The wine is elegantly fruited and fragrant on the nose showing spiced cherry, strawberry, game, leather and toasted spice aromas. The palate delivers juicy fruit flavours and rounded mouthfeel, backed by fine, polished tannins, finishing lingering and delicately dry. At its best: now to 2021. $28.00. www.alana.co.nz. July 2019.

The wine is elegantly fruited and fragrant on the nose showing spiced cherry, strawberry, game, leather and toasted spice aromas. The palate delivers juicy fruit flavours and rounded mouthfeel, backed by fine, polished tannins, finishing lingering and delicately dry. At its best: now to 2021. $28.00. www.alana.co.nz. July 2019.

Alana Estate ‘White Blend’ Martinborough Blanc 2014  4 Stars

Brilliant straw-yellow colour with light lemon-gold hues, pale edged.  The nose is elegantly concentrated with fine and intense aromas of white stonefruit, white florals and subtle notes of fresh herbs and a little secondary waxiness.  This has a well-packed core to the bouquet.  Dry to taste and medium-bodied, the palate has a good heart of white stonefruit flavours entwined with delicate floral and herbal elements, and some waxiness.  The fruit is moderately rich, forming a concentrated heart with a suggestion of unctuousness.  The richness is countered by lacy acidity and a fine phenolic thread which guides the wine to an elegant finish.  This is a dry Gruner Veltliner/Riesling blend with stonefruit, herb and secondary waxy flavours on a palate with some richness.  Match with Mediterranean cuisine over the next 2-3 years.  Martinborough fruit, a blend of 60% Gruner Veltliner and 40% Riesling, fermented in stainless-steel to 11.6% alc. and dryness, the wine aged 4 months on lees.  17.5-/20  Mar 2018  RRP $28.00

Alana Estate ‘White Blend’ Martinborough Blanc 2014  4 Stars

Brilliant straw-yellow colour with light lemon-gold hues, pale edged.  The nose is elegantly concentrated with fine and intense aromas of white stonefruit, white florals and subtle notes of fresh herbs and a little secondary waxiness.  This has a well-packed core to the bouquet.  Dry to taste and medium-bodied, the palate has a good heart of white stonefruit flavours entwined with delicate floral and herbal elements, and some waxiness.  The fruit is moderately rich, forming a concentrated heart with a suggestion of unctuousness.  The richness is countered by lacy acidity and a fine phenolic thread which guides the wine to an elegant finish.  This is a dry Gruner Veltliner/Riesling blend with stonefruit, herb and secondary waxy flavours on a palate with some richness.  Match with Mediterranean cuisine over the next 2-3 years.  Martinborough fruit, a blend of 60% Gruner Veltliner and 40% Riesling, fermented in stainless-steel to 11.6% alc. and dryness, the wine aged 4 months on lees.  17.5-/20  Mar 2018  RRP $28.00

2017 Alana Pinot Gris…delicious wine…flavours of pears, honey and stone fruit, really full bodied wine which just fills your mouth and explodes with flavour. The flavours keep going and there is some creaminess which just makes you feel good and know this is a great wine. Just lovely…in fact when  I tried a tasting with the 2016 and the 2017…the 2017 stood out … just a little more mouth feel and feel good!!!

2017 Alana Pinot Gris…delicious wine…flavours of pears, honey and stone fruit, really full bodied wine which just fills your mouth and explodes with flavour. The flavours keep going and there is some creaminess which just makes you feel good and know this is a great wine. Just lovely…in fact when  I tried a tasting with the 2016 and the 2017…the 2017 stood out … just a little more mouth feel and feel good!!!

Alana Estate Martinborough Riesling 2015  ****

Full, even straw-yellow colour with lemon-gold hues, pale edged.  The bouquet is softly full with a moderately concentrated heart of lime fruit melded with secondary toast, honey and mineral notes.  This has a gentle presence.  Medium-dry to taste and medium-bodied, the palate is soft and gently mouthfilling with delicate flavours of lime fruit harmoniously intermixed with honied and secondary toasty development notes.  The mouthfeel is bright and vibrant with fresh acidity, and the wine carries along a light-textured line leading to a lingering finish.  This is a gently mouthfilling medium-dry Riesling with harmonious lime, toast, honied and mineral flavours on a vibrant palate.  Match with Asian cuisine over the next 4 years.  Fruit from the ‘Jackson’ block with a small amount of botrytis, fermented in tank and a very small portion on skins in puncheon to 12.4% alc. and 11 g/L RS.  17.5/20  Mar 2018  RRP $32.00

Alana Estate Martinborough Riesling 2015  ««««

Full, even straw-yellow colour with lemon-gold hues, pale edged.  The bouquet is softly full with a moderately concentrated heart of lime fruit melded with secondary toast, honey and mineral notes.  This has a gentle presence.  Medium-dry to taste and medium-bodied, the palate is soft and gently mouthfilling with delicate flavours of lime fruit harmoniously intermixed with honied and secondary toasty development notes.  The mouthfeel is bright and vibrant with fresh acidity, and the wine carries along a light-textured line leading to a lingering finish.  This is a gently mouthfilling medium-dry Riesling with harmonious lime, toast, honied and mineral flavours on a vibrant palate.  Match with Asian cuisine over the next 4 years.  Fruit from the ‘Jackson’ block with a small amount of botrytis, fermented in tank and a very small portion on skins in puncheon to 12.4% alc. and 11 g/L RS.  17.5/20  Mar 2018  RRP $32.00

Alana Limited Release Pinot Noir 2013 Martinborough 95/100 5 Stars
A stunning pinot. The gloriously complex bouquet shows dark cherry, plum, truffle, cedar and mixed spice notes, leading to a concentrated and powerful palate that’s richly textured with firm structure. The wine offers layers of delicious flavours. At its best: 2016 to 2023. $65.00. Limited availability

Alana Sauvignon Blanc 2015 Martinborough
Elegantly expressed and beautifully ripe, the bouquet shows white stone fruit, lemon peel, floral and dill aromas, which lead to a finely textured palate that delivers excellent focus and palate weight. The wine is beautifully rounded and long, and refreshing to the finish. At its best: now to 2018.

Alana Pinot Gris 2017 Martinborough
Bright, light golden-yellow colour with some depth and a hint of blush, lighter edged.  The nose is fresh with gently voluminous aromas of fragrant white and yellow stonefruits along with notes of honey, hints of exotic florals and nuances of musk.  This has a refreshing steeliness, and unveils some lifted fermentation esters.  Dry to taste and medium-bodied, the palate is somewhat slender with tautness, showing soft and light flavours of stonefruits and florals with hints of honey.  The mouthfeel is brisk and zesty with racy acidity, and the wine possesses a light, textural line.  The flavours recede as the wine carries to the finish.  This is a taut, up-front dry Pinot Gris with light aromatic stonefruit, floral and honied flavours on a racy palate with light phenolic grip.  Serve as an aperitif and with antipasto over the next 2 years, fermented in tank with approx. 18% in barrel to 12.7% alc. and approx. 5 g/L RS, the wine aged 10 months on lees with a little batonnage

Alana Estate Riesling 2015 Martinborough  4 Stars
Full, even straw-yellow colour with lemon-gold hues, pale edged.  The bouquet is softly full with a moderately concentrated heart of lime fruit melded with secondary toast, honey and mineral notes.  This has a gentle presence.  Medium-dry to taste and medium-bodied, the palate is soft and gently mouthfilling with delicate flavours of lime fruit harmoniously intermixed with honied and secondary toasty development notes.  The mouthfeel is bright and vibrant with fresh acidity, and the wine carries along a light-textured line leading to a lingering finish.  This is a gently mouthfilling medium-dry Riesling with harmonious lime, toast, honied and mineral flavours on a vibrant palate.  Match with Asian cuisine over the next 4 years, fermented in tank and a very small portion on skins in puncheon to 12.4% alc. and 11 g/L RS

Alana Estate Riesling 2016 Martinborough  4 Stars
Bright, even straw-yellow colour with hints of light gold.  The nose is firm and intense with well-packed aromas of lime and lemonade fruit, white and yellow florals, complexed by a thread of toasty secondary development.  This has depth and finesse.  Off-dry to taste and light-medium bodied, the palate has good depth and intensity of ripe lime and lemonade fruit flavours, along with floral and toasty detail.  The fruit forms a well-concentrated heart and shows good presence, and is balanced by fresh, lacy acidity.  The wine is guided by a very fine line, with good energy, leading to a long, lingering finish.  This is a well-concentrated off-dry Riesling with intense flavours of lime, florals and toast, balanced acidity and a fine flow.  Serve as an aperitif and with Mediterranean fare over the next 4-5 years with no botrytis, cool-fermented to 10.1% alc. and 8.2 g/L RS.  18.0+/20

Alana Estate Riesling 2017 Martinborough 

Bright straw-yellow colour with a little depth, lighter on the rim.  The nose is very elegant with fresh, light aromas of lime fruit interwoven with subtle notes of honeysuckle and a little muskiness, unfolding chalky mineral elements.  Off-dry to taste and light-medium bodied, the palate has light fruit flavours of limes entwined with soft floral and herb nuances, along with a little honeysuckle and musk.  The palate is slender in expression with moderate depth, and is enlivened by brisk acidity.  The wine flows along a light, phenolic-textured line with some drying grip to balance the fruit sweetness.  The flavours recede as the wine carries to the finish.  This is a slender off-dry Riesling with light lime, floral, herb and musk flavours on a crisp, dry-textured palate.  Serve as an aperitif over the next 2+ years.  approx. 10% botrytis, cool-fermented in tank to 11.9% alc. and 6.5 g/L RS.  16.5/20  Mar 2018  RRP $32.00

Alana Estate Chardonnay 2016,

Brilliant light golden-yellow colour with some depth, light on the rim.  The nose is softly concentrated with up-front aromas of white and yellow stonefruits, along with an amalgam of nutty oak and flinty lees, unveiling some smokiness and chalky mineral elements.  The aromatics build to form a solid core.  Medium-full bodied, the palate has up-front and fulsome flavours of yellow stonefruits with complexing notes of creamy barrel-ferment, nutty oak and subtle oxidative elements, unfolding a layering of lemon-curd MLF.  The mouthfeel is robust and vigorous and the flavours flow with some drive along a lightly-textured palate line, leading to a nutty finish.  This is an up-front, flavoursome Chardonnay with stonefruit, nutty oak and lemon-curd MLF flavours on a robust. Slightly grippy palate.  Match with poultry and pork over the next 4 years.  WBP and fully barrel-fermented to 12.9% alc., the wine aged 10 months on lees in 12% new oak, undergoing 100% MLF.   Mar 2018  RRP $33.00

Alana Lumiere Pinot Noir 2017

Even, light red colour with some purple hues, pale on the rim.  The nose is soft and gently full with light aromas of savoury red berry fruit melded with an amalgam of herbs and nutty oak, unfolding red floral elements.  This is broad with presence and possesses some complexing interest.  Medium-full bodied, the palate has good depth and weight, showing savoury red berry fruit with notes of herbs and resinous, nutty oak, and red floral nuances.  The mouthfeel has breadth and presence, with soft acidity lending roundness.  Light tannin extraction provides a background framework that carries the wine to a moderately vigorous, lingering, savoury finish.  This is a broad and mouthfilling Pinot Noir with savoury red fruits, subtle herb and nutty oak notes on a rounded, but structured palate.  Match with wild duck and pork, and mushroom dishes over the next 3 years. , fully destemmed and fermented to 12.9% alc., the wine aged 10 months in seasoned oak.

Alana Estate Martinborough Pinot Noir 2016  4 stars

Even ruby-red colour with slight purple hues, a little lighter on the edge, youthful in appearance.  The nose is moderately concentrated and packed with aromas of dark-red cherry and berry fruit subtly melded with a thread of dark herbs and suggestions of whole bunch stalk-like elements, unfolding a little raspberry liqueur and earth.  Medium-full bodied, the palate has rich and sweet fruit flavours of dark-red cherry and raspberry fruit along with subtle herbal nuances.  The fruit has lusciousness, and forms a lively and vibrant heart, enlivened by fresh acidity.  Light, balanced tannin extraction supports the fruit and the wine leads to a light- fruit-sweet finish.  This is a moderately sweet and rich cherry and raspberry fruited Pinot Noir on a fresh palate with balanced structure.  Match with lamb, beef and venison over the next 4-5 years.  primarily Abel clone, fermented with approx. 30% whole bunches to 13.2% alc., the wine aged 10 months in approx. 20% new oak.

Alana Limited Release Pinot Noir 2013 Martinborough 95/100 5 Stars
A stunning pinot. The gloriously complex bouquet shows dark cherry, plum, truffle, cedar and mixed spice notes, leading to a concentrated and powerful palate that’s richly textured with firm structure. The wine offers layers of delicious flavours. At its best: 2016 to 2023. $65.00. Limited availability