Poolside Wines

There is nothing better than relaxing with a glass of wine poolside, right? These tasty drops highlight delicious local and Spanish wines our wine writer Joelle Thomson rates. Here she shares the perfect wines for any summer soirée. Read on to learn more.

Brancott Estate Letter B Series Sauvignon Blanc, $19

If wine could taste like salad, this 2021 wine would be a ripe tropical fruit version, in liquid form. It’s a deliciously fruity, full-bodied Sauvignon Blanc made with grapes grown on the famous Brancott Estate Vineyard in the heart of Marlborough. It was the first vineyard in Marlborough when grapes were planted there in 1973 and have since grown to become one of the biggest and certainly one of the most iconic with its sea of vines stretching towards the coast and providing refreshing purity of flavour thanks to the wine’s bright acidity which comes from the region’s cool breezy climate. There’s a stunning zesty length of flavour in every sip.

Graze with: Smoked salmon with wafer crackers.

Dine with: Salmon with the fresh tang of lemony, herby chermoula dressing.

Rating: 18.5/20

Brancott Estate Letter O Series Chardonnay, $20

The letter O stands for the Omaka Vineyard in Marlborough, which is home to the Chardonnay grapes in this dry, crisp and full-bodied wine, which offers exceptional value for money. It’s ripe, creamy texture and tart citrus flavours, provide grapefruit and fleshy lemon notes, supported by firm acidity that drives each flavoursome sip to a lingering finish. This is a fab wine to drink with seafood and chicken marinated in lemon. Lovers of the O Series Chardonnay may remember its original incarnation as the big, buttery Ormond Chardonnay from Gisborne.

Graze with: Soft cheese; the creamier, the better.

Dine with: Slow cooked chicken, smoked paprika and preserved lemon.

Rating: 18.5/20

Brancott Estate Letter T Series Pinot Noir, $20

Marlborough Pinot Noir is one of the most underrated red wine styles in New Zealand. Is concentrated flavours of beetroot, cherries, redcurrants and cranberry flavours, all freshly intermingled here with earthy complex flavours of fresh mushrooms and porcini are exquisite. Dry, medium-bodied and refreshingly silky in the mouth, this lovely Pinot Noir offers great value for money, from the country’s biggest wine region.

Graze with: smoked mushroom paté with crusty bread.

Dine with: baked beetroot salad served with goat’s cheese.

Rating: 17.5/20

Campo Viejo Cava Sparkling Brut Reserva, $25

Cava is the Spanish word for sparkling wine made the same way as champagne, except that it comes from Spain and offers exceptional value for money. Cava is usually made with the Spanish grapes, Macabeo, Parellada and Xarello, which combine to create a wine with a distinctive earthy taste and medium body. This smooth, dry and rounded sparkling wine has refreshing flavours of fresh bakery notes and crisp red apple tastes. It’s a dry style and offers fantastic versatility as a food match for a wide range of flavours, especially seafood. Cava can also be made from Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, which are two of the traditional French grapes used to make champagne.

Graze with: A classic antipasto platter with seed crackers.

Dine with: Seafood of all kinds.

Rating: 17.5/20