I’m super-proud to be the co-founder and CTO (Chief Tasting Officer) of WineFriend, the greatest personalised wine delivery service in all the land. We match wine to people. We help our subscribers navigate the crazy-vast number of wines out there in the marketplace by pairing them with wines that only suit their individual tastes. Wines that are delicious, unique and definitely  not seen in your average supermarket. Read more about WineFriend

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Aces and Arrows Hawke’s Bay Syrah 2021

March 17, 2024

Aces and Arrows Hawke’s Bay Syrah 2021 $27 Stu Marfel is the group winemaker for Pernod-Ricard New Zealand and he’s opted to give his regional winemaking team a bit of freedom to get creative with the fruit they know best. Craig from Hawke’s Bay has opted to use his favourite grapes sourced from the Bridge … Read More

Aces and Arrows Greg’s Central Otago Pinot Noir 2021

March 17, 2024

Aces and Arrows Greg’s Central Otago Pinot Noir 2021 $27 Lifted and plummy, with a solid cherry spine, this wine is designed by winemaker Jamie Marfell in conjunction with his team of regional winemakers to celebrate their individual talents and creativity, hence why this is named after ‘Greg’ in Central Otago. This pinot is wild … Read More

Bryterlater Still Life North Canterbury Sauvignon Blanc 2022

March 13, 2024

Bryterlater Still Life North Canterbury Sauvignon Blanc 2022 $39.99 With its scorched capsicum nose, compacted lawn clippings, bruised basil and lime layers on the nose and palate, it’s a complex, high-acid, fun, feral style. Barrel fermented then aged on lees for a further 10 months, the clear wine then has a portion of its lees … Read More

Michael Cooper’s Buyers Guide to New Zealand Wines Comes To An End

March 12, 2024

Well, this is truly the end of an era. Michael, thank you. For the last 30 years I’ve been poring over your annual Buyer’s Guides. They’ve formed an enormous part of my wine education and appreciation journey and I was crestfallen when they moved from print to online. Now I’m feeling that way again. I … Read More

Csânyi Teleki Villanyi Cabernet Sauvignon 2020

March 6, 2024

Csânyi Teleki Villanyi Cabernet Sauvignon $27 If you’d told me ten years ago that one day I’d be roaring from the rooftops that Hungarian cabernet sauvignon was going to be my superstar sip, I’d have told you to rack off noddy, Yet that was before this wine by Csányi Pincészet landed on my desk. With … Read More

Csânyi Teleki Villanyi Merlot 2019

March 6, 2024

Csânyi Teleki Villanyi Merlot 2019 $27 If you’re a merlot nut, or simply merlot-curious, you might be excited to know that you don’t have to stick with the same old styles from our local heat-traps,  finally, we have access to a really interesting style from Hungary! Super-earthy, dusted with cocoa powder, blueberry and brick dust, … Read More

Csânyi Teleki Villanyi Kekfrankos 2019

March 6, 2024

Csânyi Teleki Villanyi Kékfrankos 2019 $27 Lifted, earthy aromatics, brick dust and blueberries, cocoa powder and hints of beefy gamey complexity follow and then saturate the palate. From Hungary, the tannins are fleshy, and smooth, and there’s an almost creamy, savoury character running through it. Kékfrankos is an Austro-Hungarian variety grown widely across the Carpathian … Read More

Mondillo Central Otago Riesling 2022

February 22, 2024

Mondillo Central Otago Riesling 2022 $30 Classic Jazz apple, white peach, fresh-squeezed lime juice and Winter Cole pear combine with honeysuckle notes to create an eruption of citrus-based aromas and flavours. Grown on the slopes of Bendigo, it’s zesty, crunchy-textured and lengthy, it also has a cute and very elaborate depiction of a barcode on … Read More

Čuvar Iris Collection Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2023

February 20, 2024

Čuvar Iris Collection Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2023 $26 Deep in the Awatere Valley there’s a vineyard called Ballochdale, located at the lofty heights of 300m above sea level. It’s a special spot where sauvignon blanc grapes thrive and produce bright, lemony-fresh, penetrating wines with melon, bruised basil and green capsicum complexity. It’s a style championed … Read More

FOLEY WINES ACQUIRES TOAST MARTINBOROUGH FESTIVAL 2024

February 20, 2024

MEDIA RELEASE Tuesday February 20th 2024 FOLEY WINES ACQUIRES TOAST MARTINBOROUGH Toast Martinborough, New Zealand’s iconic wine and food festival, has been sold to Foley Wines. The move comes at a time when the festival, like many other businesses in the hospitality sector, faces challenges exacerbated by the impact of COVID-19 and unfavourable harvest conditions. … Read More

Čuvar Guardians Series Rivermere Vineyard Hawke’s Bay Chardonnay 2021

January 29, 2024

Čuvar Guardians Series Rivermere Vineyard Hawke’s Bay Chardonnay 2021 $44-$64 If great chardonnay is your jam then best you go out and buy a loaf and get buttering! This Hugh Crichton-honed new release is stacked with creamy, baked peachy goodness, a lick of grapefruit and perky popcorn-laced aromas and it bursts with citrus and softly … Read More

Zephyr Organic Marlborough Pinot Noir 2021

December 23, 2023

Zephyr Organic Marlborough Pinot Noir 2021 $32 1985 was the year of grand ideas and great discoveries. The Nintendo console was invented, Guns ‘N Roses and Crowded House were formed, they found the wreck of the Titanic and they also found a huge hole in the Ozone layer. It was also when third-generation Marlborough farmers, … Read More

Thirsty Work is a television show that unearths some of the personalities behind New Zealand’s successful and innovative Wine and Beverage Industry. Broadcast on Food TV (SKY ch.9), Thirsty Work soaks up New Zealand’s beverage landscape.  Not just vineyards, but barrel halls, tank rooms, cellar doors, wine stores, supermarkets, breweries and backyard vignerons.

Missed Series 4 of Thirsty Work? Fret not, just  click  here to zoom directly to view on demand.