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. Founded in 2015, 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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Zephyr Marlborough Blanc de Blancs Methode Traditionnelle 2019

8 April 2026

Zephyr Marlborough Blanc de Blancs Methode Traditionnelle 2019 $75 Created from just 600 Chardonnay vines grown in their Alice Mills vineyard in Rapaura, this deliciously dry, mineral-laced sparkling wine captures the delicate citrus florals and soft, nutty lacings that great blanc de blanc demands. Almost 6 years on lees has injected depth, freshness and precision … Read More

Trinity Hill Hawke’s Bay Merlot 2024 

23 February 2026

Trinity Hill Hawke’s Bay Merlot 2024 $24.99 2024 is proving to be an absolute banger of a vintage for Hawke’s Bay reds, and I think this example is one of the best-value merlots on the market right now. Grown in their Gimblett Stones vineyard, this wine is a smoky sensation that’s rich, dense and yet … Read More

Known Unknown Vin Jeanne Bridge Pa Sauvignon Blanc 2019 375ml

23 February 2026

Known Unknown Vin Jeanne Bridge Pa Sauvignon Blanc 2019 375ml $35 It pretty much is what it says on the tin. Or should I say ‘label’ but in unique fashion. Inspired by the wines of Jura, winemaker Jules van Costello has crafted a single barrel of organic Bridge Pa Sauvignon Blanc that’s been barrel-fermented and … Read More

Known Unknown Bloody Vermouth (500ml)

21 February 2026

Known Unknown Bloody Vermouth (500ml) $45 This Negroni-friendly sweet vermouth is crafted using a Blood Orange oleo saccharum syrup made with equal parts sugar and Blood Orange Peel (“to bring out the peel aromatics”), alongside dried orange zest, cardamom, saffron, dried kawakawa berries, and bittering aromatics like wormwood, rhubarb root, and cinchona bark. It’s then added … Read More

Valli Waitaki Valley North Otago Pinot Gris 2025

21 February 2026

Valli Waitaki Valley North Otago Pinot Gris 2025 $30 Ultra-crisp and bursting with freshly sliced apple, white peach, white pepper and nashi niceness. Cleansing, floral and buoyantly bright and boasting a marathon-like finish. Another magical Grant Taylor-made wine. More please! Valli

Known Unknown Maraekakaho Cabernet Franc 2022

20 February 2026

Known Unknown Maraekakaho Cabernet Franc 2022 $35 If you like your Cabernet Franc sailing down the leafy, herbal, fabulously feral side of the sea, then this is your jam. From an unusually cool year, unfiltered, unfined and layered with earthy, funky tones, this wine is developing a sweet-sour complexity which cloaks a core of acidity … Read More

Te Mata Estate Hawke’s Bay Coleraine 2024

18 February 2026

Te Mata Estate Hawke’s Bay Coleraine 2024 $175 If there’s one way of describing the 40th vintage of Coleraine, a blend of 58% Cabernet Sauvignon, 31% Merlot and 11% Cabernet Franc, it’d be that it’s scented with gunflint and smoked blueberry, delicate graphite dust, black olive and freshly bitten liquorice. On the palate, it offers … Read More

Latour-Martillac Lacroix-Martillac AOC Pessac-Léognan 2018

29 January 2026

Latour-Matillac Lacroix-Martillac AOC Pessac-Léognan 2018 $56 Who says you need to pay hundreds of dollars for good Bordeaux? Not me! Definitely not after tasting this cocoa-dusted, tobacco-crammed blend of 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, 60% Merlot. Grown in a vineyard located on the plateau above the village of Martillac, it’s stacked with dark fruit, layers of liquorice, … Read More

Mills Reef Reserve Hawke’s Bay Sauvignon Blanc 2023

27 January 2026

Mills Reef Reserve Hawke’s Bay Sauvignon Blanc 2023 $20 Deliciously rich and softly smoky, this is an ultra-ripe style, typical of Hawke’s Bay’s warmer, Northern climate. Bursting with peach, lemon zest, bruised basil and lime notes laced with a hint of marzipan typical of a splash of barrel fermentation. Delicious. Mills Reef

Misty Cove Tamāhine Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2024

20 January 2026

Misty Cove Tamāhine Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2024 $35 Named after the first ferry connecting New Zealand’s North and South Island, this is a stylishly crafted fumé blanc, where beautifully balanced French oak fermentation cloaks fresh apple, watercress, peach and passionfruit plushness. Soft white pepper, marzipan, pollen and bruised basil add extra layers of complexity to … Read More

Misty Cove Landmark Gisborne Albarino 2025

20 January 2026

Misty Cove Landmark Gisborne Albarino 2025 $25 If you’re a fan of green apple intensity, lime zest, elderflower and hints of honeysuckle, then you’ve skated into the right cul-de-sac with this shiny new Albarino. Grown in New Zealand’s birthplace of Albarino, Gisborne turns out some of the best examples in the country – and that’s … Read More

Misty Cove Rock Daisy Marlborough Pinot Noir 2025

16 January 2026

Misty Cove Rock Daisy Marlborough Pinot Noir 2025 $25 Designed with Summer in mind, this is a bright, light, juicy Pinot Noir that’s perky and punchy when popped in the fridge and serve chilled. Named after the native flower clinging to the cliffs of the Marlborough Sounds, it’s crafted in a vibrant Nouveau style and … 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. Originally broadcast on Food TV (SKY ch.9) then on TV3 with subsequent eps on Amazon Prime, 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.