2024 vintage

Trophy | Aotearoa regional Wine Show

Trophy | New Zealand National Wine Awards 

2023 vintage

91/100 | James Suckling 
Lemon zest, salt and chalk with some seashell. Some lemon pie character, too. Medium to full body. Layered and delicious. Sweet. From organically grown grapes.

2022 vintage

95/100 | Wine Rater 
A pretty, delicate, classic bouquet that unfolds generously with airtime in the glass to show inviting aromas of Turkish delight, rose petals, lavender, lychee and rosemary. Rich, dry, tasty, textural wine with pleasant acidity to provide balance and plenty of power on the lingering finish. A very stylish rendition of the variety.

93/100 | Cameron Douglas, Master Sommelier
Classic bouquet of aromatic spices and herbs wrapped with white fleshed fruits, citrus and flowers. Flavours of white apricot and apple, quince and exotic fruits, strudel and lemon. There’s plenty of spice and white flower flavours with a whisper of ginger spice. Balanced, well made and ready to drink on its own or with fresh creamy textured fare

92/100 | James Suckling 
A pretty nose of peaches, lime, lily and fresh thyme. Medium-bodied. Lots of floral character on the palate. Rose hip, white blossom and elderflower. Juicy finish. Lovely intensity, too. From organically grown grapes.

2021 vintage

93/100 | Candice Chow
Bright, even, pale yellow with a green sheen. The nose is full and enticing, aromas of rose petals, rosehip, overlying lychee, white guava and delicate spice. Medium-full bodied, aromas of lychee, white guava intermix pear, rose petals, rosehip fragrances and ginger linger to a long, elegant finish. The mouthfeel is smooth and almost unctuous; ginger spice left a prickly sensation on the palate. The wine has excellent acidity, provides freshness, and effortlessly carries flavours throughout the palate. This is a charming Gewurztraminer with tropical fruit, floral details and ginger on a fresh palate. Match with green curry and chicken satay

2020 vintage

94 Points | Cameron Douglas, Master Sommelier – 2020
Exotic, very fragrant, plump, ripe, fleshy and fruit centric bouquet. Aromas of white fleshed fruits and flowers, fragrant spices and middle-eastern market air. Juicy, fleshy and spicy on the palate with myriad fruit flavours from apples and pears to white peaches and nectarine, lychee nut and lemon. Moments of ginger and rose water. A delicious wine, perfect for food or just on its own.

2019 vintage

• Supreme Champion Wine –  NZ Aromatic Wine Show 2020
• Gold –  NZ Aromatic Wine Show 2020
• Gold, 95/100 –  Marlborough Wine Show, 2019

5 stars | Michael Cooper, Listener – 2020
Worthy cellaring, this richly perfumed wine is full-bodied, with concentrated peachy, citrusy, spicy flavours, gentle acidity and a long off-dry, finely poised finish.

94/100 | Cameron Douglas, Master Sommelier – 2019
A complex, intriguing and seductive bouquet with aromas of sweet angelica, fragrant spices, citrus, white and yellow orchard fruits and flowers. These aromas repeat on the palate as flavours contrasted by a youthful acid line, great balance and length. Always one of my favourite Gewurztraminer wines – Ben has nailed it once again. Great balance, long fine finish and enticing complexity.

93/100 | James Suckling – 2019
Very attractive and perfumed, peach, lychee and pastry aromas. There’s a fresh and lively feel here with attractive, juicy pears and lychees, delivered in soft, pillowy and alluringly textured style. Drink now.

2016 vintage

• 4.5 stars – 92/100, Best Value Wine Buys, Winestate, Bob Campbell MW – 2017
• 4.5 stars, Best of NZ Releases, Winestate – 2018

91/100 | James Suckling – 2019
A very attractive, ripe and full-ish bodied gewürztraminer. Delivers plenty of perfume whilst wrapping sweet tropical fruits around a long bold finish. Drink now. Screw cap.

18.5/20 | Raymond Chan
Brilliant straw-yellow colour with lemon-green hues, pale on the rim. The nose is finely presented and concentrated with fresh, intense and penetrating aromas of rose-petal florals, Turkish delight, musk and honey and a subtle layering of root ginger. Medium-dry to taste and medum-fukll bodied, the palate features gently mouthfilling, aromatic flavours of rose petals, exotic fruits and Turkish Delight, along with musk adn notes of root ginger. The fruit has good depth and the mouthfeel combines a soft richness and oiliness balanced by fresh underlying acidity. The wine flows smoothly along a fine-textured line with some underlying alcohol driv, leading to a long and sustained, etherally aromativ, spicy finish. This is a gently mouthfilling, exotic medium-dry Gewurztraminer with subtle richness and power. Match with Asisn and Middle Eastern fare over the next 4 years.

90/100 | Cameron Douglas, Master Sommelier
Distinctive fragrances of spices and crushed fruits with ginger and clove then apples and white peaches, baked pinapple then flowers. On the palate – creamy, juicy, fleshy, round and soft; flavours of white fleshed fruits, spice and some stony mineral qualities; medium acidity, warming alcohol, lovely balance and length. Drink now through to 2020.

88/100 | Lisa Perotti-Brown, Wine Advocate, 2017
The 2016 Gewurztraminer exudes tropical fruit and rose petal notes with a ripe apple and spiced pears undercurrent. Full bodied, off-dry, rich and oily in the mouth, it delivers plenty of pure perfumed lychee and spice box flavours, finishing long and honeyed.

2015 vintage

• 4 stars, Michael Cooper

93/100 | Sam Kim
The wine shows classic gewurz perfume in an elegant way, showing peach, mango, spice and floral notes on the nose, followed by a concentrated and juicy palate that’s expressive and finely textured. A beautiful dry style, the wine delivers youthful vibrancy as well as refinement and rounded mouthfeel. At its best, now to 2019.

88/100 | Cameron Douglas, Master Sommelier
Fragrant, juicy, lush and lively sweet fruit aromas of white stone fruit, some tropical moments, juicy red apple and a spicy floral core; overall quite calm and serene. On the palate – fruity, warm, generous and spicey; some white pepper and warming alcohol are equalled by a richly flavoured palate with sweet lemon, apple and white fleshed stone fruit flavours, medium to medium + acidity, generous and lengthy finish. Chill for service today and through 2017.

2014 vintage

• 4.5 stars, Bob Campbell

93/100 | Sam Kim, wineorbit.co.nz, Oct 2014
The wine shows classic gewurz perfume in an elegant way, showing peach, mango, spice and floral notes on the nose, followed by a concentrated and juicy palate that’s expressive and finely textured. A beautiful dry style, the wine delivers youthful vibrancy as well as refinement and rounded mouthfeel. At its best: now to 2019.

2013 vintage

• Trophy, Bragato Wine Awards
• 4.5 stars, Bob Campbell MW

#1 in Top 5 – 5 stars | Best Buy, Cuisine Magazine – March 2014
Our top wine brings together fresh fragrances, such as rosehip and quince, and more savoury spice notes, such as nutmeg. It is fresh and lively, finishing dry with an attractive textural flourish. “It’s not a flamboyant version,” said John Belsham. “The savoury element doesn’t detract, but makes it more complete and food-friendly.” Winemaker Ben Glover says it is “stunning” with warmed De Brood Bakker’s sourdough baguette with Over the Moon’s Galactic Gold Wash Rind Cheese.

2012 vintage

• Trophy, Champion Gewurztraminer, Bragato wine awards, 2013
• Trophy & Gold, Bragato Wine Awards, 2013
• Gold, Royal Easter show, 2013
• Pure Silver, Air NZ Wine Awards, 2012
• 3.5 stars, Bob Campbell

18.5/20 – 5 stars | Geoff Kelly
Lemonstraw, minutely deeper than the Bladen. Oh boy, after their excessively restrained sauvignon blanc and riesling, the Zephyr Gewurztraminer is the real thing. It is not perfumed like the Bladen, there is just that magical bit of extra ripeness to fill out the bouquet to satisfying yellow florals (as in wild-ginger blossom) and lychee, plus great varietal character. Palate is just as good, the phenolics beautifully balanced on great flesh, real body, beautiful acid balance, clearly drier than the Bladen. This is great New Zealand gewurztraminer, to cellar 3 – 10 years. GK 04/13

4 stars | Cameron Douglas, Master Sommelier
Fragrant, floral, gently spiced and quite classical with nougat, lavender, rose and apple fruits laced with a hint of clove. Off-dry, warm, lush and generous with flowers and suggestions of apple, rose and nougat. Medium+ acidity and medium weight – a very giving wine with spicy highlights and ginger finish.

2008 vintage

• Liquorland International Wine Competition 2010
• Decanter World Wine AWARDS 2010