John Forrest and his wife Brigid have been making wine in Marlborough since 1990 which is a not insignificant length of time in a country where winemaking as we know it only really began in the 1980s. They’re a dynamic duo – constantly experimenting with new grape varieties and regions and making an incredibly wide range of wines from sparkling to reds, whites and sweet wines from more different grape varieties than most producers would dare to.
One of their latest experiments has been with Austria’s native grape variety Grüner Veltliner (pron grooner velt-leener) which is a light white variety with gentle aromatics and lovely supple texture. For the legions of Sauvignon Blanc fans out there, this is a lovely option for when the pungency and vibrant acidity of your usual tipple might be too much. Under the ‘Doctors’ label John and Brigid (who are both ex-doctors) offer something a little unusual and experimental such as their low alcohol Doctors’ Sauvignon and their Doctors’ Riesling which is a fabulously refreshing medium dry aperitif wine that goes down a treat on a warm summer’s day. It’s also pretty fabulous with a spicy Thai green curry.
The Doctors’ Grüner Veltliner. £11.75
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The Doctors’ Riesling £11.70
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The Doctors’ Sauvignon Blanc. £11.70
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Of course if Sauvignon Blanc is your one true love, he has a treat for you! The John Forrest Collection is a range of wines made only in the best years, all hand picked and from small plots of his best sites. We have 2 new John Forrest Collection wines to add to our range. The Sauvignon Blanc is from some of his oldest vines in the Wairau River Valley area of Marlborough. These old vines give very small yields of top quality fruit and this wine sees a bit more attention in the winery to bring out the body and complexity of the wine.
John Forrest Collection Sauvignon Blanc. £19.75
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From further south in NZ we now have the John Forrest Collection Bannockburn Pinot Noir which is from Central Otago. Still a relative baby in comparison to many winegrowing regions in the world, this area has come on in leaps and bounds and is rapidly gaining recognition for its world class Pinot Noir and Riesling. Forrest’s Bannockburn Pinot Noir is also made in only the best years and the fruit is all selected by hand. The wine shows concentrated dark fruit flavours, some toasty oak and some floral notes. This is a richer and more deeply fruited Pinot Noir than the lighter Marlborough wine which offers great value for money. In fact Forrest Estate was recently recognised by Olly Smith in the Mail as one of the top-notch New Zealand Pinot producers outside of Otago.
John Forrest Collection Bannockburn Pinot Noir. £25.50
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Forrest Estate Pinot Noir. £13.75
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If you are a fan of Forrest wines please do join us when the man himself will be here in Crossgar on Saturday 24 May hosting a tasting of his new wines. Entrance is by ticket only so get yours now before they sell out - Book Here
