On The Tasting Bench – April 2025
Barry Weinman: 1st May 2025
With the plethora of local chenins and rieslings available to provide refreshing (and serious) drinking, New Zealand sauvignon blanc does not get much of a look in at home.
But the 2023 Te Muna Sauvignon Blanc from Craggy Range is a timely reminder of just how good these wines can be.
Elsewhere, I was very impressed with the Elantro pinot noir. Made by Sandro Mosel in the Mornington Peninsula, this is a winery to watch.
Reviewed.
Craggy Range – Te Muna – Sauvignon Blanc – 2023. This is a more serious expression of sauvignon blanc. There are subdued tropical fruit notes, but the textures and flavours speak equally to the skilled winemaking which has softened the exuberance of the grapes and added layers of complexity. Great with food (pan-fried whiting fillets), or for sipping and savouring on its own. 12.5% alc – 94pts.
Xanadu – Chardonnay – 2023. Fine, elegant and pure, with a core of ripe, peach-laden fruit popping in and out of focus on a very long palate. The texture is excellent and the length noteworthy. Great drinking and excellent value. 94pts.
Glaetzer-Dixon – Uberblanc – Riesling – 2023. Pretty, with musk and floral notes. Fine acidity is a highlight, adding verve and energy to the palate, without impeding the fruit in any way. Near seamless and with great balance, this is a fantastic drink now. A complete wine. 94pts.
Coward & Black – Lady Margo – Rose – 2024. This is a smart wine. It feels fairly dry, but has nice florals that waft up from the glass. There is decent length on a moreish palate. The back label talks of Turkish Delight and red berries, and this sums things up nicely. Warm day + Cold wine = happy consumer. 91pts.
Elantro Vineyard – Pinot Noir – 2023. This is quite beautiful. Superb fruit, fine structure, silky mouth feel. Depth and intensity. Swoon? You bet, as this is a quite remarkable wine. Concentration without any heaviness. Lithe, but with fruit weight sitting behind it. A brilliant drink. 14.0% alc – 95pts.
Serafino – Reserve – Grenache – 2023. Ripe, supple and delicious. There is structure here that makes this quite serious, but the fruit is the star. Cherry, plum and some candied notes all add. Excellent persistence of flavours elevates this further. A very good wine, but also really fun to drink! 14.2% alc – 94pts.
Sandalford – 1840 – Grenache – 2023. I like this for its point of difference. Ripe fruit has been massaged in the winery to add savoury, almost earthy undertones, without impacting on the flow of the succulent fruit. Really delicious and a great choice for current drinking with seriously good food. 14.5% – 93pts – $40.