It’s a bad idea to plan travel to the southern hemisphere during the heights of a lovely English summer. I’ve traded sun and 28 degrees for wind, rain and grey skies here in Auckland. Still, I’m glad to be here. I’ve just skyped home, and getting ready for a busy day interviewing scientists about the science of Sauvignon Blanc.

Simon Hooker, of the NZ Growers, who is coordinating my visit, took me up to Mount Eden before my visit to Plant and Food Research yesterday. Pictured above is the view of the city from the peak, with the side of the crater (this was a volcano) visible in the foreground.

Despite my severely jet-lagged state, I had a lovely dinner with Simon and Philip Manson from the growers last night. We shared a bottle of the Craggy Range Syrah Gimblett Gravels Vineyard 2008, which was brilliantly vibrant, fresh and peppery. So deliciously drinkable is this wine, I could have drunk the whole bottle myself.