Millton, Te Arai Vineyard Chenin Blanc, Gisborne

Coming from the master of Chenin - not just NW, but of the whole wine world. This is a very straightforward Chenin, not trying to hide anything, but is done oh so well. Deep golden color in the glass. Aromas of hay, wet wool, overripe passionfruit, charred wood and yellow apple. Dense on the palate, with primary notes in primary focus. Medium finish. Acidity could use maybe half a year more to integrate with the fruit sweetness. But beyond that, …

Nose full of lime, tea, lanolin. Palate has a lot of lime acidity offset by waxiness. For me it doesn’t bear much resemblance to Loire Chenin Blanc - much more gruff acidity. But a very bright and compelling wine. Very good QPR. Score : 89. Relative to expectations: +

approx £18.00 online Exel Wines, UK. Light chill, popped and poured at home. Delightful NZ Chenin Blanc from an organic vineyard in Gisborne, Northern Hawke's Bay. Fresh, super-easy drinking, full of pineapple/apple/greengage flavours with balancing acidity, a little complexity. A great quaffer, I had it with pork chops/mustrad cream sauce from chicken stock base, whipped potatoes: Perfect. Drink young while the acid's up. As it sat in the ice bucket getting colder, it got better. VFM?.....will buy again in gd …

Seemed a bit oxidized and heavy.

Again, over several vintages this wine is probably NZ's best Value-for-Money Chenin Blanc. This 2014 tasted in April 2017 is drinking very well. C....advanced straw-to-Golden. N.....pineapple. Honey. Not huge. T.....lovely fresh acid to cope with all the lush fruit - at the moment, while it's still young - yellow plums, solid medium-body, honey, apricot, lemon, some clay/limestone minerals, nice acid lilt/citrus at end. Classy. Medium-dry, nowhere near dry. VFM?.....compared to what you'd pay for a very good Vouvray of this …

Screw Cap. Well chilled. Still love this NZ Chenin. This bottle the acidity a little fresher, which I liked. So, some variation within same vintage? Loads of white/yellow fruits, a little honey mid way through, lovely acid lilt to finish. Clean. Heaps of super drinkability. Perfect with roast duck. Med-H body. VFM...v good, compared to a Vouvray of similar class.

Bought Ministry of Drinks.com UK October 2016 Love this Chenin Blanc. Back again to being my fave NZ Chenin. C....decent straw. N.....intense pineapples, apple, marmalade, passionfruit. Lovely. Some nectarine, peach, honey. T.....solid medium-bodied, long flavours of pineapple, honey, peaches, balanced with good acidity. Powerful enough to reward cellaring. This might morph into something akin to a very good (and much more expensive) Vouvray AC. This 2014 is slightly more complex than the 2013, I think. Be perfect with roast pork …

Monthly Tasting Group HWS #108; Chenin Blanc Worldwide (By SB) : In the bouquet banana, pear, candy and also some rustic flavors. On the palate banana, ripe pineapple, honey, some sweetness, but also good and fresh acidity. Clean and tasty wine. 87 - 88

Alternative New Zealand (Oinoscent) : The nose is clean, medium intensity, under ripe stone fruit, there is a not of stalk and vegetable too. The wine is off-dry-ish, medium body and intensity, nice acidity, well balanced wine, stone fruit, under ripe and ripe notes in the same time, medium finish. Very good quality, drink now

Needed time to breathe before opening up. Quite big acid, honey aroma.

A bit of botrytis, great wine! Goes well with mushrooms.

A really vibrant fruit nose which is very fresh and lively. The palette is silky and concentrated with an interesting oily texture.

Tasted at a local shop. This is 100% biodynamic (aka organic) dry Chenin Blanc with really nice tropical fruit flavors, good crisp acidity and nice weight. It would be a great match for spicy Asian foods. As I only had a regular tasting pour and not time to spend with at least a glass or two, I can only give a score range of the high 80s.