Wines I’ve tasted and reviewed in 2026. Feel free to browse and if there are any you like the sound of, just visit the producer’s website. Enjoy, JB.

All my wine tasting notes are posted to the NZ Wine Directory Social Media too. * To Search this list, type CTRL & F together, then enter your search term / keywords.

To Submit Wines for Review visit: https://nzwinedirectory.co.nz/about/submit-wine-for-review/

2026 WINE REVIEWS – Latest First

FEBRUARY 2026

Tony Bish Wines ‘Golden Egg’ Chardonnay 2024, Hawke’s Bay
Glossy, light yellow-gold in colour with a medium viscosity. In the nose floral & herb notes then aromas of ripe fleshy peaches & lemon citrus, hints of toffee, yeast lees & wet stones. On the palate it’s medium bodied, juicy stone-fruit & citrus flavours, a ‘green apple’ acidity & slight grippy tannin / mineral structure, nicely textured, time in concrete eggs adding complexity & depth. A long concentrated dry finish. Excellent. RRP: $45.00
https://tonybishwines.co.nz/

Invivo X-SJP ‘Blend 3’ Pinot Noir 2024, Marlborough NZ
Translucent medium ruby red to garnet in colour, lighter at the rim. In the nose, inviting aromas of dark berries, cherries & plums, some oak spice & a savoury, leather note. Great fruit concentration on the palate too, with juicy dark berry, cherry & plum flavours, a hint of spice all supported by fine silky tannins, a fresh acidity & a nice touch of toasty oak. Long dry finish. A little Central Otago fruit was added to the blend. This is the 3rd release of Sarah’s Pinot Noir – Excellent. RRP: $30.00
https://invivowines.com/product/invivo-x-sjp-pinot-noir-2024/

JANUARY 2026

Invivo Wines, X-SJP, Blend 7, Sauvignon Blanc 2025, Marlborough NZ
Glossy pale straw in colour with a tiny green tinge. In the nose, fragrant but delicate with aromas of tropical passion-fruit, lemon & lime citrus, subtle green pepper & a hint of honey. On the palate, it’s nicely integrated, fruit flavours reflecting the nose, tropical & citrus, a fresh acidity & nicely textured, lees / oak influence, subtle green herb, savoury, salty notes on the finish. I previously tasted the 2019 & 2020 vintages and was impressed – this is excellent too. RRP: $22.00
https://invivowines.com/product/invivo-x-sjp-sauvignon-blanc-2025/

Graham Norton Wines & Spirits ‘GN’ Sauvignon Blanc 2025, Marlborough NZ
Bright clear / straw in colour with pale golden hues. In the nose it’s fresh & aromatic, with aromas of tropical & stone-fruit, crunchy apple, lime zest & a hint of green capsicum. On the palate it’s clean, fresh & juicy, with tropical fruit, tropical / pineapple & lime-citrus flavours, mouthwatering texture, a zesty acidity & juicy fruit concentration on the finish. 10th vintage of this wine made by Invivo Wines using 90% Sauvignon Blanc & 10% Chardonnay adding textural interest. Just Delicious. RRP: $18.00
https://invivowines.com/graham-norton-wines/

Invivo Sauvignon Blanc 2025, Marlborough NZ
Pale straw, almost clear in colour with a subtle green hue. In the nose it’s vibrant & pungent, aromas of ripe tropical fruit, passion-fruit, guavas, citrus & green herb notes. On the palate it’s all tropical & green apple fruit flavours then juicy limes & savoury red capsicums. A zesty acidity & medium body / slight creamy mouthfeel, add interest & complexity on the finish. This is the 15th vintage of this excellent Savvy – brilliant value too. RRP: $18.00 – https://invivowines.com/

Sorrell Wines ‘Churton’ Pinot Noir 2023
Medium semi-translucent ruby-red in colour, paler at the rim. In the nose there’s aromas of summer berries, raspberry, strawberry, cherry, fine oak spice & a savoury dried herb / earth note. On the palate it’s ample bodied & bone dry with cherry, berry & plum fruit flavours, fine grippy tannins & oak, a good whack of acidity too. Concentrated, robust wine, with a long, dry, intense & very persistent finish. Just fabulous! RRP:$49.00 – https://www.sorrellwines.co.nz/

Sorrell Wines ‘The Wrekin’ Chardonnay 2023
Pale straw in colour with green-gold hues, medium viscosity. In the nose, aromas of ripe stone-fruit, crisp apple & lemon citrus, smoky & nutty, with lees, vanilla & spice notes too. On the palate, crisp & fruit focused with sweet peach & tart citrus flavours, a lively acidity & subtle lees & oak influence, layers of complexity all beautifully integrated. Juicy but bone-dry very persistent finish. Love this style. Excellent. RRP: $42.00 – https://www.sorrellwines.co.nz/

Sorrell Wines ‘Auntsfield Vineyard’ Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc 2023
Glossy pale golden coloured with subtle green hues. In the fragrant & slightly floral nose there are aromas of ripe peach, nectarine, lemon citrus oil / pith & mineral / spice notes. On the palate it’s beautifully textured, with bright citrus & juicy stone-fruit flavours, a zesty acidity & a little wet-stone grip, subtle creamy lees too. Complex, layered, mouth-watering & delicious, long finish. Excellent.
RRP: $35.00 – https://www.sorrellwines.co.nz/

Misha’s Vineyard Wines ‘Cadenza’ Late Harvest Gewürztraminer 2025, Central Otago
Deep golden, brassy coloured wine with an oily viscosity. In the nose intensely concentrated aromas of orange & mandarin, warm spice, stewed apple & burnt toffee notes. On the palate, concentrated flavours of pineapples & nashi pear & ripe stone-fruit, 174 gms/l RS provides a luscious but not sickly sweet mouthfeel, chalky acidity & complexity all contribute to a long, smooth & scrumptious finish! Just Yum! RRP: $40.00 – https://mishasvineyard.com/

Misha’s Vineyard ‘Cantata’ Pinot Noir 2023, Central Otago
Bright, shiny & translucent deep ruby-red in colour. In the nose it’s fragrant & sweet with aromas of juicy plum, red berries & cherry, savoury dried herb notes, spice & toasted nuts. On the palate it’s beautifully structured, bone dry & luscious, with sweet red berry, plum & dark cherry fruit flavours, a fresh acidity, silky tannins & fine oak influence all resulting in a concentrated, textured long finish. Another fabulous Otago Pinot and an excellent price point too. Excellent. RRP: $35.00 – https://mishasvineyard.com/

Misha’s Vineyard ‘The Soloist’ Pinot Noir Rosé 2025, Central Otago
A pretty, bright & clear ‘rose-gold’ in colour with faint copper hues. In the nose it’s all ‘summer flowers’ then aromas of summer raspberry, strawberry & cherry fruit, a hint of lees & warm spice. On the palate, lots of sweet, red summer berry flavours, it’s crisp & dry with a silky mouthfeel, fruity tannins & ‘crunchy apple’ acidity, all in unison. On the finish it lingers on the palate for ages. A Gorgeous Summer Sip!RRP: $32.00 – https://mishasvineyard.com/

Misha’s Vineyard ‘The Gallery’ Gewürztraminer 2025, Central Otago
Shiny pale straw in colour with soft green & gold hues, nice oily viscosity. On the nose it’s fragrant & floral, then aromas of sweet peach, baked apple, ginger-spice & Turkish delight jellies. On the palate, delicious & moreish, flavours of ripe nectarine, pear & apple, honeycomb & baking spices, nicely weighted with a grippy acidity, the use of wild yeasts & barrel fermentation adding layers of depth & complexity. A long off dry finish. Great food match for spicy Asian dishes. Always Excellent! RRP: $35.00 – https://mishasvineyard.com/

Misha’s Vineyard ‘The Starlet’ Sauvignon Blanc 2025, Central Otago
Glossy pale straw coloured with green -gold hues. The nose is fragrant & vibrant with ripe tropical fruit & zesty citrus aromas, a savoury herbaceous note follows. On the palate, it’s juicy & concentrated, passion-fruit & lemon citrus fruit flavours, a crisp lime-zest acidity & wet-stone mineral, along with subtle oak add texture & complexity. There’s a hint of residual sweetness rounding out the long, juicy finish. RRP: $33.00 -https://mishasvineyard.com/

Luna Estate ‘Eclipse’ Chardonnay 2023, Martinborough
Bright yellow-gold in colour with a hint of green. In the nose it’s flinty & savoury, then aromas of ripe peaches & citrus, nutty, buttered toast notes follow. On the palate it’s mid-weighted with juicy stone-fruit & citrus flavours, the crisp grape-fruity acidity is softened with subtle creamy malo influence & textured with some nicely integrated fine oak. The finish is long & juicy with a wee salty / mineral note. RRP: $45.00 – https://www.lunaestate.co.nz/

‘The Herd’ is a collaborative Pinot Noir project inspired by shared curiosity and an ongoing quest for true expression of terroir. Three Marlborough winemakers, one vineyard, and an open invitation to explore how instinct shapes Pinot Noir.
Find out more at – https://theherdproject.co.nz/

Sorrell ‘The Herd’ Pinot Noir 2023
Shiny and translucent, ruby to cherry-red in colour, lighter at the rim. In the nose it’s enticing & varietal with aromas of ripe dark plums, cherries & dark berries, floral & dried herb notes & subtle oak. Medium bodied on the palate, sweet plum, berry & cherry fruit flavours reflect the nose, nicely balanced & integrated with fine powdery tannins, a lightly grippy acidity & layers of barrel spice & textural complexity. Concentrated persistent & moreish finish. Excellent. $60.00

The Marlborist ‘The Herd’ Pinot Noir 2023
Bright transparent, mid ruby to raspberry red in colour. A fragrant nose with aromas of boysenberries, raspberries, cherries, savoury earth, dried herb & subtle oak spice. On the palate, medium bodied, luscious ripe red & dark summer fruit flavours, supported by nicely integrated velvety-smooth tannins & acidity, layers of texture from 24 months ageing in a mix of French oak, adding depth & complexity. A long, dry, slightly savoury finish. Excellent. RRP: $60.00

Auntsfield ‘The Herd’ Pinot Noir, 2023
A glossy, translucent deep ruby-red in colour. In the nose, inviting aromas of dark fruit, ripe plums, cherries, blackberries, dried herb, cocoa, toasted nuts & spice. On the palate medium bodied, concentrated flavours of slightly sweet, dark & red fruit reflecting the nose, refreshing acidity, nicely textured with silky tannins & subtle oak influence, providing complexity & depth. Long persistent dry finish. Excellent! RRP: $60.00

Barlovska Feijoa Liqueur
Deep golden coloured, oily viscosity / legs. Very fruity & port-like in the nose, a hint of feijoa once opened up a bit. Concentrated fruit, smooth palate, 31% alcohol adding heat & length. I tasted again with a wee splash of lemonade which helped soften the heat & add a citrus twist. https://www.barlovska.nz/

Barlovska Blackberry Liqueur
Dark ruby – slightly brick red in colour, oily viscosity. Quite intense aromas of black berry & vanilla on the nose. Rich & creamy, sherry-style palate, luscious dark berry & vanilla flavours. Only 22% alcohol so not too hot. Really tasty & fruity – no mixer needed. https://www.barlovska.nz/

Barlovska Spiced Honey Liqueur
Deep golden-syrup coloured, lovely oily viscosity. Enticing sweet aromas of butterscotch, cinnamon & honeycomb in the nose. Creamy, silky palate, initial warmth from 31% alcohol, then dark honey & malt & Asian spice notes arrive. Long opulent finish. Delicious! https://www.barlovska.nz/

Barlovska Pure Vodka
Bright & clear in colour. In the nose, just a clean alcohol aroma. On the palate crisp & very smooth – a good alcohol bite at the end. Tried with a little orange Juice added – makes a nice Screwdriver. RRP: $40.00 – https://www.barlovska.nz/

Barlovska Feijoa Vodka
Bright clear pale straw-gold in colour. Subtle feijoa notes in the nose, a hint on the palate, not too overpowering. Smooth, tasty & warming finish. Would go well with ginger ale / ginger beer. (didn’t have any unfortunately) RRP: $40.00 – https://www.barlovska.nz/

Barlovska Blackberry Vodka
Clear, pale copper / pink in colour. Dark berry aromas in the nose subtle & understated, nice berry flavours on the palate, smooth, tasty, a long warm finish. A splash of Soda perhaps? RRP: $40.00 – https://www.barlovska.nz/

Loveblock TEE Sauvignon Blanc 2023, Marlborough
Clear light straw-gold in colour with a subtle green hue. In the nose, inviting aromas of fresh citrus, sweet tangelos, green apples, ripe peaches & a savoury, green herb note. On the palate it’s succulent & juicy with yellow-flesh nectarine, tropical pineapple & passion-fruit flavours, a zesty citrus acidity then savoury & wet stone textures all adding texture & complexity. The finish is concentrated, long & juicy. Excellent. RRP: $29.00 – https://loveblockwine.com/