So I’m in Blenheim, acting as one of the judges at the Marlborough Wine Show. Last night we had the judge’s dinner at Arbour, and it was a splendid occasion….
Libiamo Amphora Chenin Blanc 2017 Gisborne, New Zealand
This is quite special. It’s an amphora-fermented Chenin Blanc with a dash of Marsanne, that’s on its skins for 222 days, and then pressed and bottled unfiltered with minimal SO2…
Hawke’s Bay, New Zealand (4) Collaboration Wines
Julianne Brogden is only 40, but she’s already been making wines for 23 years now. She’s Hawke’s Bay born and bred, and worked briefly in the region, before heading out…
Hawke’s Bay, New Zealand (3) Ash Ridge
In 2000, Chris Wilcock bought a peach orchard in the Bridge Pa district of Hawke’s Bay. At the time, he was working as a banker (he had spells in Switzerland,…
Hawke’s Bay New Zealand (2) Ant Mackenzie, Craft Farm
Ant Mackenzie has been a winemaker for other people for his whole career, but of late he’s begun making wines under his own name. His first winemaking job was at…
Hawke’s Bay, New Zealand (1) Tony Bish and the Urban Winery
Tony Bish made his reputation as winemaker for Sacred Hill in Hawke’s Bay. While he remains a consultant and a shareholder in the company, his interests have moved away from…
New Zealand Wine of the Year Awards, the dinner
Last night was the dinner for the New Zealand Wine of the Year Awards. The judges and associates gathered to eat well and drink some interesting booze. The senior judges…
Greystone Vineyard Ferment Pinot Noir 2016 Waipara Valley, New Zealand
This is the first release of this new wine from Greystone: the vineyard ferment Pinot Noir. They have been talking about their vineyard fermentations for a while: keen to make…
Golden Bay: Pupu springs, the source of the Riwaka and the Wainui Falls
I just spent a weekend in Golden Bay, which is part of the Abel Tasman region at the top of New Zealand’s South Island. Here’s a short film of the…