Bob McDonald

9.0

Brief notes. Barb said sour cherry. My initial impressions - dried herbs, dried red cherry and black plum. Quite a big Pinot Noir. One could say a Shiraz drinkers Pinot, but it’s better than that and gives the wrong connotation. Have my next one in late 2025. As I have said in prior notes it lacks nuance. — 23 days ago

Mike Saviage

9.4

Enjoyed at our friend’s on the Big Island for NYE dinner. Dark and opaque. Rich in the mouth. Notes of black fruit, slate stone, some menthol and some five spice. In a good window. — 2 years ago

Scott Spitzer

9.3

Tons of big, bright passionfruit aromas with hints of fresh-squeezed lemon. Perky, bright acidity. Very nice. — 4 years ago

Jesse Hutchison

9.0

Big melon up front, subtle citrus on the tail. Great with seafood. — 5 years ago

Austin Moberg

9.3

Delicious super rich and creamy loaded with dark chocolate, toffee, coffee, and some raisin. Big fan of these after today wanting to try their unique releases now. — 2 months ago

Bob McDonald

9.0

Red and black fruits - cherry. Generally muted on the nose, even the following day. A big Pinot on the palate - it needed to be with curried prawns with plenty of heat. The following day similar notes - a good accompaniment to strong flavoured foods. Medium + savoury notes on the palate , yet to fully blossom, with fine Sandy tannins. A couple more years in the cellar would be beneficial. 99 points from Kiwi wine scribe, Bob Campbell MW. — 2 years ago

Dawn E.

9.1

Wonderful as always! Grapefruit, lemon, kiwifruit, hints of tropical fruits, big acidity, grass & minerals. Balance is spot on! — 4 years ago

Tree Kilpatrick

8.9

Classic NZ label. Smells funky. Lawn just cut or a piece of fresh grass in the teeth. And lemon citrus peels. Flavors are complex and very audacious. Bombastic even. Plenty of citrus, but something else as well. Shells? Like the calcium carbonate in those. Also big gooseberries. This is a good example of how NZ Sauv Blanc differs from the other styles out there. This wine packs a punch. — 9 months ago

Big Wave Dave

9.2

Still a bit surly but massive potential. A big and serious nose of reductive smoke, apple, cut grass, and lemon. This is a full bodied powerful wine but there is still a feeling that there is more to come once this properly unfurls. Sour apple, mealy bread, wrapped in toffee. Creamy, but with a solid steak of sour acidity. Amazing length. True GC structure but 5+ years to truly express itself. — 3 years ago

Bob McDonald

9.2

Generally regarded as New Zealand’s best expression of a left bank Bordeaux blend. This is a dense Ruby red in colour. Aromas of cedar, cassis, mint, leafy and a menthol note - generally classic left bank descriptors. Quite balanced - a medium plus weight palate - medium tannins and acid. Still a good future into the late 20’s or early 2030s. Sam Kim, who is a NZ wine taster and commentator described this wine on release as the greatest wine ever released in New Zealand which was a big call at the time. Bob Campbell MW said “Coleraine doesn’t get much better than this. “ — 4 years ago