North Canterbury is the new-ish term used to describe the vineyard region close to Canterbury, which includes the Waipara Valley. In the couple of days I spent here, I tasted…
Some pictures from Central Otago
The famous view from Rippon, Wanaka Chard Farm’s Gibbston Vineyard and its spectacular setting Apparently this scene features in Lord of the Rings View of Wanaka from the top of…
Central Otago Pinot Noir masterclass, focusing on structure
Lucie Lawrence of Aurum and Grant Taylor of Valli led this masterclass, which was held at Aurum. Also present were Matt Dicey (Mount Difficulty and Ceres), Paul Pujol (Prophet’s Rock)…
Some highlights from a Central Otago Pinot Noir tasting
I arrived in Queenstown to a good English winter: rain showers, low cloud, and a temperature of 8 C. There was snow on top of the hills. This is summer…
The stunning Te Mata Peak
On Saturday morning, Craggy Range’s Brand Manager Hannah Burns took me up Te Mata Peak. It was supposed to be a run, but this is incredibly steep, so we walked…
Tasting the range at Craggy Range
For the last couple of days I’ve been hanging out at Craggy Range, in Hawke’s Bay, New Zealand. I was last at Craggy in 2007, on my first visit to…
On dentists and teeth
I had a problem. I woke up on Saturday with a nagging ache in my mouth, towards the back, at the left. It wasn’t the sharp pain you’d normally associate…
Four affordable Kiwi Pinot Noirs
As I write, I’m at the departure gate waiting to embark on a rather long journey to Kiwi land. So a chance to write up four affordable New Zealand Pinot…
Two affordable Grüner Veltliners
I’m a big fan of Grüner Veltliner, Austria’s specialist grape variety. Here are two easily available, affordable examples that deliver some of the personality of this grape. Domaine Wachau Weissenkirchen…