Episode Details

The Wine: Sheild Albariño 2025, Nelson $26.99 from Winemaker Trudy Sheild  

Albariño originates in Spain in and around the Galicia area, the variety loves proximity to the sea. Often described as having a sea spray or saline quality. The Sheild wine shows this attribute easily.  

This wine is precise, varietal, leesy and fresh. Aromas of white peach and lemon, a leesy lite lager seam adding shape and form. Delicious, bright and fruity, varietal and new with an energy to the core flavours of white stone fruits and citrus, there’s a lovely freshness and mealy salivating and saline mouthfeel delivery length and appeal.  

The food:  

A wine that suits local seafood, anything from pan-seared snapper to a burger made with cod, all the trimmings and salty fries. Kumara chips as well work nicely with the burger. For a home meal then a seafood marinara with either a rice or pastas base works wonderfully with this wine. It’s all about the crispness and fresh fruits flavours in contrast to the salty seafood flavours.  

The season and region:  

It’s regularly New Zealand’s sunniest region and with good diurnal variation which helps emphasise varietal character. Nelson’s high sunlight hours and a long growing season give wonderful fruit purity and fresh appeal.  

Other notes: 

Nelson’s sheltered topography gives protection from strong winds; combined with its proximity to the sea this gives milder temperatures than other South Island regions, mitigating frost risk. 

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