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Hawke's Bay Wines

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Mills Reef 2000 Elspeth One Red (Hawke's Bay)

Cellar Selection

Price $35

This is a rich, sumptuous red wine. It looks, smells and tastes opulent. Ripe, forward berry flavors, wrapped in considerable oak, taste full and long, and the wine flatters with thick, velvety but fine tannins. The finish is a wonder, long and intricate. The aftertaste lasts for a full minute. It’s wonderful now, but should age effortlessly for many years. A blend… — S.H. (11/15/2002)

Clearview 2007 Reserve Chardonnay (Hawke's Bay)

Editors' Choice
Online Exclusive

Price $56

Simply put, this is an outstanding example of New World Chardonnay, marrying bold tropical fruit aromas and flavors with Burgundian production techniques. Guava and mango notes are lush an dappealing, framed by just enough structure and hints of dried spices and toasty oak for complexity and balance. Long and crisp on the finish. Now-2013. — J.C. (11/1/2008)

Mills Reef 2000 Mere Road Elspeth Merlot (Hawke's Bay)

Editors' Choice

Price $30

Here you have a massively constituted wine joined to well-charred oak that results in an enormously rich, satisfying and, more importantly, balanced sip. The fruit and berry flavors are hugely extracted, the tannins gentle but complex, the acidity near perfect. It all adds up to a young bruiser. If you must drink it now, have with rich foods like well-marbled beef… — S.H. (11/15/2002)

Te Mata 2007 Coleraine Red (Hawke's Bay)

Cellar Selection

Simply put, this is one of New Zealand’s flagship reds, and it is a shame it is no longer being imported to the U.S. Lifted hints of dried flowers and herbs impart great complexity to the aromas, and the wine’s cassis, cedar and chocolate flavors come across as intense without being overbearing. This is firmly structured, with plentiful but fine tannins. Drink… — J.C. (6/1/2010)

Craggy Range 2005 Les Beaux Cailloux Gimblett Gravels Chardonnay (Hawke's Bay)

Editors' Choice
Online Exclusive

Price $50

Craggy’s Chardonnay is undeniably world-class, and wouldn’t be out of place in a blind tasting with premier cru Burgundies. Toasty French oak frames elegantly restrained fruit on the nose and then vanilla, peach and tropical fruit flavors unfold on the palate, finishing long, tinged with orange sherbet and dried spices. Imported by Kobrand Corporation. — J.C. (3/1/2008)

Villa Maria 2005 Waikahu Vineyard Chardonnay (Hawke's Bay)

Price $35

Villa Maria’s single-vineyard wines are usuallly incredibly expressive, and this flashy Chardonnay from Hawke’s Bay is no exception. Bold nectarine and citrus notes are skillfully framed by toasty oak. There’s a woody wallop here, but also plenty of fruit, and rather than being heavy, it finishes long and fresh. Delicious now, so there’s no need to defer gratification. — J.C. (11/1/2007)

Craggy Range 2002 Le Sol Syrah (Hawke's Bay)

Price $60

Major-league Syrah from New Zealand? You bet. Tips the scales at 15.4% alcohol, yet never seems hot. Instead, you get a wonderfully balanced wine loaded with cassis and blackberry fruit, but also notes of coffee and ground pepper. Chewy tannins on the finish suggest it could age, but the wine is soft enough that there’s no need to wait. Imported by Kobrand. — J.C. (7/1/2005)

Sacred Hill 1998 Broken Stone Merlot (Hawke's Bay)

Price $40

This 100% Merlot is packed with black cherries, lusciously ripe and silky in the mouth. Black-tea notes on the finish hint at the complexities to be gained with bottle age. Try after 2003. — J.C. (5/1/2001)

Most Reviewed Varietals [All]

Bordeaux-style Red Blend Cabernet Franc Cabernet Sauvignon Chardonnay Gewürztraminer Merlot Pinot Grigio/Gris Pinot Noir Pinotage Red Blend Riesling Rosé Sauvignon Blanc Sémillon Shiraz/Syrah Zinfandel

Most Reviewed Producers [All]

Alpha Domus Babich Bilancia Borthwick Vineyard Brancott Cadwalladers Riverside Caroline Bay Church Road CJ Pask Clearview Coopers Creek Corbans Craggy Range Crossroads Curious Cove Dry River Esk Valley Forrest Estate Glazebrook Gunn Estate Hatton Estate Kemblefield Kim Crawford Kingsley Estate Linden Estate Longridge Matariki Matua Valley Metis Mills Reef Mission Estate Mount George Vineyards Newton Forrest Estate Ngatarawa Otto's Constant Dream Oyster Bay Paritua Riverside Sacred Hill Saint Clair Schubert Selaks Sileni Southbank Estate Stone Paddock Stonecroft Te Awa Te Awa Farm Te Mata The Red Square Trinity Hill Unison Vineyard Vidal Villa Maria Wild Rock

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