I’ve tasted a lot of New Zealand Pinot Noir over recent weeks. Here are some of my favourite picks from Marlborough. This is New Zealand’s largest wine region, and it…
First impressions matter, with people and with wine
First impressions count. I’m increasingly convinced of this. The first line of a novel. It matters more than it should. The first time you meet someone: this is particularly important….
New Zealand Pinot Gris, a masterclass
Dom Maxwell (Greystone, above left) and Emma Jenkins (above right) presented this masterclass on Pinot Gris from New Zealand. It’s a grape that has been neglected by wine geeks. This…
Pinot Noir: the alchemy of people, place and time
This is a written version of a talk I’m giving today at the Mornington Peninsula Pinot Noir celebration. Pinot Noir is the grape variety that seems to inspire the most…
Forage North Canterbury, an amazing food and wine event, with a film
Where does our food come from? I was recently in the Waipara Valley in North Canterbury, to take part in a remarkable event called Forage. There’s a film of…
Some interesting alternative wines from the Waipara: Hermit Ram and Ekleipsis
Tried these interesting Waipara Valley wines over the last few days. The Hermit Ram is made by Theo Coles, who also makes wines for Kalex in Central Otago and Mountford…
Video: flying in a Tiger Moth biplane over the Bridge Pa Triangle vineyards, Hawke’s Bay, NZ
Yesterday was spent in the two main subdistricts of Hawke’s Bay. The afternoon was spent in the famous Gimblett Gravels, but the morning was in the Bridge Pa Triangle Wine…
Bordeaux varieties and blends from New Zealand, with some benchmarks
The second part of the Classic Reds Symposium in Hawke’s Bay, New Zealand, looked at Bordeaux varieties and blends. There were 12 wines, served blind, and as well as the…
New Zealand Syrah masterclass, with four imposters
These are my notes from the first tasting At the Hawke’s Bay Symposium on Classic Reds, held at Trinity Hill, Hawke’s Bay, 4 February 2017. This flight looked at New…