Nautilus Sauvignon Blanc 2024

Nautilus Sauvignon Blanc 2024

  15:40    Stu.

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Classic Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc - albeit with somewhat more honed, crafted qualities - as the world has come to know and love.

Gooseberry, blackcurrant leaf, subtle passionfruit. The palate is gentle, resolving beautifully across the palate. Acid is subtle, giving graceful length and precision - overall its exceptionally balanced and well-handled. Excellent winemaking. 92

Tasted on: Sunday 24th August

Source: Sample

Price: $24
Alcohol: 13.5%
Closure: Screwcap
Website: https://www.nautilusestate.com/

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Forrest Chardonnay 2023

Forrest Chardonnay 2023

  15:00    Stu.

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Exudes class, with fine French oak leading the way. Subtle citrus, delicate seasoning.

A suggestion of creaminess on the palate, more of the the oak framing up the middle. Slight butter popcorn, caramel. Fades to a gentle creaminess. 90

Tasted on: Tuesday 21st October
Source: Sample
Price: $40
Alcohol: 14%
Closure: Screwcap
Sample Courtesy of: Single Vineyard Sellers

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Nautilus Southern Valleys Pinot Noir 2020

Nautilus Southern Valleys Pinot Noir 2020

  11:22    Stu.

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A vibrant garnet in glass, redolent of maraschino cherry, rose florals and hibiscus. Bright and perfumed, one can almost feel the kiss of warmth late on a Summer's day here. 

Mid-weight on entry, it starts to firm up through the palate, building and bringing a little baking spice and even a nod towards a fresh twist of black pepper. Long and savoury on the finish - exemplary Marlborough Pinot Noir. 94

Tasted on: Tuesday 22nd July
Source: Sample
Price: $40NZ
Alcohol: 13.5%
Closure: Screwcap
Website: https://www.nautilusestate.com/

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Jules Taylor Sauvignon Blanc 2024

Jules Taylor Sauvignon Blanc 2024

  12:52    Stu.

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So 2025 marks the twenty-fifth vintage for Jules Taylor, and with this release you can see where twenty-four years of winemaking excellence can get you!

A delightfully expressive example of the variety and place. From the go it's red apple skin, passionfruit, blackcurrant leaf and a suggestion of the hallmark gooseberry, here honed rather than allowed free reign.

The palate possesses a quartzy minerality, with a little salinity roaming through the finish. A lovely example. 93

Tasted on: Sunday 13th April
Source: Sample
Price: $25
Alcohol: 13.3%
Closure: Screwcap
Website: https://www.julestaylor.com/

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Forrest Chardonnay 2022

Forrest Chardonnay 2022

  15:50    Stu.

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Creamy, nutty, nougat oak on offer. Immediately familiar, inviting - yellow nectarine and fine spice hints.

The palate shows a little toast, married to ripe fruit. A lovely balance of fruit and oak in unison here.

There's palate weight, width and length - gives an all round package bound to have broad appeal. Grows in stature through the finish. 92

Tasted on: Monday 11th December
Source: Sample
Price: $40
Alcohol: 14%
Closure: Screwcap
Sample Courtesy of: https://www.singlevineyards.com/

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Jules Taylor Pinot Noir 2020

Jules Taylor Pinot Noir 2020

  13:54    Stu.

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Firmer, meatier style of Pinot Noir from the Marlborough region and the hand of Jules Taylor.

Dark fruit, oak seasoning and tilled earth on offer. Stylistically it's medium to full bodied, dark fruits represent and segue to a firm - yet fine - tannin profile that carries a dark and firm line through the finish. 91

Tasted on: Thursday 29th July
Source: Sample
Price: $35
Alcohol: 13.5%
Closure: Screwcap
Website: https://www.julestaylor.com/

Sample courtesy of: Single Vineyard Sellers  

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Jules Taylor Grüner Veltliner 2020

Jules Taylor Grüner Veltliner 2020

  16:30    Stu.

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Strong intensity here, can't have been in bottle too long. It's varietal, at least, a primary offering of white

pepper, white florals, suggestions of herb, red apple skins. 

Intense acidity immediately apparent on the palate, some palate texture, width and weight following shortly thereafter. 

Just loses a touch of that presence through the finish. 90 

Tasted on: Wednesday 9th September 2020
Source: Sample
Price: $ 25
Alcohol: 13%
Closure: Screwcap
Website: https://www.julestaylor.com/

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Jules Taylor Sauvignon Blanc 2019

Jules Taylor Sauvignon Blanc 2019

  16:30    Stu.

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Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc - certainly in my mind - comes with such pre-conceived notions. Yet it’s arguably the region - and the associated stylistic connotations - that defined a new world style.

Yet, then along comes a producer such as Jules Taylor, perhaps looking to redefine a standard, or at least seek to alter the narrative.

It’s certainly an attractive proposition, in that tropical and herbal way. Yet - as with Jules’ other wines - it’s somewhat more restrained in its approach. Possessing a mineral presence that fair dances its way across the length of the palate.

It’s a sensation that leaves more than a lasting memory. Well made and persistent. 91 

Tasted on: Tuesday 18th August
Source: Sample
Price: $25
Alcohol: 13.5%
Closure: Screwcap
Website: https://www.julestaylor.com/
Sample Courtesy of: https://www.singlevineyards.com/

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Jules Taylor OTQ Sauvignon Blanc 2019

Jules Taylor OTQ Sauvignon Blanc 2019

  16:30    Stu.

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OTQ represents Jules Taylor's slightly out there takes on varieties. This example rendering the Sauv more akin to Chardonnay, touches of new creamy oak and a cream laden palate.

On that, it carries some of that vanilla and cashew aspect across the palate. With that in mind, one suggests barrel Ferment and a fair portion of new oak in the mix. Regardless, it's a quality wine. 92 

Tasted on: Tuesday 28th April 
Source: Sample
Price: $40
Alcohol: 13%
Closure: Screwcap
Website: https://www.julestaylor.com/

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Jules Taylor Chardonnay 2019

Jules Taylor Chardonnay 2019

  16:30    Stu.

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Grilled stonefruit, creamy nut and nougat on the aroma; toast adds to that proposition on the palate. 

A lingering toast and depth on the palate is driven by a vein of citrus acidity, a wine of lingering intensity, a wine you'll not find wanting. 92 

Tasted on: Monday 30th March
Source: Sample
Price: $30
Alcohol: 13.5%
Closure: Screwcap
Website: https://www.julestaylor.com/

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Jules Taylor Pinot Gris 2019

Jules Taylor Pinot Gris 2019

  16:30    Stu.

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Redolent of pear drop lollies, supplemented with melon and stonefruit.

Quite delicate across the palate - getting the impression that could well be a marker of these Jules Taylor wines, that and originating from a somewhat cooler clime than Aussie examples I'm used to. 

There's a minerally mien across the back palate, a gentle tickle that conveys a cool edge with that. 91

Tasted on: Tuesday 24th March
Source: Sample
Price: $25
Alcohol: 13.5%
Closure: Screwcap
Website: https://www.julestaylor.com/

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Jules Taylor On The Quiet Rosé 2018

Jules Taylor On The Quiet Rosé 2018

  16:30    Stu.

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OTQ, or On The Quiet, represents a reserve range for Jules Taylor Wines.

Strawberry, touch of rhubarb, boiled lolly aspect.

Crisp, tickle of spice across the palate, crunch of acidity. Seems fairly derivative for a Pinot Noir rosé, particularly given the asking price. 89 

Tasted on: Friday 20th March 
Source: Sample
Price: $35
Alcohol: 14%
Closure: Screwcap
Website: https://www.julestaylor.com/

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Jules Taylor Gruner Veltliner 2018

Jules Taylor Gruner Veltliner 2018

  08:30    Stu.

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Stonefruit with a subtle white pepper and mace-like edge, the seasoning to the fruit. It's aromatically poised, the seasoning tickling the olfactory organ.

Subtlely worked texture, a pinch of phenolics with a fine minerality across the backbone of the palate. Subtlety, balance, guile. It's a delicate wine that will have you yearning glass after glass. 92. 

Tasted on: Friday 20th March 
Source: Sample
Price: $25
Alcohol: 13%
Closure: Screwcap
Website: www.julestaylor.com
Sample Courtesy of: https://www.singlevineyards.com/

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Opawa Pinot Noir Rosé 2019

Opawa Pinot Noir Rosé 2019

  12:56    Stu.

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Pretty, inviting; hints of cassis, strawberry and raspberry elements. Touch of residual sweetness and a brisk clip of acidity racing across the palate. 

Finishes dry and with a reasonable length of flavour. Good Pinot based Rosé. 89 

Tasted on: Sunday 12th January 
Source: Sample
Price: $23
Alcohol: TBC
Closure: Screwcap
Website: https://www.opawawine.com/

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Yealands Estate Land Made Sauvignon Blanc 2017

Yealands Estate Land Made Sauvignon Blanc 2017

  09:36    Stu.

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Quite unsure as to what 'Land Made' means in the context of the wine, still it's attractively packaged.

Presents itself well, somewhat more delicate on the aromatic profile. It's all tropical fruit ahoy! Mixing guava, papaya and suggestion of citrus thrown in for freshness.

Palate shows the freshness, cut and acidity of the variety - giving drive and verve. Well made. 91

Tasted on: Sunday 5th August
Source: Sample
Price: $
Alcohol: 12.5%
Closure: Screwcap
Website: https://www.yealands.co.nz/

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Babydoll Sauvignon Blanc 2017

Babydoll Sauvignon Blanc 2017

  09:26    Stu.

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Classically proportioned New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc. It's all fresh, up front, carrying that that Gooseberry and herbal opening that has come to define a style (rightly or wrongly) and certainly launched a nation's wine industry.

Clean, crisp, good line of acid that extends well into the furthest reaches. There's that lingering grapefruit acidity cut with with some zesty lemon. 90

Tasted on: Sunday 5th August
Source: Sample
Price: $17.99 (NZ?)
Alcohol: 12.5%
Closure: Screwcap
Website: www.babydollwines.co.nz

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Giesen Clayvin Marlborough Pinot Noir 2012

Giesen Clayvin Marlborough Pinot Noir 2012

  08:23    Stu.

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Of the three Giesen single vineyard (Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay) wines, I struggled to appreciate this Pinot Noir the most.

From the acclaimed 'Clayvin' vineyard, reputedly Marlborough's oldest Pinot Noir plantings, a site off which both Fromm and Tongue in Groove draw fruit, it's a dark red fruited number. Shows some deep red florals - a suggestion of hibiscus perhaps, over smoky oak scents.

Feels a little hollow on the palate, a little astringency doing little to recover this, a palate lacking the finesse often associated with the variety.

Some red berry character lurks, but overall a disappointing wine given the pedigree of its stablemates. 88

Tasted on: Tuesday 7th July, a Flower transitioning to Leaf day

Source: Sample
Price: $65.99
Alcohol: 13.5%
Closure: Screwcap
Website: https://giesen.co.nz/

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Giesen Fuder Clayvin Vineyard Chardonnay 2012

Giesen Fuder Clayvin Vineyard Chardonnay 2012

  10:00    Stu.

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Tasted blind in a bracket of four Chardonnay, mix of years and regions.

Another barrel ferment Chardonnay, where evidence of that technique is clearly on show. Carried out with an even hand, not assaulting the nostrils: the toast, creamy smoke give the wine a profile that lends gravitas.

Spice, toast, textural - giving a fuller, rounder presence to the wine. None of that skinny, picked far too early nonsense here I add. Nutty, creamy - of substance.

Powerful - holds a line based on the spice that is evident throughout. Impressive. 92

Tasted on: Saturday 7th March, a Fruit to Root day
Source: Sample
Price: $60
Alcohol: 14.5%
Closure: Screwcap
Website: https://giesen.co.nz/

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Giesen Wines The Fuder Matthews Lane Sauvignon Blanc 2012

Giesen Wines The Fuder Matthews Lane Sauvignon Blanc 2012

  08:21    Stu.

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Prepare to see Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc through a different lens.

Giesen is one of the older New Zealand wine companies, and in Australia it is the second largest distributor of New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc. Marcel Giesen, one of three brothers involved in the running of the company, is driving a push towards limited production runs, to doing things a little differently.

Here, 'The Fuder' is so named after a 1000L German barrel. The wine in question spends one year in oak, 50% of that is new. Total production is 2000L, or 220 cases.

Carries its regional marker, albeit fine tuned: snow pea, gooseberry and aromatic herb - thyme, a suggestion of pan-tossed nuts.

The palate is a wine of contrast, layered - descending into the depths. At first ethereal, a featherlight touch to it, a sense of fragility akin to fine porcelain; the barrel character that follows is at striking odds to that intro: layered, complex, spice.

Has length, and then some, spice and acid work here in unison to give substance, presence, power. Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc re-thought.

Tasted on: Saturday 14th February, a Leaf to Fruit day
Source: Sample
Price: $49.99
Alcohol: 14.5%
Closure: Screwcap
Website: https://giesen.co.nz/

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Mud House Pinot Gris 2013

Mud House Pinot Gris 2013

  08:00    Stu.

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Made by the highly regarded Ben Glover, the winery was recently purchased by Accolade Wines.

Expressely aromatic, lovely nuances of pear, stonefruit, citrus and even a suggestive note of nougat.

That doesn't quite carry through to the palate where there's a little tinned tropical fruit sweetness amidst a little interplay of texture. Not one to set the palate racing. 86

Tasted on: Sunday 31st August, a Flower day 
Source: Sample
Price: $18.99
Alcohol: 13.5%
Closure: Screwcap
Website: http://www.mudhouse.co.nz/

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