Mount Fishtail Wines

Oh that’s all we need, another Kiwi Sauvignon Blanc! Yup that’s what we said when this turned up but we did a complete back turn when we tasted this so don’t judge a book by it’s cover or a Savvy by it’s origins. It’s loaded with grapefruit, vibrant tropical fruits and that follow through on the fresh palate rounded out with a slight sweetness and bracing acidity. It’s quintessential Marlborough Savvy that needs to be served chilled alongside some fresh prawns coated in chilli and garlic.

It’s not just Central Otago that want to promote the fact that Kiwi Pinot Noir is world class because the other regions are catching up quickly and Marlborough is making Pinot that’s really exciting. This has all the prerequisites we look for in a Pinot, awash with red fruits particularly raspberry and strawberry as well as spice. These fruits appear on the soft palate with hints of vanilla and nicely weighted tannins.

The Mount Fishtail brand continues to excel at producing classic examples of Kiwi aromatic whites from the Marlborough region. This is grown in the cooler Waihopai Valley allowing the grapes to ripen yet not lose their natural acidity. This is made in the generous Gris style so it’s fuller on the palate, it starts with aromas of pear and mixed spice that move onto a mouth filling palate. The clean acids cut through the fruit so it’s in no way cloying and really good with hot Asian curries.

A full ruby red colour with crimson hues. A toasty nose, showing ripe, dark berries with deep spicy fruit notes. The palate is a soft sweet fruit driven style showing restrained use of oak. Quite full in the mouth delivering punchy dark cherry fruit flavours, soft acidity and integrated tannins making this an ideal early drinking style. Serving Suggestion: A wine to enjoy with lamb, game and poultry dishes, as well as Italian or vegetarian style food.

At bottling this wine has a pale straw green colour. Aromatically it evokes memories of a grandmother’s kitchen after she had taken a baked apple pie from the oven. The nose shows typical pear fruit notes, tinged with a very slight brulée character from barrel fermentation and lovely nuttiness from lees contact. The palate is full bodied and dry showing similar pear like fruit from the nose with an added touch of apple compote with baking spices of cinnamon, nutmeg and mace. Serving Suggestion: Asian inspired cuisine, try it with a Burmese Pork curry, light on the chilli but big on aromatics like lemongrass, cinnamon and anise.

Plenty of sweet, fresh herbs here, basil leaves and some greener grassy notes too. The palate has a crisp, taut appeal and a gentle tropical fruit crunch through the finish. Not especially long or complex, but good, crisp, clean-cut style.

This is a Konrad junior label and shows a bright and floral edge to the nose - a really pretty sauvignon, with tropical fruits too. The palate's tangy and tart - lime citrus rules here - with a slight leesy, creamy finish.