One of the funny things about starting the New Year with a slightly dusty feeling is the flood of advice to abstain from all forms of alcohol for the month ahead. Dry January sounds miserable - why not enjoy fresh, lightly chilled dry wines on hot summer days? I'm happy to report that I've found an alternative. It's not dry.

It's that funny old thing call moderation and like most wine lovers, I've sometimes struggled with it, due to loving the taste of wine but I discovered several years ago now that I feel and function better by enjoying a little less volume and savouring the moment. It goes with the territory of wine writing to keep one's passion for the product in check. And moderation seems to be catching on, if the latest samples sent my way for review are anything to go  by - Villa Maria has launched a trio of its everyday wines in cans and there are other new formats pouring out onto the market too. Not all of them take my fancy as I like wine poured from glass but I appreciate the sentiment of encouraging the enjoyment of wine in moderation. 

The inspiration behind the new Vino 'pouch' format was the decline in global wine production, which hit a 64-year low in 2024. More on that brand below, along with my reviews of the three 'pouch' wines. 

Despite the downturn in consumption globally, it is heartening to see the courageous launch of both new formats and new wine brands, especially so with such wines as Mason from Martinborough and Brave Roots from Marlborough, which was launched in 2025 by Alina Tenetka and Masha Skorchenko. My reviews of these excellent wines are featured below. 

What I'm tasting and drinking this week

19/20
2025 Brave Roots Albarino Marlborough RRP $45
Albarino is the voice of the Galician coast in north west Spain and is now hitting high notes in Aotearoa New Zealand, thanks to a growing number of Marlborough winemakers, including Alina Tenetka and Masha Skorchenko, who launched her new wine brand Brave Roots last year. The three new Brave Roots wines are outstanding. 
This fresh, vibrant Albarino is one of the most commanding expressions of the grape variety in this country today, thanks to ripe fruit which comes through in the wine's fleshy full body. Balance comes from high acidity that adds shine and polish to every sip with a backbone of smooth lees influence from fermentation and ageing in seasoned French oak for five months. The result is a powerful, bright, bold new white that sets a new high benchmark for Albarino from Marlborough. By the way, this wine is bone dry - and tastes it - with 1.3 grams per litre of residual sugar. 
Braverootswine.com

18.5/20
2024 Brave Roots Viognier Marlborough RRP $49
Another stunner from the new Marlborough wine brand, Brave Roots, this Viognier is made with grapes grown in the lower Wairau Valley and supports the theory of classical Viognier with a dry taste. It rocks a peachy fleshy core underpinned by savoury, complex flavours and a totally dry taste from the first sip to the last; 3.20 grams of residual sugar gives this wine its outstanding balance. This wine restores my faith in Viognier. Bravo.

17.5/20
2024 Brave Roots Gruner Veltliner Marlborough RRP $35
"Gruner" (pronounced 'Groon-er') is Austria's famous indigenous white grape variety and while there's precious little of it grown in New Zealand, it can express interesting savoury flavours in the glass, as it does in this wine. Brave Roots Gruner was fermented in a combo of seasoned French oak and stainless steel, both of which bring a balance of crisp fresh apple aromas and a twist of lime to each sip. It's a youth wine and tastes it - this wine will benefit with time in bottle, evolving into a more expressive white over the next two to three years.

18.5/20
2025 Mason Hidden Vineyard Rosé RRP $36
There's no shortage of rosé but this one is in short supply, thanks to coming from a small vineyard at the end of Te Muna Valley in Martinborough. The site is 95 to 110 metres above sea level and planted entirely in Pinot Noir, a little of which is set aside to make this dry, pale hued rosé with its aromas  of red berries and fleshy medium body, which winemaker Paul Mason describes "a serious rosé but not in a snobby way". It's a great description of a new rosé from an old vineyard with a new lease of life. 

Wine consumption may be at an historic low on a global scale at the  moment but rosé is rising, along with vibrant fresh white wine consumption. 

18.5/20
2019 Mount Edward Pinot Noir Central Otago RRP $25.99 for 375ml bottle
Mount Edward is consistently one of Central Otago's top Pinot Noirs, always in my top 10 and often higher, especially with a little bit of age, so I was thrilled to discover half bottles available as a cheeky little taste of greatness. Savoury elements combine with the beautiful bright fruit aromas that define Central Otago Pinot Noir. This wine shows complex layers and youth, suggesting it has a long life ahead - for those with full bottles in their cellars. At six years old now, this wine is in a beautiful drinking window. 

Vino wine pouches

Whistling Buoy Wine Company owner Neil Pattinson decided to create a new single serve size for his existing wine brand with his 150ml wine pouches, which  launch this month nationwide, in time for long hot days, warm nights and summer trips to the beach. The 150ml wine pouches are unbreakable, lightweight, ideal portions for anyone trekking up a steep hill, walking for days through the mountains (as many New Zealanders, and others, enjoy doing), going to the beach, a picnic or concert.The pouches had their first outing at the Canterbury A&P Show last year. They're made of laminated aluminium soft plastic with a cardboard outer sleeve and cost $49.95 to $59.95 for a six pack or $8.50 for a single serve pouch.

Reviews of Vino wine pouches - the new pouches include a refreshing pale Vino Rosé 17.5/20 (my favourite of the trio with its dry cherry, berry red fruit aromas and bright crisp acidity adding length to every lively sip - really good dry rosé - a silver medal from me), Vino Pinot Gris 16.5/20 (aromatic white pear aromas and dry in taste with a fresh finish - good summer day drinking) and Vino Pinot Noir 16.5/20 (dry with cherry notes and a savoury taste, light bodied and fresh for summer). 
Available from www.vinowines.nz

 Happy New Year and welcome to not dry January. I hope it's a tasty month ahead.