[Jo Jo]

Article in the UK's Daily Telegraph about NZ red wines. (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/foodanddrink/wine/5153891/New-Zealand-red-wine-icons-of-the-future.html)

The sound of jaws crashing to the floor echoes around Pall Mall. High up in the Penthouse Suite of New Zealand House, London SW1, 30 or so UK Masters of Wine, sommeliers, wine buyers and journalists have joined Rod Easthope, the young winemaker of Craggy Range in New Zealand, at a special blind tasting. The result is astonishing to say the least.

Click on the link for more...

[CarolinaGirl]

I've found some of the Hawkes Bay reds to be very good. When my kiwi husband and I got married (i'm american) on the US east coast in 2002 I hunted down a yummy cabernet from HB for the reception. My husband is from HB soit was important for me to have some sort of NZ wine there since I couldn't get steinlager at the time. I thought I'd ordered more than enough of the wine but we only had one bottle of it left at the end because it was so popular. We had plenty of the french white left though. I had a lot of compliments on that wine. Now I can't remember the name of the vineyard.

[dilanium]

Oh I HATED Craggy ranges wines. Not very good at all (Though the winery was beautiful and in a nice setting). I prefer Alpha Domus, Salvare, and Trinity Hill (to name a few, but there are many that I prefer to Craggy Range).

[KerryS]

Gosh - I think Craggy Range some of the nicest wine I've had. I have lots of it maturing in my wine rack, as buying it at cellar door prices was very reasonable. The Sophia is excellent stuff.
The restaurant at the winery is very good too.

[dilanium]

I did a wine tasting at the winery and was just not impressed (obviously).

[KerryS]

Most of the wines available for tasting are not the best ones at any winery.
The reds need to age for a good while to smooth out the tannins and make them palatable for drinking. They're a tad rough if you try and drink them too early.

[Tia Maria]

As I never tire of telling people I've found the first red wine I've ever liked over here in NZ, a Syrah from the Cable Bay Vineyard on Waiheke.

I don't know if it would be considered a good wine or not but its the first red I've liked so it must have something different about it! :)

Cheers

Tia

[dilanium]

Most of the wines available for tasting are not the best ones at any winery.
The reds need to age for a good while to smooth out the tannins and make them palatable for drinking. They're a tad rough if you try and drink them too early.

Then why do they offer them for tasting or purchase that early?

I still love Alpha Domus the best. The vast majority of my favourite wines are produced by them. :)