Winestate Wine Reviews

21 Aug

Askerne Hawke’s Bay 2018 Chardonnay 4 Stars

Offering good value, this creamy-textured wine was fermented and matured for nine months in mostly French oak casks (28% new). Bright, light yellow/green, it is fragrant and mouthfilling, with generous, ripe, peachy, toasty flavours, showing good complexity, and a well-rounded finish. Drink now or cellar. $23

Askerne Hawke’s Bay 2018 Gewurztraminer 4.5 Stars

Attractively perfumed, this is a full-bodied, well-rounded wine with strong stonefruit and spice flavours, gentle acidity and a slightly gingery, off-dry finish. Delicious in its youth, it offers fine value. $23

Askerne Hawke’s Bay 2018 Pinot Gris 4 Stars

Still unfolding, this pale yellow wine has a fragrant, gently spicy bouquet. Fresh and full-bodied, it has strong, peachy, slightly spicy and gingery flavours, showing a touch of complexity, balanced acidity and a dryish finish. Best drinking mid-2020+. $23

Askerne Hawke’s Bay 2018 Sauvignon Blanc 4 Stars

This weighty, full-bodied wine has strong, passionfruit and pineapple aromas and flavours. Generous, with a dry finish, it’s a distinctly non-herbaceous style, fresh, generous and dry, in the ripe, rounded style typical of Hawke’s Bay. $20

Askerne Hawke’s Bay 2018 Sauvignon Blanc Sauvignon Gris Semillon 4.5 Stars

This distinctive wine is a blend of sauvignon blanc (73%), sauvignon gris (20%) and semillon (7%), partly barrel-fermented. Already drinking well, but worth cellaring, it is full-bodied, with fresh, strong, tropical fruit flavours, showing very good complexity, and a long, dry finish. Good value. $23

Askerne Hawke’s Bay 2018 Reserve Chardonnay 4.5 Stars

This powerful young wine was fermented and matured in French oak casks (35% new). Bright, light yellow/green, it is full-bodied and sweet-fruited, with strong, ripe stonefruit flavours, seasoned with toasty oak, excellent complexity and a rich, smooth finish. Best drinking 2021+. $32

Askerne Hawke’s Bay 2018 Reserve Gewurztraminer 5 Stars

Already a lovely mouthful, this is a softly mouthfilling wine, weighty and rich. Bright, light lemon/green, it has concentrated stonefruit flavours, hints of ginger and spices, excellent delicacy and harmony, and an off-dry, lasting finish. $30

Askerne Reserve Hawke’s Bay 2018 Merlot/ Cabernet Sauvignon /Cabernet Franc 4 stars

Deeply coloured, this youthful red is a blend of merlot (43%), cabernet sauvignon (36%), cabernet franc (11%), petit verdot (7%) and malbec (3%). Mouthfilling and sweet-fruited, it has generous, plummy, spicy flavours, a hint of herbs, and a very smooth finish. Best drinking 2021+. $32