MICHAEL COOPER RECENT RELEASES

There’s something for everyone in the latest batch of recent releases from New Zealand. The highlights include three striking Marlborough sauvignon blancs and a trio of distinguished chardonnays from North Canterbury, Nelson and Hawke's Bay. If you are a red-wine lover, don’t miss the several, very classy examples of Central Otago pinot noir, Hawke's Bay syrah and Hawke's Bay merlot.

Prices shown are approximate New Zealand retail. Wines available in export markets are shown as (A) Australia, (UK) and (US).

★★★★★

Brancott Estate Letter Series ‘B’ Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2018 ★★★★★

Already a delicious mouthful, this wine was mostly handled in stainless steel tanks, but 14% of the blend was fermented in 10,000-litre French oak cuves. Light lemon/green, it has rich, ripe, tropical fruit aromas, leading into a fleshy, sweet-fruited wine with strong passionfruit/lime flavours, showing considerable complexity, and a dry, very harmonious finish. $25 (A, US)

Church Road 1 Single Vineyard Gimblett Gravels Merlot 2016 ★★★★★

This very classy young Hawke's Bay red was matured for 18 months in French oak barriques (54% new). Deeply coloured, with a fragrant, inviting bouquet, it is mouthfilling and sweet-fruited, but not heavy, with highly concentrated, red berry and plum flavours, well-integrated oak and a very harmonious, seductively smooth finish. Best drinking 2022+. (Note: only available in ‘travel retail and cellar door/online’.) $90

Church Road 1 Single Vineyard Gimblett Gravels Syrah 2016 ★★★★★

This Hawke's Bay red is hard to resist. Matured for 18 months in French oak barriques (30% new), it is dark and softly mouthfilling, with beautifully rich, ripe blackcurrant, plum and spice flavours, and a velvet-smooth, lasting finish. Likely to be at its best from 2022 onwards, it’s already a memorable mouthful. (Note: only