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100 Wines for Winter 2015: Aperitif Wines

May 28, 2015 Drinks

MT0615Wines-Judges'-(5)

 

Wines to enjoy on their own, before a meal or with light snacks.

 

Framingham Select Riesling 2014, Marlborough ($35)
Richly fruited tropical notes compete with slatey overtones and a touch of honey. Possibly the sweetest of these aperitif-style wines, yet with bags of citrusy acidity to counteract that. This is a brisk, juicy wine that is lovely on its own. Impressive.

 

Jackson Estate Riesling 2012, Marlborough ($23)
Slightly coloured up, this has delicate aromas: flower blossom, wet wool and lanolin. Another medium-dry wine where the zesty acidity and alcohol balance the sweetness. Starting to show some earthy development, but otherwise a cuddly, easy-drinking style that is very tasty.

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Kim Crawford Reserve Pinot Gris 2014, Marlborough ($17)
Restrained, subdued aromas, featuring pear or apple tones and a touch of spice. This delicacy is repeated in the mouth, which is off-dry with a firm finish. A simple, light, yet refreshing pinot gris.

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Kim Crawford Reserve Sauvignon Blanc 2014, Marlborough ($17)
Bright, simple, upfront Marlborough sav, with tropical fruit characters, leafy overtones, juicy mouthfeel. Clean, fresh and yet generous, with an off-dry finish, this is more of a wine to enjoy by itself or with snack foods. BEST BUY

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Mount Riley The Bonnie Rosé 2014, Marlborough ($18)
Pale pink “blush” in colour, lifted strawberry and raspberry aromatics, light palate, with a gentle sweetness on the finish. Pretty, delicate, flowery style of rosé, suitable as an everyday wine or as a pre-dinner palate cleanser.

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Peter Yealands Reserve Pinot Gris 2014, Marlborough ($20)
Pale in colour and youthful-looking, this boasts nashi pear and floral notes, gently spicy and textured on the palate. Medium-dry, this is a tight, linear, yet fruity style for quaffing or enjoying with seafood or salty starter dishes.

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Peter Yealands Reserve Sauvignon Blanc 2014, Marlborough ($20)
A lively, lighter-style wine. With fresh herbs, flint and citrus characters, this is a very typical Awatere sauvignon style. Zippy acidity and a clean, fresh finish suggest it would make for a great aperitif on its own, or pair it with salty dishes.

 

Seresin Memento Riesling 2012, Marlborough ($28)
Burnished gold; toasty, lime fruit aromas suggest some development, with an evocative slatey, mineral character over the top. This is quite luscious, medium-dry in sweetness and creamy to boot, but a lovely acid freshness carries that well and the wine shows beautiful poise and balance.

 

More Best Wines for Winter 2015:

Sparkling Wines

Light, Fruity Whites

Tasty, Textural Whites

Full-bodied, Complex Whites

Dessert Wines

Light or Aromatic Reds

Medium-bodied, Savoury Reds

Full-bodied Reds

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