HUNTRESS WAIKOA 2023

Winery notes (2023 Vintage)
"Introducing the 2023 Waikoa, a delightful blend of Riesling and Sauvignon Blanc, aptly named "happy waters" in Te Reo Māori. This wine brings joy with its refreshing and complex profile. On the nose, it offers a perfumed bouquet of florals, citrus, wild fennel, and honeydew, evoking the essence of a beech forest in summer. The palate is vibrant with citrus fruits, lime, and ripe pink grapefruit, finishing with a textured, pithy sensation.

The fruit for this wine is sourced from the BioGro certified organic Grava Vineyard, located south of Martinborough. Both varieties were harvested and fermented separately but pressed together, with approximately 25% whole cluster inclusion. The indigenous fermentation lasted an average of 28 days on skins. The wine was filtered with a 40ppm SO2 addition before bottling.

Serve this wine lightly chilled on a warm day, making it an excellent companion for fresh kaimoana (seafood). It pairs wonderfully with summer salads, light appetisers, and shellfish dishes, enhancing the dining experience with its bright and refreshing flavours."

Rated Excellent & 93/100 Cameron Douglas MS, November 2023 (2023 Vintage)
"Waikoa is a blend of Riesling and Sauvignon Blanc delivering a bouquet and palate filled with shape, form and texture. Flavours of lemon, barely, apple and natural fruit spices, a touch of pepper and lots of mouthfeel. Some fine tannins and backbone of acidity set in place a strong foundation for the fruit, texture and flavours. Well made, youthful and taut with best drinking from early 2024 through 2027."

93/100 David Walker Bell, WineFolio.co.nz, September 2023 (2023 vintage)
"The latest release of the ‘Waikoa’ white from Jannine Rickard’s Huntress label sees another change in direction for this vintage. The previous wine was a hit with me, and 100% Sauvignon Blanc. The new wine sees 55% riesling and 45% Sauvignon Blanc in the blend. Whole bunch and time on skins is a feature of the winemaking, and the results get another thumbs up.

A pale straw colour in the glass, with a perfume that is hard to pick the varietals, but has that crisp aromatic energy that you’d want to see in a wine like this. Some lemon peel, apple, clementine, sorrel and greengage notes, then a lift of orange blossom on the nose. A firm structure on the palate, with pithy acidity, a nip of phenolics from the time on skins, and a ripe richness that develops into a well-weighted, silky texture. A little savoury flavour hides at the back – weetbix, green olive and juniper. Try this with seafood or chicken dishes, or just try it."

4 ½ Stars Yvonne Lorkin, October 2023 (2023 Vintage)
"Winemaker Jannine Rickards has created a deeply complex and deliciously drinkable blend of 60% riesling and 40% sauvignon blanc from fruit grown in Martinborough’s ‘Grava’ vineyards. And if you thought that a sauvignon/riesling blend was going to be all light and floral and flouncy then you can skate right out of the CBD because with partial whole-cluster ferments and a 25% splash of extended skin-fermented juice, this wine roars with rich roast apple, preserved lemon, lime zest and smoked passionfruit notes. Squeaky astringency adds interest and textural depth to the mid-palate and dryness to the finish, making it a take-your-time wine that roars with white pepper and citrus. Love it!"