of beeswax and bright, spicy, zesty almost spritzy textured flavours - yet layered and creamy with soft acidity. Ripe and delicious with loads of juicy tropical fruit and floral honeysuckle nuances, it becomes more complex with every delicious mouthful. Wild fermented in seasoned barriques. 13% alc. 8.1g/l rs. 14Dec2007.

Coopers Creek SV 'The Little Rascal' Gisborne Arneis 2007 (sc) Aromatically scented with aromas of nuts, flowers, herbs and spice and breezy, bright flavours with apricot and lemon/lime/tangelo to the fore. It's young, fresh, dry and fruity with soft acidity and a warm, rich, fleshy, rounded texture, a touch of savouriness and Sumac-like citrussy spice with the tang of tangelo peel infused into a syrupy orange Madeira cake on the lingering finish. Different and exciting. 14.5% alc. 6g/l rs. $23. 13Oct2007.
Pale straw coloured with nutty, almost chardonnay-like butterscotch aromas and ripe stone fruit flavours supported by taut lemon acidity, which keeps the line on a linear track. But it branches out on the finish with hints of florals, fascinating sweet/dry connotations and an aromatic honeysuckle finish. 14.5% alc. $21.99. 14May2008.

Coopers Creek Gisborne Viognier 2007 (sc) Light gold with fruit salad aromas and bright fruit flavours of apricots and lemon biscuits with a soft, full, fruit nectar texture and a youthful tingle. Very ripe with soft acids, you can taste the clean flavours, you can taste the exquisite fruit. 14% alc. $19. 21May2007.
Served slightly chilled, this pale gold wine is not overly expressive on the nose but it’s bright and juicy in the soft, creamy, nutty palate with apricot and rock melon and a flourish of alcoholic warmth on the fruity finish which just expands with its exquisitely pure Viognier flavour. Brilliant New Zealand example of the variety and excellent value. 14% alc. $19.99. 16Jan2008.
A delicate floral bouquet with a touch of lemon candy. Just off dry to the taste with a delicate hint of flower musk and while quite neutral in the fruit department there is plenty of vinous weight. Apricot emerges on the finish and lingers with a creamed nut and vanilla spice overlay. Delicate but clean and ethereal with a persistent finish. 14% alc. $22.99. 8Jul2009.

Coopers Creek SV 'Chalk Ridge' Hawkes Bay Viognier 2007 (sc) Fragrant and citrussy with hints of apricot on the nose. Soft, full-bodied, creamy and spicy, this soft acid wine has a lovely infusion of sweet citrus zest and hints of ginger flower and white pepper, and just the slightest suggestion of smoky oak. Fragrant, lifted and complex with waves of flavour, while the apricot signature of Viognier lingers on the rich, full-bodied and fragrant finish. Long, spicy and clean. 14.5% alc. $23.13Oct2007.

Elephant Hill Te Awanga Viognier 2007 (sc) Aromatic and clean with hints of apricot kernel on the nose and a bright, zesty, spicy palate with a herbal, almost gooseberry undercurrent. It's crisp and fresh with a citrus infusion to the honeyed finish, the richness, weight and texture of the wine leaves a lasting impression. That was when tasted chilled. At room temperature this bright aromatic wine has a rich, toasty, full-bodied backbone. 13.5% alc. $25. 4Sep2007.

Margrain Martinborough Chenin Blanc 2007 (sc) Pale in colour and delicately scented, just the slight waft of grapey vinosity. With bright, vivacious acidity, the highest in a line-up of Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc and Viognier, it's fresh, juicy and vibrant with lots of verve. A fantastic alternative to Riesling with richness and power. 12% alc. 18g/l rs. $30. 14Dec2007.

Mills Reef Hawkes Bay Viognier 2007 (sc) Aromas of sweet nutty oak and creamed nut flavours to the fore in the initially Chardonnay-like palate, finishing bright and rounded with a touch of fruit sweetness. It has classically varietal apricot together with juicy peach, spice, sweet oak, bubble gum esters, and floral nuances. Smooth, rich and mouthfilling with a delicacy of flavour throughout. 13.5% alc. $16.95. 15Jun2008.

Millton Te Arai Vineyard Chenin Blanc 2007 - Gisborne Straw gold. Flinty and steely at first on the nose and then blossomy floral and honeysuckle scents emerge. Unexpectedly sweet in the palate with toasty apples, underlying lemon cheese and boiled lemon lollies but there's a steely crisp backbone and juicy apple flavours come to the fore on the finish. A powerful wine. Let it evolve and it will surprise you. 12% alc. Cork. $26.99. 10Sep2008.

Morton Estate Private Reserve Hawkes Bay Viogner 2007 (sc) Lemon gold with pears and citrus blossom on the nose and citrussy flavours with soft acidity, gingery spices and a touch of musk building to a long, creamy finish with a juicy, stonefruit freshness and a long, bright and clean aftertaste. 14.5% alc. $21.99. 10Oct2007.
Light yellow gold. Initially a hint of reductiveness on the nose (rubber band) which quickly blows away, the aromas fill out with nutty oak, pear drop, lemon bread and yeast-derived complexities. High-toned compared to the Villa Maria, it has a soft lightly oily texture and spicy nutty, yeast lees flavours with ripe yellow stonefruits and a touch of anise. Apricot fills the mouth with abundance on the long, sweet-fruited aftertaste and the bright zesty finish has richness, length and power. 14% alc. $21.99.5Mar2008.
A dry wine with a fragrant apricot, nut bread and lemon grass scent and lovely ripe apricot and spicy lemon grass flavours with a touch of oak adding palate richness and fullness, and a lingering lifted finish that is musky and long. 14% alc. $21.99. 1Oct2008.

Ngatarawa Glazebrook Hawkes Bay Viognier 2007 (sc) Lemon gold in colour. Soft, ripe and creamy with apricot kernel flavours, a nutty undercurrent and a touch of spice. The apricot keeps pushing and pushing through with a fruit purity. A dry wine with body and texture, it's 100% barrel fermented in French oak, 15% new. 14% alc. $28. 9Oct2007.

Omaha Bay Vineyard 'The Imposter' Matakana Flora 2007 (sc) There's a sweetness to the wine but well balanced acidity and a touch of musk-like rose petal and a delicate suggestion of smoker lollies together with orange water leave a pleasing, delicately luscious lingering flavour in the mouth. Once you adjust to the sweetness of the wine, it really is lovely. A wine that twists and turns - from sweetness to zestiness, always bright with a honeysuckle and lemon verbena overlay to the lasting finish. I thought it exceptional with sweet chilli, honey and garlic roasted chicken. 12.5% alc. $27. 2Aug2008.

Saint Clair East Coast Viognier 2007 (sc) A little earthy on the nose and initially some reduction (thought it was PG) and hints of bubblegum too, exotic tropical fruit flavours mingle with apricot and lime with youthful bubblegum esters. There's a texturally richness and a tarragon/Thai basil/chervil note too with lots of juicy fruit and citrus on the drying finish. Would be quite good with chicken wrapped in bacon. 13.5% alc. $20.95. 13Aug2009.

Seifried Nelson Würzer 2007 (sc) Pale straw coloured, this exotically scented wine has enticing aromas of tropical fruit and a slight waxy nuance suggesting light botrytis. In the mouth it's lightly oily in texture with flavours of fruit salad, ginger and musk and a touch of sweetness that adds to the mid palate weight while acidity comes through on the finish making it seem drier. A grape variety created by crossing Muller Thurgau and Gewurztraminer and first grown in Germany in 1932 and the result, an interesting tasty wine. 13.5% alc. $19.99. 3Feb2010.

Te Mata Woodthorpe Hawkes Bay Viognier 2007 (sc) Light yellow gold in colour, immediately upfront and fruity on the nose with a strong leesy lemony brioche scent and musk, orange blossom and honeysuckle, this juicy young Viognier is bright, fresh, zesty and spicy to the taste. It's slightly oily textured with a deep warmth and richness, pink bubblegum estery flavours, hints of butterscotch coating fresh stonefruit and candied fennel (aniseed) on the fruit-sweet lingering finish. 14% alc. $25.99.12Mar2008.

Ti Point Hawkes Bay Viognier 2007 (sc) Delicate creamy scents are infused with honeysuckle, sherbet and spice, it's tastes lifted, spicy and vibrant with a creamed nut backbone, hints of apricot, alcoholic warmth and a savoury, mealy undercurrent. A baby wine, it's still so young and really needs to go through puberty to tame the phenolics. But the best of the three V's as a food match to juicy fresh corn on the cob. Partial barrel ferment with wild yeasts. 13.5% alc. $19.90. 14Dec2007.

TW CV NV (sc) This non vintage 2007 release of 70% Chardonnay and 30% Viognier from Tietjen Witters in Gisborne, this has all the traits of a soft, rich, leesy unoaked chardonnay with a full bodied palate and melon the dominant fruit. The fragrance and prettiness of the viognier component comes through on the lightly spicy, apricot infused finish. It's all about softness, approachability and all round friendliness. It's non-confrontational with lots of flavour and ready to drink. 14% alc. $20. 4Sep2007.

TW 'Growers Selection' Gisborne Viognier 2007 (sc) Pale gold. Perfumed with apple blossom and a hint of rose petal, it has soft acidity and fullness to the texture. A very pretty wine, delicately spicy and quite fruity with apples and a touch of apricot and creamed nut on the finish. Full-bodied yet has a light touch. A smart wine and an excellent example of its variety. 14.5% alc. $21.99. 11Feb2009.

Vidal East Coast Viognier 2007 (sc) Sweet-fruited and ripe smelling with nutty aromatics, it's a big wine in the palate with apple and apricot fruit, a honey and nut backbone and a spicy zest. Oak adds to the complexity of palate, which is subtle in the fruit expression yet vinous and rounded with great textural appeal. Alcohol seems a little hot on the finish and nut bread flavours linger at the end. 14% alc. $19.50. 15Jun2008.

Vidal Reserve Hawkes Bay Viognier 2007 (sc) Steely smelling and delicately aromatic with apple and lime scents and dominant apple flavours, it doesn't immediately scream Viognier to a blind taster. It's spicy and lifted yet nutty and earthy with a gorgeous slippery texture that you hear winemakers talking and totally shows what the texture of Viognier is like on its own and why it does what it does when co-fermented with Shiraz. This wine is all about texture and vinosity rather than fruit. It's dry and quite hot (alcohol most likely) with great mouthfeel and excellent length. 14% alc. $29.99. 15Jun2008.

Villa Maria Cellar Selection Hawkes Bay Viognier 2007 (sc) With hints of oak and wild yeast nuances on the nose, it's rich, creamy and savoury and similar in a way to the Trinity Hill tasted alongside it but it's younger and a little more vibrant. Clean, delicately creamy with lovely purity of fruit, this gorgeous wine starts gracefully like a flower just starting to open but develops beautifully into a rich, powerful and lingering finish. Omahu Gravels subregion. 14% alc. 14Dec2007.
With a touch of butter caramel on the fragrantly scented blossomy nose and a spicy savouriness to the flavour, there's a Chardonnay-like nuance to this soft, smooth, deep, heady wine with a nutty undercurrent, malt, fig and a suggestion of honeyed toast. Apricot adds lushness to the smooth seamless finish and a hint of orange zest adds brightness. 14% alc. $23.99.5Mar2008.

Waimea Nelson Viognier 2007 (sc) Youthful, yeasty, slightly unresolved scents. Much sweeter than expected to the taste, perhaps some botrytis. Baked apple makes me think Pinot Gris in the context of the tasting, although I would have gone Chenin Blanc if that had been an option. A sweet rendition of Viognier with a touch of honeyed oak, it is sweet, rich and luscious with a soft texture, ripe spicy baked apples and a touch of orange honey on the warm finish. Tasted again 2 days later, this wine is just so beautiful even though it is not what I expect Viognier to be. It has reasonable acid brightness that balances the sweetness, a biscuity, nutty, voluminous backbone with orange blossom and nuances of five spice. 14% alc. $21.90. 15Jun2008.

Ascension 'The Rogue' Matakana Flora 2006 (sc) Fragrant and fruity on the nose, a little like muscat and quite muscatty to the taste, like fresh juicy grapes joining pear flavours that are a little reminiscent of Pinot Gris, it's dry, and crisp with hints of mandarin zest and white pepper on the spicy finish. Full-bodied and flavoursome. 13% alc. $29. 10Jul2007.

Dry River Late Harvest Viognier 2006 - Martinborough Light gold in colour but very bright with an unusual aroma that hints of smoke (but the wine has had no oak), with a hint of liquorice and honeysuckle too. It's fat and oily in the palate, ripe and lush, totally endowed with citrus and apricot, there's a touch of pineapple and a gorgeous spicy lift to the finish. The texture is warm and rounded, like light runny honey and there's something to the palate weight that reminds me of chardonnay. It's late harvest in style, but not overly sweet, more of a 'medium', if you know what I mean. 13.5% alc. 45g/l rs. $45. 11Mar2007.

Esk Valley Black Label Hawkes Bay Chenin Blanc 2006 (sc) Pale gold. Delicate smoky on the nose with apricot and honeyed lime. Vibrant red and green apple acidity in the palate with a hint of stonefruit, a touch of honey and the hint of smokiness detected on the nose emerging with a European-like funkiness from the savoury yeast lees. Slightly grainy in texture with a crisp, dry finish and a soft fruity aftertaste with a hint of passionfruit. So much potential for long term development. 13% alc. 4g/l rs. $20.50. 14Aug2007.

Esk Valley Hawkes Bay Verdelho 2006 (sc) Peachy, apricot, Viognier-like aromas with a touch of lemon nuttiness, and a bright zesty palate full of tropical fruit, passionfruit, stonefruit and citrus with a soft creamy texture and plenty of spice - it's like Pinot Gris and Viognier and unoaked Chardonnay with a touch of Riesling acidity. A tasty wine with a kick of alcoholic warmth to the finish. A crisp, fresh wine that will appeal to many palates. There's some barrel ferment component, but it is hardly detectable. A couple of days later when I revisit the wine, it's all peach and apricot and a little bit of honey. Truly delicious. 14.5% alc. $21. 4May2007.
A myriad of tropical fruits on the nose with yellow guava, orange, pear, melon, stonefruit and honey adding to the delicately alluring scent. Crisp and dry to the taste with a slightly grainy texture, a mid palate fleshiness, spicy zest and subtle oak adding richness and creaminess without detracting from the delicious fruit. 14.5% alc. 7g/l rs. $20.50. 14Aug2007.

Gibbston Valley Central Otago Pinot Blanc 2006 (sc) Neutral aromas and quite neutral flavours at first but it starts to build in richness with its rounded creamy texture and bright citrus and apricot fruit. Just what do we expect from Pinot Blanc? I’m not sure. This is an interesting and textural wine but it would be easy to confuse with a fuller-bodied, ripe Pinot Gris or a Viognier. It has the full-bodied richness and the aromatic spiciness with crisp underlying acidity and even a hint of rose petal on the finish. 14.5% alc. $27.50. 1May2007.

Gladstone Wairarapa Viognier 2006 (sc) Fragrant, biscuity, bready aroma and dry, lean, spicy, citrussy flavours, it becomes quite creamy as it flows across the palate with hints of lemongrass and a fruit flavour reminiscent of fresh loquat. There's crisp, underlying acidity but with its warm alcohol, it becomes richer and more complex with time. 14.9% alc. $19. 16Nov2006.

John Forrest Collection Marlborough The White 2006 Made from seven different varieties, the assemblage is Viognier from Hawkes Bay; Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling, Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc and Gewurztraminer from Marlborough and Pinot Gris from the Waitaki Valley, so not surprisingly this wine is complex in its flavours. I remember tasting last year's version and depending on the time of the day and the warmth of the wine, different flavours kept coming into play. Today it exhibited itself as a crisp, clean wine with apple the dominant fruit at first, then exotic tropical fruit mid palate and melon on the finish. Warmly textured with richness from the Chardonnay component, this has a freshness to the finish and a hint of honey emerges to linger. 5.4g/l rs. 14% alc. $50. 26Jul2007.

Kim Crawford Te Awanga Vineyard Hawkes Bay Viognier 2006 (sc) Fragrant and bright aromatics with lemon zest, florals and underlying baked apple flavours, it's a little like Pinot Gris at first but there's a tinge of apricot creeping through to show its varietal signature. Medium to full-bodied with a lemon bread undercurrent, there's an aromatic brightness to the slightly musky finish and the aftertaste is long and fruit sweet. 13% alc. 9Sep2007.

Lonely Cow Gisborne Viognier 2006 (sc) There's an oily hint to the stonefruit/apricot aroma and a rich texture to the vibrantly spicy flavour with citrus emerging in the mid palate and a well-defined musky character to the long soft finish. Fresh with lots going on, it will be delicious with white fleshed seafood. 14% alc. $19. 10Oct2006.
Light lemon gold in colour with lifted, floral, apricot and slightly nutty scents. Lightly oily, slippery in its soft, mouth-coating texture, it's a soft acid wine with peach and apricot kernel flavours, a hint of flower musk and plenty of spice. It's dry but the fruit is mouthwatering and ripe, there's the merest hint of honey (honeysuckle) and lemon grass brings a crispness to the long lifted finish. Delightful. 13% alc. $20. 10Feb2007.

Margrain Vineyard Martinborough Chenin Blanc 2006 (sc) Lemon gold with fresh, crisp, apple and lime (Riesling-like) aromas that carry through to the palate with a subtle honeyed richness. When chilled the naturally high acidity is accentuated making the wine seem dry and crisp but as it warms up it becomes richer and fatter with pineapple and a touch of tree-ripened apricot, and the residual sugar tames that vivacious acidity. Honeysuckle and dried hay emerge on the nose and there is a whiff of wet clay too. All the hallmarks are there for a wine that will be long-lived with Margrain's hallmark lusciousness developing in the bottle with time. 12.5% alc. 22 g/L rs. $28. 20Jan2007.

Mills Reef Reserve Hawkes Bay Viognier 2006 (sc) Water pale in colour, it smells of red apples and honeysuckle, like you’d find in a sweeter Riesling, and finishes like a musky, floral, spicy Gewurztraminer but with its soft acids, weighty palate, honeyed tropical fruit, pears and apricot, it can’t really be either. It has the hallmarks of classic Viognier in a reasonably dry and incredibly fruity package, and seems awfully easy to quaff right now. 14% alc. $21.99. 23Aug2006.
Light gold, delicately fruity, clean and bright with a soft oily texture and a slightly musky flavour with a spicy complexity, zesty acidity and an array of fruit reminiscent of apple, lime, feijoa, melon, apricot and passionfruit. A fresh, light to medium-bodied, lunch time style. 14% alc. $21.99. 2May2007.
Light gold coloured, light toasty oak, spice oak and tropical fruit aromas - a little reminiscent of a lightly oaked Chardonnay - and quite savoury to the taste with fig, melon and underlying pineapple-like acidity building to a long, juicy, creamy biscuity finish. Reasonably rich and full-bodied with apricots emerging to linger, it's fleshing out nicely since last tasted. 14% alc. $21.99. 31May2007.

Morton Estate Hawkes Bay Viognier 2006 (sc) Light gold coloured. Delicately aromatic on the nose with a subtle floral allure, it's distinctly Viognier to the taste with its pretty apricot flavours supported by florals and an infusion of anise-like spices. It's medium to full-bodied with a roundness to the fragrant biscuity palate and lots of musky florals on the warm, lingering, spicy and lifted citrussy finish. Lovely light attack that lingers with an ethereal beauty and garners increasing richness. Fermented in old oak, but no oaky taste. Very nice. Yum. 13.5% alc. $18.95. 9Sep2007.

Omaha Bay Vineyard 'The Imposter' Flora 2006 - Matakana (sc) Soft lemony notes, a little spicy and biscuity. A sweetish wine, warm textured, spicy pear and stonefruit, a touch of citrus zest which nicely balances the sweetness. Warm and soft, creamy texture, bright , crisp and clean with a savoury finish and a juicy burst of fruit. 14% alc. $27. Screwcap. 26Feb2007.

Rippon Osteiner White Wine 2006 (sc) What a cool wine - cool as in cooool - it's vibrant and spicy with a myriad of fruity flavours that are like summer in a glass. With tropical fruit, red apples and a fresh citrussy finish, this gorgeous, fresh, juicy wine will be perfect served chilled. 11.6% alc. 11g/l rs. $15.50. 10Oct2006.

Rongopai Gisborne Reserve Viognier 2006 (sc) Although fermented and aged in 5 year old oak, the aromas give no indication of oak just flowers, lemon drop and earthy leesy notes. The palate is smooth and spicy and just a little musky, with a smooth full-bodied texture and a stonefruit juiciness to the finish. Lovely mouthfeel and length. 14% alc. $18.50. 150 cases. 9Oct2006.
Lemony nose and a bright creamy palate with just a wee touch of oak and a fragrant citrussy finish. Good palate weight with a spicy floral lift. 14% alc. 2Sep2007.

Schubert Wairarapa 'Tribianco' 2006 A blend of chardonnay, pinot gris and muller thurgau, this is a gorgeous medley of exotic tropical and stone fruits backed up by soft buttery oak with a fruit salad and bread pudding aftertaste. Just texture, richness and all round niceness. Not released when tasted, it's about 14% alc. and about $25. 4Sep2007.
On first tasting the apple character of the Pinot Gris is most dominant but soon the peachy flavours of the chardonnay start to show through. But it coming across as fairly neutral in its fruit flavours - it is, instead, a powerful wine with vinous complexity and body (14% alcohol), subtle oak and a slightly mealy undercurrent. With its full- bodied, warming texture, it is a great food style. 14% alc. $25. 21Jun2008.

Trinity Hill Gimblett Gravels Hawkes Bay Viognier 2006 (sc) Fairly neutral on the nose with a hint of pear and a nuance of musk, it smells a little like Pinot Gris but there is no comparison to that varietal when it comes to the taste. It's creamy textured with delicate oak and hints of apricot and builds in richness to a warm, powerful, spicy finish with talc and rose petals emerging on the long dry aftertaste which is underpinned with a gorgeous stonefruit sweetness.14.5% alc. $34.99. 27Sep2006.
Light gold with juicy stewed apple aromas that have a sweetish, floral, lightly honeyed overtone, it's soft and oily textured in the lightly toffeed palate with dried banana slices the dominant flavour at first then later subtle apricot. It's low in acid with alcoholic warmth and a nutty mealy toastiness with a touch of lemongrass and nuances of oak spice emerging on the lingering finish. Full-bodied and long. 4 g/l residual sugar (rs). 14.5% alc. $34.99. 18Apr2007.
Fragrant scents, a little high-toned with pure essence of apricot. Light and lifted with a creamy backbone and hints of honey, butterscotch comes forth on the nose with a little time in the glass - and spicy zest too. Bordering on phenolic - but does it well. Luscious and long with underlying lemon rind and a savoury aftertaste, it just expands on the palate with richness and power. 30% fermented in older oak barrels with 3 months aging on yeast lees to add complexity & texture. 14.5% alc. $30. 14Dec2007.

Vilagrad Chardonnay Traminer 2006 (sc) Perfumed and spicy on nose, it doesn't really smell like either Chardonnay or Gewurztraminer, in fact it's hard to put your finger on the varietal and that's because it's a blend. In the palate it's full of spicy apricot and tropical fruit and reminds me of the taste of Viognier without the palate weight. Medium-bodied, tasty, clean and fresh. If you're not a label seeker, try this very enjoyable blend of 65% Gisborne Chardonnay and 35% Waikato Gewurztraminer. 12% alc. $18. 8Oct2006.

Villa Maria Omahu Gravels Hawkes Bay Viognier 2006 (sc) Pale straw gold with delicately fragrant aromas of apricot, pear and citrus zest and pure, clean flavours of apricots and spice with a perfect level of alcoholic warmth. Light and ethereal in its fragrant nature, it's seductive and enticing with mid-palate richness, persistent length and a musky, rose petal intrigue. Muse over it and enjoy it and let all the little intricacies evolve. 14.5% alc. $32.99. 3Oct2007.

Alpha Domus Hawke’s Bay Viognier 2005 (sc) A delicate floral fragrance infused with scents of tree-ripened peach, and toasty, spicy, mouthfilling, creamy textured, barrel-fermented flavours with good acidity and a surge of tropical fruit on the finish. It's a little reminiscent of a youthful Gisborne chardonnay with its juicy fruit and estery characters. 13% alc. $22.95. 22Mar2006.
Light lemon gold, aromatic and fruity smelling - like juicy fruit chewing gum - with a light freshness and a touch of sweetness to the taste. With the essence of apricot coming through and a creamy brazil nut backbone, this is light and fresh yet creamy and rich with a smooth texture and alcoholic warmth. 13% alc. $22.95. 23Jun2006.

Bilancia Hawkes Bay Viognier 2005 (sc) Delicately aromatic, but quite heady and vinous with hints of apricot, then in the palate this has a gorgeous silky texture with lifted apricot and a touch of lime with delicate musky characters and complexity coming from a touch of oak. The finish has a touch of sweetness. Gorgeous wine. 14.5% alc. $29.95. 4Nov2005.

Coopers Creek Gisborne Viognier 2005 (sc) A vibrant, fresh wine with subtle aromas, a rich texture and delicate apricot flavours, this expresses the essence of Viognier with a lovely expression of fruit on a creamy backbone with spice and nuts and a long lifted finish with a fresh vibrancy. 14.5% alc. $20. 9Nov2005.

Coopers Creek Limited Release Gisborne Viognier 2005 (sc) Similar to the other Coopers Creek Viognier but this has a richer, fatter texture, honey spiced nuts, a hint of sage and a touch of lemon bread. Delicately aromatic and full-bodied with a creamed nut finish and a bright fruity aftertaste. 14.5% alc. $22.95. 9Nov2005.

Esk Valley Hawkes Bay Verdelho 2005 (sc) Aromatic with pear drop aromas and a herbal nuance coming through. Light texture, flinty, a hint of green fruit, a touch of passionfruit and excellent length - it has nuances of sauvignon blanc but with softer acidity. 14.5% alc. $19.95. 6Sep2005.

Gladstone Wairarapa Viognier 2005 Pale lemon in colour with mesmerising, slightly nutty scents of apricot and orange zest and ripe stonefruit flavours - nectarine, peach and apricot - with a touch of citrus, a creamed nut richness, a silky-smooth oily texture and a spicy tropical fruit finish with just a smidgen of sweetness as it lingers. 14% alc. 5g/l rs. $27. 11Dec2005.

John Forrest Collection The White 2005 (sc)
A multi-regional blend of Viognier, Pinot Gris, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling, Gewurztraminer and Chenin Blanc, this pale straw coloured wine is aromatic and floral with nuances of musky, spicy Gewurztraminer and apricot-like Viognier, but it is apple blossom that dominates this fragrant drop. It's zingy and fresh to the taste with a grainy texture and concentrated fruit, with perhaps the citrus steeliness of Riesling making its mark at first but every time you taste it, the different varietals have their turn in teasing your tastebuds. Tonight, however, it was the passionfruit of Sauvignon Blanc that was contributing to the pungent finish and ultra-long aftertaste. There is little influence of oak and you can't detect the Chardonnay at all but John says, "Put it with smoked meats and you will swear it is Chardonnay in the glass". A wine that will be interesting to watch as it evolves. Screwcap. 14% alc. 5.8 g/l rs. $49.95. 12Jul2006.

Millton Te Arai Vineyard Gisborne Chenin Blanc 2005 Bright yellow gold in colour. Honey and beeswax scents are joined with lanolin, hints of orange zest and toast; it seems quite dry to the taste with a honeyed beeswax backbone, exotic tropical fruit, hints of lime and apple and a spicy kick to the luscious fruity finish. Medium to full-bodied in palate weight, it's tasty, bright and refreshing. 25% of the grapes had botrytis and the finished wine has 11g/l residual sugar. 13.5% alc. $26.99. 6Jun2007.

Morton Estate White Label Hawkes Bay Viognier 2005 (sc) Lifted and clean, the fruit is spiced apricots through and through with a lovely seam of delicate floral notes running through it. A clean and fragrant expression of viognier with a smooth, full-bodied mouthfeel and a combo of apricot, peach and lime blossom that builds to a long, lifted finish. Rather nice to drink on its own - it sings. It has been fermented in older oak barriques, but the oak is not at all obvious. 13% alc. $18.95. 4Jan2007.

St Aubyns Dry White A simple, soft, mellow wine without much character. Made from Muscat, Muller Thurgau and Riesling. Gisborne. 12% alc. $7.95. 6Sep2005.

St Aubyns Medium White Soft, fruity, lightly tropical with a Muscat grape influence and a spiciness to the finish. A blend of Muscat, Muller Thurgau and Riesling. Gisborne. 11% alc. $7.95. 6Sep2005.

Te Mata Woodthorpe Hawkes Bay Viognier 2005 (sc) Bright clear gold. Scents of apricot nougat and orange scented brioche and a bright, spicy, mealy palate infused with raisin bread and rich, ripe apricot and nectarine fruit. Full-bodied and silky with a lingering musky, estery, tropical fruit and orange water character, it is soft, full, long and dry. 14% alc. $25. 15Feb2006.
With its fragrant, peachy, mealy, smoky, barrel fermented scents, this golden yellow wine smells a little like Chardonnay at first until more typically Viognier musk and floral scents come through too. It's full-bodied and toasty to the taste with a smooth slippery texture, a bright zesty undercurrent, a lemon bread richness and a spicy vibrancy with hallmark apricot on the lingering stonefruit finish and just a hint of fennel. 14% alc. $24.99.12Mar2008.

Trinity Hill Gimblett Gravels Viognier 2005 - Hawkes Bay (sc) Honeysuckle aromas with hints of apricot and citrus lead into a soft, lush, fruity palate with a touch of vanilla bean and a delightful floral note to finish to the slightly honeyed, musky finish. Seemingly delicate at first, there is underlying power from barrel aging which gives a fabulous mouthfeel and a long, lingering finish. 14% alc. $29.95. 21Sep2005.
Creamy yellow in colour with perfumed, slightly musky, lemon and vanilla aromas leading into a beautifully expressive palate with apricot, lemon bread and an earthiness to the spicy oak backbone. It is full-bodied, rich and weighty with lime zest coming through to linger on the mealy finish and apricots on the aftertaste. This can be well chilled. 14.5% alc. $29.95. 2Nov2005.
This has garnered a luscious complexity over the past year. Apricots are to the fore on the nose and fill the palate and it's balanced to dryness even though the lusciousness makes you swoon. Golden hued, lime blossoms and honeysuckle join apricot on the nose, there's hints of honeyed oak, underlying citrus blossoms and lemongrass, a creamy finish and a bready richness as it lingers. 14.5% alc. $29.95. 14Nov2006.

Villa Maria Riverstone Chardonnay / Chenin NV Dryish with a touch of buttery oak over ripe melon and tropical fruit this trans-Tasman blend is a light fruity quaffer. 13.5% alc. $10.95. 6Sep2005.

Villa Maria Single Vineyard Omahu Gravels Hawkes Bay Viognier 2005 (sc) Aromatic with a smoky nuance and a rich, spicy palate, it is floral and a little honeyed with a spicy richness, delicate stonefruits and a musky, gewurz-like pungency to the fragrant finish. Delicate at the beginning with a richness to the finish. $35.00. 6Sep2005.
Pale, clear and bright in the glass, aromatic and delicately musky with a hint of white pepper and pear on the nose, there's a musky floral character with a nutty undercurrent to the essence of apricot fruit, the texture has just the right amount of slipperiness and the dry finish is long and clean with a slightly bready note as it lingers. Fermented in barrel with no oak flavour coming through to compete with the delicacy and vinous sweetness of the simply ethereal fruit. A young wine, it become mesmerising with time. 14.5% alc. $36.95. 20Jun2006.
With sweet caramel oak on the nose together with honeydew melon and spice, it smells a little like Chardonnay but the taste is so different. It's spicy, vibrant and lifted in the palate with a smooth texture, apricots, lemon bread and dry clove, cinnamon, cardamon-like spices that linger on the long, dry nutty finish. French oak plays a serious role in this seriously interesting wine. 14.5% alc. $36.99. 25Oct2006.