This is turning into a very good trip. Day three began with two visits. The first was at Grasshopper Rock, with Phil Handford. Phil lives in Hamilton, and has a background…
In New Zealand, day 2, Central Otago
An early start, time for a 7 am run around the lake in Queenstown, through the botanic gardens. You can just keep on going for as far as you want, and…
In New Zealand, day 1, Queenstown, Gibbston Valley and Chard Farm
I arrived in Queenstown late Tuesday morning, and I wasn’t feeling too bad. The flight down from Auckland was a beautiful one: you need to get a window seat on…
My New Zealand Pinot Noir e-book is now released
I love New Zealand Pinot Noir. When I was beginning my journey into wine, back in the early 1990s, it was a Kiwi Pinot that first switched me on to…
Some highlights from the New Zealand Annual Trade Tasting
I’m off to New Zealand on Sunday. But first, to whet my appetite, today’s New Zealand Annual trade tasting, held at the Lindley Hall near Victoria, with its fabulous natural…
Video: visiting Felton Road
Just a quick film from last year’s visit to Central Otago winery Felton Road. I have just written up the visit – quite extensively – here.
New Kiwi wines from Rod Easthope
I first met Rod Easthope when he was winemaker at Craggy Range, based in Hawkes Bay, New Zealand, back in 2008. I met him again in 2010 at the Hawkes…
Craggy Range Te Muna Road Pinot Noir 2011
This was the standout vintage of a recent 10-year vertical tasting of Pinot Noirs from Craggy Range’s Te Muna Road vineyard in Martinborough. It’s not a rich, dense, flashy Pinot,…
Lunch with Pol, Cloudy, Lapierre, Jamet, Clair and Bachelet
Popped round for lunch at brother-in-law Beavington’s pad yesterday, which usually means that between us we’ll have something decent to drink. (In the process, I also very nobly assist him…