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It’s been a while since Regional Wines has hosted a tasting and so it was fantastic to kick off the year (albeit a bit belatedly) with such a zinger. Hopefully this will be the first of many more.Te Mata Estate really is one of those wineries. With a reputation that precedes it and arguably New Zealand's best known and most iconic wine in the shape of Coleraine, it is hard to taste these wines without preconception of quality and elevated expectation. This can be a dangerous starting point for any tasting, but the wines certainly did not disappoint. This was all about the 2020 vintage which is looking to be a stunner. Nick Buck, Te Mata’s CEO who presented the tasting, called it one of the best in living memory, even after a string of great vintages in the Bay going back to 2018. Interestingly too, this vintage seems to have shone benevolently on all varieties, with just the exception of poor old Viognier.The wines really were alive, with personality and panache, yet managed to show restraint and typicity, something that often gets lost in the better vintages, where the story often becomes one of magnitude of flavour and fruit ripeness.The Cape Crest Sauvignon Blanc and Elston Chardonnay were pure and driven with superb acidity and gorgeous bright fruit. I’ve long been a sucker for barrel fermented Sauvignon and this Cape Crest is one of the best I’ve tried. It’s a real keeper too and it will be interesting to see how both it and the ‘20 Coleraine (two unlikely cellar buddies perhaps), will fare over the next two decades. The four reds were unified by lovely chalky tannins, good concentration and that bizarre contradiction that the best of New Zealand often presents; they were all approachable now but have very decent aging prospects too.The Alma Pinot Noir and Bullnose Syrah took the wine themes of northern Burgundy and the Rhone Valley and added the Hawke's Bay fruit that many a French winemaker would die for. The Alma is a gutsy Pinot, in my opinion, but not a fruit bomb like many from the South Island, and it will be interesting to watch this wine continue to evolve.Then there were the Bordeaux blends. Awatea showed massive concentration and many layers of dark fruit but Coleraine took things to the next level. A real mouthful of flavours and textures, this is a monumental wine that will age for a long, long time. The 2020 vintage is definitely one for the avid collector - a few of whom I met at the tasting. With superb quality at a variety of price points, it could also be just the ticket for those who are thinking of starting a cellar. Drinking now, or stashing away, get them while you can as this vintage won’t be hanging around on the shelves.Our Te Mata range is on special for the rest of the month here.

Join our first ever virtual wine tasting in the first week of April when you buy any bottle of Esk Valley wine this month. Any purchase of an Esk Valley wine means that you can sign up for this free tasting, the only catch being that you can do it from the comfort of your own home. Not a bad catch, especially when one of Hawke's Bay's most experienced winemakers will pay you a visit while you're tasting or listening in.  This is the first virtual tasting we have hosted and it is being held in collaboration with Esk Valley winemaker Gordon Russell on Thursday 7 April at 6pm via Zoom. Here's how our virtual tasting works... Regional Wines & Esk Valley Wines collaborative event When Thursday 7 April at 6pm Where In your own home or office The wines Purchase any bottle of Esk Valley wine to taste, drink and talk about at the time.  The line up These wines will be tasted by Gordon Russell, winemaker for Esk Valley. Esk Valley Estate Rosé Esk Valley Artisanal Chenin Blanc Esk Valley Artisanal Syrah Esk Valley Collection Seabed Chardonnay Esk Valley Collection River Gravel Merlot Malbec Cabernet The how to So...  buy a bottle of Esk Valley wine online, and you will be sent a link where you can sign up for the tasting. Or visit us in  store, purchase a bottle and scan the QR code that we will provide. 

One great winery, two passionate wine families and a long history have all culminated to make Te Mata Estate the producer of many of New Zealand's most highly sought after red and white wines, all modelled on the best of Bordeaux and the Rhone Valley (with the exceptional Bullnose Syrah) and also now includes a Pinot Noir. Buy Te Mata Estate wines here We have all of these wines and their everyday reds and whites, on special for the month of March.  Read on for the history, the wines and the background... The history Te Mata was originally part of Te Mata Station, a large pastoral landholding established by English immigrant, John Chambers, in 1854. A homestead and stables were built on the property in the early 1870s. After returning from France, John Chamber’s third son, Bernard, planted  vineyards on the north facing hills around Havelock North and in 1892 he added vines to three areas of hillside land above the homestead then started to convert the original stables into a winery. The Chambers family sold the property in 1919 and Te Mata Vineyards (TMV) had two other owners until it was acquired by the Buck and Morris families in 1974. These two families built  the modern interpretation of this historic New Zealand estate, inspired by the great classic wines of Bordeaux and the Rhone Valley in France. The modern Te Mata Estate winery was established in 1896, specialising in the classic great wines of the world with reds and a white modelled on the best of Bordeaux, along with other traditional great wines, all outlined below.  The history and mystery of Te Mata wines 2019 / 2020 Te Mata Estate Awatea Awatea is made every year and the blend varies slightly; this year’s being 48% Cabernet Sauvignon, 37% Merlot and 15% Cabernet Franc. It’s dry, juicy, medium bodied and youthful with blackcurrant flavours, spice. Awatea is named after the SS Awatea, a ship that sailed from Auckland to Sydney to Wellington in the 1930s. Drink now and cellar it. 2020 Te Mata Estate Coleraine The star wine of this winery’s latest releases. It had been bottled for two months at the time of tasting in early February 2020, so it has plenty of time up its sleeve; it’s a blend of 52% Cabernet Sauvignon, 33% Merlot and 15% Cabernet Franc and tastes of dark black fruit flavours with hints of black olives, wild herbs and a full body. It’s named after the Coleraine Vineyard, which is also the site of the home of Te Mata owners, John and Wendy Buck. A keeper. 2020 Te Mata Cape Crest Sauvignon Blanc   This dry, full bodied Sauvignon Blanc has a long track record as one of New Zealand’s top dry whites. It’s 100% fermented in French oak, 30% new with the remainder in used barrels. It’s 90% Sauvignon Blanc, 6% Semillon and 4% Sauvignon Gris (a grape variety in it own right – not a hybrid or  blend, as the name seems to suggest).  This wine’s a keeper. It ages beautifully for up to 10 years. Drinks beautifully now and can age well for the medium term.  2020 Te Mata Estate Elston Chardonnay Elston Chardonnay is named after the ancestral home of Charles Darwin, Elston Hall in Nottinghamshire, the UK, and tastes dry with ripe stone fruit flavours of peach and nectarines, balanced by a citrusy, creamy and lingering finish.  Another great wine to enjoy now and to keep. 2020 Te Mata Estate Bullnose Syrah Bullnose Syrah is named after a car that had the bull emblem on its radiator and, well, it’s a long story, suffice to say that the wine is made from hand harvested grapes grown on Te Mata’s Bullnose Vineyard with grapes from the Hotspur and Isosceles vineyards also used for good measure. It was aged in new and seasoned French oak barriques for 15 months and sealed with a natural cork.  Has great aging potential. 2020 Te Mata Estate Alma Pinot Noir Hand picked grapes from a vineyard in the Dartmoor Valley, a cooler area in the Hawke’s Bay which makes for a full bodied and spicy New Zealand Pinot Noir. A wine to watch and cellar. Give it another four to five years. Buy Te Mata Estate wines here 

If you're into pet nats and funky new wave wines, these two new wines from Portugal will rock your wine world. Both are new in from Niepoort, a highly respected port producer whose winemaker Dirk Niepoort is now turning his winemaking talents to still wines without fortification. Two new wines from Portugal The enticingly named Drink Me Cool Branco and Drink Me Cool red  are both made from indigenous Portugueuse grape varieties. The white is a funky new take on the vinho verde theme, blending five varieties, Azal, Arinto, Avesso, Trajadura and Loureiro, into one super tasty 'pet nat'. This abbreviation stands for petillant natural and refers to wine's lightly sparkling style which owes its flavours and fizz to being fermented in the bottle with a little residual grape sugar for fermentation. It is not disgorged so it remains cloudy, due to the yeast lees (decomposing yeast cells, following fermentation in the bottle).  Winemaker Dirk van Niepoort is a descendant of and head winemaker for the well known port house, Niepoort. Drink Me Cool White 2020 Niepoort Drink Me Nat Cool Vinho Branco RRP $28.99 While this wine fits the bill of being a 'pet nat' (petillant natural - lightly sparkling), this one comes to us at relatively low pressure with just a smidgeon of residual sugar to create a light fizz and modest alcohol of 11.5% ABV.  The wine has not been disgorged so some lees remain in the bottle.  The grapes in Drink Me Vinho Branco are grown in two areas of Vinho Verde,  Amarante and Lousada. The vine average 25 to 30 years old and grow at between 100 to 150 metres above sea level on granite soils. All are picked by hand and fermented using wild yeasts.  This wine is bottled with no sulphur. Serve it as is or shake it all up for a tasty, leesy complex version of vinho verde with attitude.   Drink Me Cool red 2020 Niepoort Drink Me Nat Cool Vermelho Bairrada RRP $28.99 This lively Portuguese red is a light, fruity, juicy, floral and fresh expression of the robust Baga grape variety. It's soft and easy drinking, even when lightly chilled, which suits this wine down to the ground. Portuguese winemaker Dirk Niepoort loves the native Portuguese red Baga grape, describing it as "Like Nebbiolo in Piedmont or Pinot Noir in Burgundy: it needs the right plot and proper handling in the winery. Baga and Bairrada (the region) are the best combination of Portuguese red.” Hand picked Baga grapes were grown on 40 to 100 years old vines and fermented with wild yeasts, including a portion of carbonic maceration for softness. The entire ferment was in stainless steel tanks. This wine was bottled with no sulphur. 

Buy great Clemens Busch wines here Explore the world of Riesling at Regional here Riesling is one of the oldest German grape varieties and indisputedly the greatest. Its ability to age for decades and remain fresh in flavour even when old is its greatest characteristic.  One of the best Riesling producers is Clemens Busch and we have secured a range of the wines from here, all of which are 100 per cent organic and biodynamically certified.  This great estate is in the heart of the great Mosel wine region. It's owned by Rita and Clemens Busch, who make some of the most marvellous wines in the Mosel River valley, all of their production is certified organic and biodynamic and all push boundaries of exceptional quality. Rita and Clemens Busch grow their grapes on a wide variety of different slate soils and interestingly diverse micro climates, all of which play a large role in the winemaking process. In order to differentiate the Marienburg's individual plots, the Busch family has used the corresponding historical names to describe the individual wines. These names include Fahrlay, Falkenlay, Raffes, and Rothenpfad.  Buy great Clemens Busch wines here All about Riesling - what makes it great and challenging * Riesling is a cold hardy grapevine, which means it can handle cold temperatures without being destroyed by them; * It buds late so generally avoids spring frosts; * It ripens mid to late in the season, developing distinctive intense flavours; * It's resistant to downy mildew, only slightly susceptible to powdery mildew (two of the biggest issues for grape growers); * It's susceptible to botrytis (also known as noble rot) which softens grape skins when they are fully ripe, sucking juice from the grape and concentrating the intense aromatic flavours; * Riesling has personality - from lime zest and green apple skin flavours to peach concentrate and honey.

Authenticity is a popular buzzword globally right now, appearing everywhere from terroir in vineyards and flavours in wine to pop psychology and novels about friendship. It's also the name of a book about wine, written by Master of Wine Sam Harrop and wine writer Dr Jamie Goode and published in 2013.  It's timely to re-explore this book and the elusive concept of authenticity in wine because the natural wine movement has gained significant ground in the past eight years and here at Regional, we are often asked to recommend natural wines.  So, what is an authentic wine and is it more natural than other wines? What sets natural and authentic wines apart from other wines? Does the concept of authentic wine mean there are wines that are inauthentic? These questions are addressed to an extent in the book, Authentic Wine.  The taste of authenticity They really come into play, however, when drinking a wine that has a sense of place. It's an elusive concept to grasp, until you encounter a wine with a taste that's like no other. This could come across as an impeccable balance of body and acidity, aligned with depth of flavour, freshness and length. Or it could simply taste so deliciously different that it seems to express a sense of place, which makes it so transparently authentic. If authenticity seems like an elusive concept, then reading Authentic Wine might just put it all in perspective as its authors attempt to pin down the meaning of naturalness in the wine world. Harrop and Goode explore the diversity of wine and how this is, in their words, currently under threat from increasingly homogenized commercial wines that lack a sense of place. Their book examines the complex concepts of terroir, biodynamic winemaking and sustainability. They explore the meaning of the word natural and its use as a marketing term, among many other aspects of authenticity and naturalness in the world of wine. In the meantime, here are three top wines in store that are all authentic. And they taste it.  If authenticity is important to you, try one or all of these out for size (and taste).   Three authentic wines 2020 Wittman Dry Riesling RRP $38.99 Buy here 2018 Greystone Vineyard Ferment RRP $66.99 Buy here 2018 Podere San Cristoforo Ameri Governo Toscana RRP $112.99 Buy here

Did you know that sales of pink wine outstripped white wine sales in France way back in 2009? It seems like a surprising statistic but there you go; pink wine has been on a roll for over a decade, globally, and now it's the turn of pink bubbles. Here are three top notch sparkling wines made from a mixture of red and white grapes, all treated to a light pressing or, in the case of the champagne, a little red wine blended in to provide the colour. Pink bubbly three ways - how they are made The following is an overview of the grape varieties and methods of production. ChampagneCan only come from the Champagne region (note the capital C as it's a proper place name) in northern France. The drink champagne (small c because it's a generic name for a category) can only wear the 'c' label if it made from grapes grown in the region of the same name, produced and bottled there. It is made from Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier; used in any proportion and occasionally with other local grape varieties but usually not. It also has to be fermented for the second time in the same bottle in which it is sold. This means the carbon dioxide bubbles from the fermentation dissolve naturally into the wine as they can't escape the bottle during this fermentation.The wine is then aged on the decomposing yeast cells, which are known as lees. All champagne must be aged on it lees for a minimum of 15 months (and three years for vintage champagnes, which are made from a single year). This lengthy time is costly for producers because it means they miss out on income during this time as their wines mature. The wines are then 'disgorged'. A complicated process where the yeast lees are gently encouraged into the neck of the bottle, which is frozen and the cap removed to render the remaining wine clear and clean. It is then topped up with reserve wine and swiftly sealed with cork, cap and muselage (the cage to keep the pressure in the bottle and stop the cork from popping out). And, hey presto, you have a beautiful champagne; a wine with aged character but which remains very fresh in taste. Stunning and innovative. And fun. Cava This is the Spanish name for wine made using the traditional method used in the champagne region, only in this case it is generally made in higher volumes and often from indigenous grapes. These can now be blended with Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, if producers wish to. Cava goes through the exact same production methods as outlined above for champagne, but it generally spends only nine months aging on the decomposing yeast cells. This provides some degree of character and that freshly baked bread dough aroma but nowhere near the level of complexity as found in champagne. Prosecco Is made from the Glera grape in north east Italy's Veneto and Friuli regions. Prosecco must be made 85% from Glera and can also contain other local grape varieties, including - as from 2020 - red grapes which can be added to produce pink bubbles.High volumes of prosecco are made by giving the wine a second fermentation in a pressurised tank where the bubbles dissolve into the wine, but due to the high volumes, the amount of bubble is far less than for champagne.    Three top pink sparkling drops Pink champagne Champagne Lallier Rosé (RRP $71.99) Special $64.99/magnums RRP $151.99 Champagne Lallier Grand Rosé combines two of our favourite things; bubbles and tasty pink wine. This is next level rosé champagne, made from 65% Pinot Noir and 35% Chardonnay, with depth and smoothness from partial malolactic fermentation, supported by the complexity of 8% reserve wines. This non vintage champagne was aged for twice as long as the minimum aging time required in the Champagne region. It spent three years on tirage (lees) which adds noticeable richness and toasty notes to the dry, refreshing flavours. It has 8 grams of dosage, making it technically off dry but this is most definitely a sparkling wine that tastes dry from start to finish.  Buy Champagne Lallier Rosé here    Pink Prosecco - dry 2019 Sartori Rosé Prosecco RRP $23.99 Sartori is one of the best wineries in the Veneto in north east Italy, the home to prosecco and Amarone - two polar opposites ends of the wine spectrum; one accessible and everyday while the other is rare and pricey. This is vintage 2019 pink Prosecco from Sartori is a new fave here in store at Regional. It's all about dry flavours of red berries and a crisp apply aroma, layered with notes of white peach and pear along with a refreshingly long finish. Pink Prosecco is a new category which we think Satori has nailed ahead of many competitors. It has to be made from one year, hence it includes the vintage year on the label. The colour comes from Pinot Nero; that's Pinot Noir, to us, which typically makes up 10% of the wine. Buy here   Pink Spanish Cava 2019 Privat Rosé Cava RRP $30.99 - certified organic This tasty pink sparkling Spanish wine is made from the Mataró grape, organically grown, hand harvested and aged for 15 months on lees following the second fermentation. That's the same time frame as the majority of champagnes but this lovely dry sparkling wine comes to us all at a mere fraction of the price. It has zero dosage so it's bone dry in taste and is bursting with delicious berry flavours, a medium body and lingering finish. Buy here

The Albarino grape is still pretty new to this country but it’s going down a treat, not only with wine drinkers but also with those who work hard to grow the grapes in our often tricky maritime climate. Which leads us directly to the main secret to Albarino’s success - its relatively thick skin.  Not all of us can relate but it's to Albarino's credit that it has developed a skin thick enough to withstand the tropical, relatively warm, relatively humid and wet climate of north west Spain, which is its traditional homeland. This region is known as Galicia and it borders the Atlantic Ocean and the Cantabrian Sea, so it's no stranger to maritime climate conditions. This makes it rather similar to most parts of New Zealand, which no doubt accounts for the reason that Albarino grows so well here. We all know the well worn adage that great wine is made in the vineyard. And, like it or not, it's true because without good quality raw material, there is no hope of making a great wine. This grape's thick skins enable it to ripen without compromising harvest dates because it can withstand many of the challenges that rain and wet conditions throw at grapes growing in places such as Galicia and New Zealand.  And as for taste, Albarino is a stunning new alternative white that ticks all the boxes. It's fresh, has the character of a day in the sun and sand, with complexity from its naturally high acidity and citrusy flavours. It’s a wine that has a naturally strong affinity with seafood, fresh salads and has refreshing cut through without fruit heaviness. This makes for a wine of great delicacy and power. One other reason it's successful Albarino is easy to pronounce. It sounds just like it looks, so there's no embarrasment or potential for major error when asking for it. For this reason, both retailers and customers find it relatively smooth to sell and buy.  Where does Albarino or Alvarinho come from? Portugal is often considered to be the original home for the Albarino grape, where it is known as Alvarinho; just across the border from Galicia in Spain where it is called Albarino. A top trio of Albarinos to buy - with links to buy  Buy 2019 Gotas de Mar Albarino Rias Baixas RRP $30.99 here Buy 2020 Nautilus Marlborough Albarino RRP $28.99 here Buy 2018 Astrolabe Kekerengu Albarino RRP $26.99 here  Explore more Albarinos at Regional Wines in store and here

Well, yes, and no… It’s an Italian thing... Pink Prosecco is a new name for an old style of wine that combines two of many wine lovers’ favourite things – pink wine and bubbles. Pink bubblies have been made for a long time in the Veneto in north east Italy, but they could only be labelled Prosecco as from 2020. The change was a legal one. It took place in spring last year when it was approved by the Italian Ministry of Agriculture. Rules regarding rosé prosecco mean it has to comply to five key criteria. The five keys to pink prosecco Like all prosecco, the pink stuff must be a blend of the region’s white grape glera and include 10% to 15% of a red grape, such as (but, we have been told, not limited to) Pinot Nero; the grape we know and love as Pinot Noir. This is added for colour. Pink prosecco can be made either as a very dry wine, labelled brut nature or it can be extra dry, which is very slightly sweet. All pink prosecco must be vintage dated with a single year in which the grapes were harvested. Pink prosecco must be made with its second fermentation in pressurised stainless steel tanks, also known as the charmat or Martinotti process. And lastly, rosé prosecco must be aged for at least 60 days in tank to gain more flavour. Which it does. What it tastes like  We have tasted the good, the not so good and the impressive pink proseccos which are starting to pour into New Zealand today. So far, we have selected three tasty pink proseccos, which we liked for their dry flavours, freshness and the pretty pink colour, of course. There is definitely a distinctive taste to these wines and the addition of Pinot Noir seems to enhance the dry taste, even when the wines are off dry technically.  Cast caution to the wind and try these wines... Brilla (in mini bottles), Divici Rosé Prosecco ( which will arrive in store in late November/early December) and the 2019 Sartori Prosecco Rosé. Buy pink prosecco here.