Inspire Me

The best sweet wines from Taste’s Top Wine Awards 2018

Sweet wines are one of New Zealand’s best kept secrets with amazing intensity and richness. Master of Wine Bob Campbell shares his top picks from Taste magazine's Top Wine Awards.
Taste top wine awards - Best Sweet Wine

Look out for the Taste Top Wine Award stickers on these bottles at supermarkets and selected liquor retailers.

Under $40

Spy Valley 2012 Envoy Johnson Vineyard Riesling, Marlborough $32

Moderately sweet riesling that’s perfectly balanced by taut acidity to give the wine exciting tension. Grapefruit, lime and subtle floral flavours.

Urlar 2016 Noble Riesling, Gladstone (375ml) $33

Rich, honeyed dessert wine with a suggestion of creme brulée/toffee, caramel, dried fig and assorted spices.

Mondillo 2017 Nina Riesling, Central Otago (375ml) $38

Quite a sweet dessert riesling with lime, apricot and honey flavours. Sweetness is balanced by assertive acidity that gives good sweet/sour tension to the wine.

Loop Road 2016 Noble Riesling, Central Otago (375ml) $28

Moderately sweet and reasonably light dessert riesling with honeycomb, citrus/lime and tree fruit/apricot flavours. Serve well chilled as an aperitif.

$40 and over

Pegasus Bay 2016 Encore Noble Riesling, Waipara (375ml) $40

Concentrated, luscious dessert wine with bush honey, pineapple, ginger and ripe peach flavours. A strong botrytis influence doesn’t mask the wine’s varietal definition.

Framingham 2017 Noble Riesling, Marlborough (375ml) $40

Luscious wine with honey, peach, tropical fruits and a suggestion of floral character with restrained acidity.

Framingham 2017 F-Series Auslese Riesling, Marlborough (375ml) $45

Rich and weighty riesling with good clean honeyed botrytis character and Golden Queen peach flavours. Lovely acidity helps build real tension in the wine.

Framingham 2017 F-Series Beerenauslese Riesling, Marlborough (375ml) $69.99

Intensely sweet, aromatic riesling with great weight and intensity held together by a lovely line of acidity. Very pure with honey from botrytis but still showing good varietal character with tropical and tree fruit flavours.

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