5 star wine
- Sort: ★ Star Rating | $ Price | A-Z
-
Alchemy Chardonnay 2023 (Hawke’s Bay)
top 10
Fresh and clean with aromas of grapefruit citrus, meadow blossoms and herbal spice on the nose. The palate is well …
→ more -
Ant Moore a+ Chardonnay 2023 (Marlborough)
top 5
A sulphidic style of chardonnay done really well with ripe fruit and vibrancy from the get-go. Though the acid is …
→ more -
Askerne Viognier 2021 (Hawke’s Bay)
top 10Aromatic and enticing on the nose with lots of varietal typicity declaring it’s viognier-ness. Apricot stone, ginger, peaches and delicate …
→ more -
Awatere River Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2022
top 10
Clean and bright with aromas of pea shell, tomato leaf and a medley of greens on its expressive nose. This …
→ more -
Ayrburn Pinot Gris 2022 (Central Otago)
top 5
Ripe lemon and poached pear alongside apricot and ginger spice aromas stream from the glass on this aromatically abundant pinot …
→ more -
Ayrburn Riesling 2022 (Central Otago)
top 5
Delicate stone fruit and lime sorbet aromas with white florals combine to make this nose instantly appealing. The palate is …
→ more -
Bandini Prosecco DOC NV (Veneto, Italy)
top 5
It never surprises me when I learn a winemaker is born into a wine family; in fact it makes perfect …
→ more -
Champagne Ayala Brut Majeur NV
top 10
Expressive on the nose with toast, white chocolate, cream and nutty marzipan aromas. The palate is well weighted and has …
→ more -
Champagne Ayala Rosé Majeur NV (France)
top 10
A beguiling mid-copper colour leads to a nose teeming with red summer fruits and cream. The red fruits come through …
→ more -
Champagne Beaumet Cuvée Brut NV (France)
top 10A skillfully made Champagne with white blossoms and creamy notes present with nice intensity on the nose. The palate is …
→ more -
Champagne Charles Hubert Cuvée Prestige 2018
top 5Fresh and bright on the nose with some doughy brioche aromas alongside. The palate shows great freshness and complexity with …
→ more -
Champagne Henriot Brut Souverain NV (France)
top 5
The history of Champagne reminds me of Harvard professor Laurel Thatcher Ulrich’s quote, “Well-behaved women seldom make history.” The long …
→ more -
Champagne Taittinger Brut Millesime 2014 (France)
top 5
The toasty nose and fresh aromatics are exotic and compelling. Fresh, lean and bright with an incredible acid structure. The …
→ more -
Charles Heidsieck Rosé Réserve NV (France)
top 5
A bewitching pale-copper colour with earthy, savoury notes on the nose that come through onto the palate matched with red …
→ more -
Charles Hubert Cuvée Prestige Grand Cru Brut 2013 (France)
top 5
A mature style with medium colour thanks to time. Nuts, brioche, apples and citrus are evident on the nose. The …
→ more -
Church Road 1 Gimblet Gravels Merlot 2020 (Hawke’s Bay)
top 5
Youthful and rich with ripe plum and fruitcake aromas on the nose and through the full-bodied palate. The abundance of …
→ more -
Church Road 1 Gimblett Gravels Malbec 2020 (Hawke’s Bay)
top 10
An unashamed monster malbec. From first glance into the almost opaque purple colour in the glass all the way to …
→ more -
Church Road Grand Reserve Barrel Fermented Sauvignon Blanc 2019 (Hawke’s Bay)
top 5
Defying every belief that sauvignon doesn’t age well, this 2019 barrel fermented example is fresh and lively. Aromas of white …
→ more -
Church Road Grand Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot 2020 (Hawke’s Bay)
top 5
Recently a friend with a particular passion for Bordeaux styles asked me, “What’s good drinking right now?” and I absentmindedly …
→ more -
Church Road McDonald Series Chardonnay 2023 (Hawke’s Bay)
top 5
As there isn’t another red wine tasting scheduled here at Cuisine for 2024, I had thought that I was done …
→ more -
Craggy Range Pinot Noir Te Muna Road Vineyard 2020 (Martinborough)
top 5
I hardly need to inform wine lovers that Burgundy, France sets the standard when it comes to pinot noir. Red …
→ more -
Daniel Le Brun Méthode Traditionnelle Vintage 2011 (Marlborough)
top 5
An attractive pale colour in the glass despite its age and showing lovely autolytic development of bread and brioche on …
→ more -
De Bortoli KV Prosecco NV (King Valley, Victoria, Australia)
top 5
Pale in the glass with hints of spice against the floral character of white jasmine and honeysuckle, which are matched …
→ more -
De Bortoli KV Prosecco Rosé NV (King Valley, Victoria, Australia)
top 5
The King Valley is considered the natural home of prosecco in Australia. Located in the north east of Victoria, the …
→ more -
Delta Estate Pinot Blanc 2020 (Marlborough)
top 5
An instantly appealing nose that suggests elegance; creamy yellow peaches and vanilla aromas present with lovely restraint. The palate is …
→ more -
Delta Estate Sauvignon Blanc 2022 (Marlborough)
top 10
A punchy and pungent style of sauvignon with high-toned citrus, stone fruit, passionfruit and some green aromas on the nose. …
→ more -
Deutz Prestige Cuvée 2017 (Marlborough)
top 5
Pale gold in the glass with lots of lovely lifted aromatics on the nose. Bready and toasty with ripe apple …
→ more -
Divici Prosecco DOC NV (Veneto, Italy)
top 5A fresh and juicy prosecco with lovely white florals on the nose that segue into the palate, which is nicely …
→ more -
Drappier Carte d’Or Brut NV (France)
top 10
Lifted aromatics of ripe apples, brioche and cream come through on the nose. The palate has an appealing bright lemon …
→ more -
E. Guigal CÔtes du RhÔne Rouge 2018 (RhÔne Valley, France)
top 5
Medium colour in the glass belies the rich dark fruit aromas alongside a meaty character on the nose. The palate …
→ more -
ENVOY Johnson Chardonnay 2017 (Marlborough)
top 5
A pale colour in the glass which belies its seven years in bottle, this wine is fresh and understated on …
→ more -
Esk Valley Artisanal Collection Albariño 2021 (Hawke’s Bay)
top 5Immediate freshness in the glass with ripe stone fruit and yellow flower aromas on the nose. The palate is juicy, …
→ more -
Fonseca Porto Ruby Port NV (Portugal)
top 5
Very deeply coloured yet very youthful, this is a serious ruby with juicy fruit aromas and hints of smoke pouring …
→ more -
Gonzalez Byass Nectar Pedro Ximénez Dulce NV (Jerez, Spain)
top 5Sherry is an interesting beast as it can pretty much be anything from light dry fino sherry to lusciously sweet …
→ more -
Grosjean Vallée d’Aoste Petite Arvine 2020 (Italy)
top 5Pale in the glass with lovely fresh citrus and floral notes on the nose, this wine is light, fine, focussed …
→ more -
Gustave Lorentz Reserve Gewürztraminer 2020 (Alsace, France)
top 10Gorgeous gewürztraminer with a richly perfumed nose filled with candied lemons, rosewater, peach jam and exotic dried spice. The full …
→ more -
Henriot Brut Souverain NV
top 10On the nose fresh white blossom sits against contrasting rich honey and toasted nut aromas. The palate has great complexity …
→ more -
Hunter’s MiruMiru™ Reserve 2019 (Marlborough)
top 5
A rich luxurious gold in the glass with stunning copper threads. The nose is fresh and bright with aromas of …
→ more -
Invivo X, SJP Sud de France Rosé 2021 (Provence, France)
top 5
Celebrity wine is a bit of a phenomenon these days. Anyone who’s anyone, it would appear, has their own wine, …
→ more -
J Lassalle Preference 1er Cru Brut NV (France)
top 5
Pale gold in the glass with developed yeast and lifted brioche notes on the nose together with apples, honey and …
→ more -
Kirrihill Partner Series Clare Valley Riesling 2022 (Australia)
top 5
Lovely tropical fruits and lemon- lime aromas sit alongside delicate white jasmine on the expressive and inviting nose. The palate …
→ more -
Lake Chalice The Falcon Sauvignon Blanc 2024 (Marlborough)
top 5
A vibrant and forward nose with tropical fruit aromas and a herbal lift that draws you in. The well-balanced palate …
→ more -
Lake Chalice The Raptor Sauvignon Blanc 2022 (Marlborough)
top 5
The team at Lake Chalice draws a beautiful parallel between winemakers and the birds – such as the namesake raptor …
→ more -
Lawson’s Dry Hills Reserve Chardonnay 2022 (Marlborough)
top 5
Lots of fruit and fragrant florals on the nose with herbal spice and some subtle reductive characters. The palate is …
→ more -
Lawsons Dry Hills Riesling 2019 (Marlborough)
top 5
Toasty and complex aromatic characters abound with lemon curd, ripe apple and stone fruit aromas on the nose. The off-dry …
→ more -
Lindauer Special Reserve Blanc de Blancs NV (Gisborne)
top 5
I have a deep affinity for Lindauer Special Reserve Blanc de Blancs as each glass is loaded with good memories. …
→ more -
Lindauer Vintage Series Brut Cuvée 2017 (Gisborne)
top 5
If one were making a list of iconic Kiwi brands then Lindauer would have to be close to the top. …
→ more -
Maison Fortant Coteaux Varios En Provence Rosé 2021 (Provence, France)
top 5
A very pale coral pink which is so pretty to view in the glass. The nose is delightful with red …
→ more -
Mara Martín Godello 2021 (Monterrei, Spain)
top 5
People are forever telling me they would love to try something new, but are afraid to stray too far from …
→ more -
Marc Brédif Vouvray Classic 2021 (Loire Valley, France)
top 10
Varietally expressive French chenin blanc with fragrant ripe apple and quince aromas on the nose. The palate is succulent and …
→ more -
Maude Rosé 2022 (Central Otago)
A vibrant and energetic pink that immediately appeals and an expressive nose that jumps out of the glass to greet …
→ more -
Mission Reserve Sauvignon Blanc 2023 (Marlborough)
top 10An interesting wine which refuses to fit the ‘typical’ sauvignon mould with its malo complexity and use of oak evident …
→ more -
Mount Riley Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2024
top 5
Ripe and crisp with lots of aromatic and flavour intensity throughout. The herbals are fresh on the nose alongside passionfruit …
→ more -
Mount Riley The Bonnie Pinot Rosé 2022 (Marlborough)
top 5
Pale pink with a touch of copper on the rim. The nose is subtle and restrained with lovely aromas and …
→ more -
Mudhouse Woolshed Sauvignon Blanc 2023 (Marlborough)
top 10Pale in the glass with fresh fruit evident immediately through the nose. The aromas are ripe and fresh with hints …
→ more -
Nautilus Albariño 2022 (Marlborough)
top 5
Youthful and fresh with juicy peaches, apricots and jasmine-flower aromatics. The palate showcases the stunning fruit purity with lively acid …
→ more -
Nga Waka Lease Block Pinot Noir 2020 (Martinborough)
top 5
A high-impact pinot with bright red fruit aromatics on the nose and a hint of earthy mushroom that is a …
→ more -
Nga Waka Pinot Noir 2020 (Martinborough)
top 5
Medium coloured in the glass with lifted perfumed aromatics, both red and dark cherry fruits abound on the nose and …
→ more -
Old Coach Road Nelson Riesling 2020
top 5
The little sister brand of Nelson’s Seifried Estate, the Old Coach Road brand was created to bring the best of …
→ more -
Orben Cosecha 2018 (Rioja, Spain)
top 5
Rioja is a small wine region in the northeast of Spain that is best known for growing the red grape …
→ more -
Paritua Red 2019 (Hawke’s Bay)
top 5Deeply coloured with a dash of tawny at the rim. Cassis, blackcurrant leaf, some tomato leaf and plums abound on …
→ more -
Paritua Syrah 2020 (Hawke’s Bay)
Lifted dark berries and peppery aromatics abound on the nose with a spicy gamey note which adds interest. The palate …
→ more -
Pellegrino Passito Di Pantelleria 2022 (Sicily)
top 5A pale gold with ribbons of red throughout. The nose is rich with butterscotch and raisined fruit yet fresh as …
→ more -
Peregrine Charcoal Creek Riesling 2016 (Central Otago)
top 5
Central Otago is so well known for its stunning pinot noir that I feel the region’s aromatics are underappreciated. Central’s …
→ more -
Peregrine Méthode Traditionnelle NV (Central Otago)
top 5
Pale with aromas of honey and dried grass on the nose alongside fresh grapefruit citrus. The palate is richly textured …
→ more -
Piper Heidsieck Cuvée Brut NV
top 5
This wine is very lifted and characterful on the nose with aromas of toasted nuts and fresh dough. The palate …
→ more -
Piper Heidsieck Cuvée Brut NV (France)
top 10
A Champagne with real character and lots of elements working in harmony. The palate has lovely autolytic development, which gives …
→ more -
Piper Heidsieck Cuvée Rosé Sauvage NV
top 5
I find the history of Champagne fascinating. Each time I look for information I am inevitably found some time later …
→ more -
Piper Heidsieck Essentiel NV (France)
top 10
A rich, complex and expressive nose full of rich toasty, yeast notes that leads into a beautifully crafted palate. Complex …
→ more -
Pol Roger Brut Reserve NV
top 5
A golden glow in the glass with a toasted lifted creamy complexity on the nose that comes through onto the …
→ more -
Quartz Reef Méthode Traditionnelle Vintage Blanc de Blancs 2017 (Central Otago)
top 5
A pale-gold colour in the glass with attractive fresh yeasty aromas. The palate is lean, yet complex with underlying fruit …
→ more -
Saint Clair Godfrey’s Creek Reserve Pinot Gris 2020 (Marlborough)
top 5
How wonderful to see a pinot gris at the top of the list that has a few years under its …
→ more -
Saint Clair James Sinclair Chardonnay 2021 (Marlborough)
top 10
A medium colour in the glass with high- toned fruit on the nose; lifted citrus (both lemon and yellow grapefruit) …
→ more -
Saint Clair James Sinclair Pinot Noir 2021 (Marlborough)
top 5
Deeply coloured with a bold youthful presence, aromas of dark dense black fruits brood on the nose amid complex sulphides …
→ more -
Saint Clair Origin Grüner Veltliner 2021 (Marlborough)
top 10An understated wine with lovely lifted apricot, lemon zest and white pepper spice on its restrained nose. The silky palate …
→ more -
Saint Clair Pioneer Block 1 Foundation Dillons Point Sauvignon Blanc 2022 (Marlborough)
top 5
An expressive and distinctive nose filled with green capsicum, dried herbs, gooseberry, crunchy green aromas and other sauvignon-esqe delights. The …
→ more -
Saint Clair Pioneer Block 15 Strip Block Pinot Noir 2021 (Marlborough)
top 5
Deeply coloured with black and red cherry aromas, lifted bright tomato-leaf characters and ‘stemmy’ whole-bunch aromas on the nose. The …
→ more -
Saint Clair Pioneer Block 17 Plateau Merlot 2020 (Hawke’s Bay)
top 5
A plummy, juicy and luscious style of merlot with obvious but appropriate and well-handled oak. The fruit on the palate …
→ more -
Saint Clair Pioneer Block 20 Cash Block Dillons Point Sauvignon Blanc 2022 (Marlborough)
top 5
Gorgeous sauvignon typicity in spades on the nose; passionfruit and herbal aromas are present with fantastic intensity combined with ripe …
→ more -
Saint Clair Pioneer Block 3 43 Degrees Sauvignon Blanc 2024 (Marlborough)
top 5
A lovely mix of herbal and thiol aromas on the nose in great intensity. That intensity is matched on the …
→ more -
Saint Clair Pioneer Block 6 Oh! Block Lower Rapaura Sauvignon Blanc 2022 (Marlborough)
top 10
Subdued and understated on the nose, suggesting purity and poise, which is realised on the palate. A charming style that …
→ more -
Sandeman 30 Year Old Port (Portugal)
top 5
Lovers of fine port are most likely aware of the Sandeman brand – these days we’re pretty brand-savvy and can …
→ more -
Sandeman 40 Year Old Port (Portugal)
top 5
Described by one of our judges as a finely dressed and dapper gentleman. Lovely medium colour with stunning bricking, aromas …
→ more -
Seifried Winemakers Collection Nelson ‘Sweet Agnes’ Riesling 2024
top 5
Usually something quite unctious or a full-on botrytis-laden-style takes the top sweet wine accolade, but this year the top wine …
→ more -
Sileni Straits Sauvignon Blanc 2024 Marlborough
top 5Smoky notes on the nose with bright aromatics of blackcurrant leaf and green grass alongside hints of passionfruit. The palate …
→ more -
Squawking Magpie First Flight Startled Pink Rosé 2022 (Hawke’s Bay)
top 10
Mid-pink verging on pale ruby, this deeply toned wine is a delight. Ripe red berry, plum and white blossom aromas …
→ more -
Taittinger Brut Réserve NV
top 5
Citrus flowers on the nose go alongside creamy lemon sorbet and lovely autolytic complexity. The palate feels initially tight but …
→ more -
Taylor’s LBV Port 2019 (Douro, Portugal)
top 5Deeply coloured and youthful with dense black fruit aromas on the nose. The palate is dense and concentrated with well-integrated …
→ more -
Taylors 10 Year Old Tawny Port (Portugal)
top 5
Medium colour with some browning to be seen with a lovely understated nose showcasing rich dried fruit aromas. The palate …
→ more -
The Craft Series Pride & Glory Sauvignon Blanc 2015 (Marlborough)
top 5
The great grandad of the bunch – at only eight years old this fantastic sauvignon blanc is holding its head …
→ more -
Tohu Whenua Awa Riesling 2019 (Awatere, Marlborough)
top 5
Pale in colour with clean citrus and beeswax aromas teeming from the glass. The palate is crisp and fresh with …
→ more -
Tohu Whenua Matua Albariño 2019 (Upper Moutere, Tasman)
top 15A classic albariño with ripe apricots and bright florals on the nose. The palate has excellent weight and intensity well …
→ more -
Trinity Hill Gimblett Gravels Marsanne/Viognier 2019 (Hawke’s Bay)
top 10
Richness oozes from the glass with baked apple, beeswax, brioche and savoury herb aromas coming through on the complex nose. …
→ more -
Trinity Hill Prison Block Cabernet Sauvignon 2020 (Gimblett Gravels, Hawke’s Bay)
top 5
A huge wine that is still very much in its infancy, this is a ripe, rich cabernet sauvignon with dark …
→ more -
Trinity Hill Thompson’s Block Syrah 2020 (Hawke’s Bay)
top 5
When I first developed an interest in wine I couldn’t help but think how cool it would be to know …
→ more -
Verde Brut NV (Gisborne)
top 5
Lovely complexity on the nose with that delightful lifted brioche toast that makes you want to dive into the glass. …
→ more -
Villa Maria Private Bin Sauvignon Blanc 2024 (Marlborough)
top 5
If there is a brand that is synonymous with New Zealand wine it’s Villa Maria. The company’s history is long …
→ more -
Waimea Pinot Noir 2019 (Nelson)
top 10
A complex aromatic profile with rich dark fruits, herbs, spicy clove and toasty oak combined on the deep and concentrated …
→ more -
Waipara Hills Waipara Valley Pinot Noir Rosé 2022
top 5
Pale salmon pink with lifted aromas of red fruits, stone fruit and white florals on the nose. The palate is …
→ more -
Wairau River Estate Marlborough Pinot Gris 2022
top 5
Citrus, stone fruit and a hint of thiol are present on the nose with flinty complexity set against delicate florals. …
→ more -
Wairau River Reserve Syrah 2020 (Marlborough)
top 5
A ripe example with dark fruits, pepper and florals on the nose alongside liquorice and toasty oak aromas. Bold tannins …
→ more -
Wet Jacket Chardonnay 2023 (Central Otago)
top 5
Lots going on through this complex but not overt example. The fruit here is bright – citrus and stone fruit …
→ more -
Wooing Tree Rosé 2021 (Central Otago)
top 10
A coral pink colour with delightful musky strawberry notes on the nose that invite you into the glass. Attractive red …
→ more -
Yalumba FSW Botrytis Viognier 2023 (Wrattonbully, South Australia)
top 5Mid-gold in the glass with aromas of apricot kernel and some subtle dried grass on the nose. The palate is …
→ more