Submitted by Glenda Neil

April New Releases

Dry River Martinborough Pinot Noir 2006 If you?ve managed to score some of this highly sought after wine try and hold off opening it for at least 3-4 years. Unfortunately, I had to open a bottle so I could advise you not too. Rich ripe concentrated berry fruit and dark chocolate flavours, sweet and succulent with a silky smooth texture, complex with firm ripe tannins. As always you need to be on the Dry River mailing list to have any chance of buying their wines, for more on this wine go to http://www.dryriver.co.nz, about $82 from the winery.

Pegasus Bay Waipara Chardonnay 2006 Nutty toasty aroma, strong sweet grapefruit flavours beautifully balanced with smoky creamy oak, tasting great right now but will continue to develop for sometime yet, about $34.95 in NZ.

Sacred Hill Brokenstone Merlot 2005 Anyone who says Merlot makes a wimpy wine should get hold of a bottle of this beauty. Sweet plums and spice on palate big bold tannins and a long savoury finish, cellar for at least 3-4 years and wait for this to unfold and show its real potential, about $64 in NZ.

Jules Taylor Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2007 Crisp vibrant wine with ripe tropical fruit rich and rounded on the palate a wine of great poise and balance, gold medal and trophy winner at the Air NZ Wine Awards, about $20 in NZ.

Camshorn Waipara Domett Clays Pinot Noir 2006 Dark densely coloured wine, cherries and spice on palate, not a block buster but full of genuine pinot flavours at a very reasonable price, about $37 in NZ.

Vavasour Awatere Valley Chardonnay 2006 This classy wine is all elegance and subtlety, crisp citrus fruit flavours a touch of butterscotch and nutty toasty finish, complex with exceptional balance of ripe fruit and oak, about $25 in NZ.