New Zealand Wines
The land most Americans came to know via The Lord of the Rings is home to some great wines as well as spectacular scenery. Sauvignon Blanc is grown in most New Zealand wine regions, but is especially notable in Marlborough, where it makes wines that set the New World standard for that variety. Other grape varieties commonly grown in New Zealand include Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, Riesling, Pinot Noir, Syrah and Merlot.
Wine Enthusiast’s New Zealand wine guide features thousands of New Zealand wine reviews from all over the country, including Hawkes Bay and Martinborough on the North Island and Marlborough, Nelson, Waipara and Central Otago on the South Island. Search our Buying Guide to find New Zealand wine ratings from all of your favorite producers.
Seresin 2005 Sauvignon Blanc (Marlborough)
- Editors' Choice
- $21
Seresin, under the capable guidance of winemaker Brian Bicknell, continues to turn out exemplary Sauvignon Blanc. The 2005 is a great success, boasting sexy aromas of ripe peaches, gooseberries and pink grapefruit, all touched with a hint of honey. Nectarine and pink grapefruit flavors seem made for each other on the plump but not soft palate, while the finish…
— J.C.
(11/1/2006)
Seresin 2005 Chardonnay (Marlborough)
- Editors' Choice
- $22
Lush on the palate, with a silky-creamy texture that’s to die for, this is New World Chardonnay all the way, but it’s so seductive you might forgive its lack of minerality. Honeyed peach flavors easily carry touches of smoky oak into a long, luscious finish. No point in waiting for this to open up; drink now–2007.
— J.C.
(11/1/2006)
Dry River 2004 Chardonnay (Martinborough)
- $45
Toasty and mealy on the nose, but those characters are well balanced by honeyed peach and citrus scents. Tasted over two days, on the first it seemed quite open and welcoming, lush and richly textured, while on the second it had closed down a bit and seemed tighter and more citrusy. Finishes long, with marked smoky notes.
— J.C.
(11/1/2006)
Sileni 1998 EV Merlot-Cabernet Franc (Hawke's Bay)
- $80
Price aside, this is an outstanding effort in need of several years' cellaring. SMoky, meaty aromas open into cherry-berry fruit. Rich and full on the palate, it closes with a long dusty finish. Anticipated maturity: 2003-2015.
— J.C.
(5/1/2001)
Craggy Range 2004 Le Sol Gimblett Gravels Syrah (Hawke's Bay)
- $65
This is an inky purple-hued Syrah, with the power to match its intense color. Scents of toast, vanilla and black cherries set the stage, while the flavors build on that, adding hints of cured meat and cinnamon. This is full-bodied, with ripe tannins, yet isn’t soft. Give it a couple years in the cellar to allow the wood to integrate, and this will be even tastier.
— J.C.
(7/1/2007)
Villa Maria 2005 Waikahu Vineyard Chardonnay (Hawke's Bay)
- $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)
Villa Maria 2006 Taylors Pass Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc (Marlborough)
- Editors' Choice
- $32
This is a wonderfully expressive NZ SAuvignon Blanc, oozing with tropical fruit, but with greenish overtones of fresh herbs and tomato leaves. Bold passion fruit rules the nose, with the herbal notes providing balance. Medium- to full-bodied, with a long finish, this should drink well over the next year or so.
— J.C.
(11/1/2007)
Villa Maria 2006 Clifford Bay Reserve Sauvignon Blanc (Marlborough)
- Editors' Choice
- $27
This is supremely perfumed, almost pungent in its intensity, with plenty of presence on the palate and bold flavors of peach, pineapple and complex layers of herbaceousness. Despite its power and weight, it remains surprisingly elegant on the long finish.
— W.E.
(7/1/2007)
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