Every three months I drive down to one of the various wine regions in NZ. Hawkes Bay has become a favoured wine region of mine. The diversity of varietals and consistant level of quality make it an interesting trip every time I go. Top that off with a wonderful coast line, good food and a huge art deco influence it's somewhere I may consider settling when I get older.

So last week I drove down there on Wednesday and got back later on Thursday giving about five hours each day to get around some of the wineries.

I visited the following tasting some barrel samples of the miniscule amounts of 2003 in barrel (Harvest is early Jan-Feb) , almost no chardonnay due to frosts.

Wines I noted that will be worth looking out for-

Te Mata Coleraine Cab merlot- Excellent looking like a 88-90 pointer

Te Mata Awatea Cab merlot- Showing better development tannins are still really to develope fully- 88-90 points

Te Mata Bullnose Syrah- Even now this wine is showing a great deal of power- 89-93points

Almost no Elston Chardonnay produced by Te Mata so I wasn't allowed to even barrel sample.

Esk Valley Black Label Merlot- Good extraction even now, and a cheaper wine - 85-87 points (sells for around the $14 USD mark)

Esk Valley Reserve Chardonnay- this vineyard is situated well out of the frost affected areas ensuring there has been some produced.- 89-92 points

Esk Valley Reserve Merlot and Malbec (still to be blended obviously but I tasted these separately)- Full boodied wine even now!! The malbec is showing impressive colour, while the aromatics off the merlot are stunning....92-94 points

Trinity Hill Gimblett Gravels Pinot Gris- Nice stonefruit characters already showing through. Texture is impressive considering how little time this has spent in barrel..88-90 points

Trinity Hill Shephards Croft Syrah- To be blended into the Syrah dominantant Shephards Croft Red this cheaper wine continues to do well for a every day wine. 84-86 for the Syrah aspect.

Trinity Hill Gimblett Gravels Syrah- The top syrah, showing powerful fruit and moderate tannin developement. Very sugar rich (harvest around 26 brix.)90-92 points

Stonecroft Syrah- Allan Limemr was still decidign if this was upt to the quality he requires for him to bottle a separate syrah, if thats the case I would to taste the barrel samples of wine he knows will make it, obviously other vintages. More elegance than I expected 89-91 points

Stonecroft Gewurzt- drier than previous years, more oily dry than lush. 87-89 points

Sileni Merlot - To be blended into the Sileni Merlot Cabernets, good levels of sugars and some tannin developement, may lack the structure to be a long agerhowever (mind you this wine sells for around $15 USD so what do you expect?!) 85-87 points.

Te Awa Malbec (to be blended with the merlot)- Excellent mid palate characters already developing, chocolate and tobacco notes already evident. Should be a goody 88-90 points.

I tasted a heap more but thought I would note the stand outs of the barrels.