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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Whitehaven Block 11 Barrel Fermented Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2022

December 6, 2023

Whitehaven Block 11 Barrel Fermented Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2022 $32 How excellent that the team at Whitehaven have chosen to launch their new Single Vineyard series with the release of a shiny new barrel-fermented sauvignon blanc. Fruit from their Paul’s Road vineyard has been wild fermented and aged for 13 months in old French Oak … Read More

Maison Noire Reserve Hawke’s Bay Syrah 2022

November 25, 2023

Maison Noire Reserve Hawke’s Bay Syrah 2022 $35 Glossy-dark and inky in the glass, this new syrah from winemaker Guillaume Thomas has a distinct, pepper-soaked sarsparilla note on the nose, with black guava, tea leaf and tamarillo characters sashaying their way nostrilward also. To taste, it’s incredibly fresh and youthful, stitched together with peppercorn and … Read More

Maison Noire Hawke’s Bay Rosé 2023

November 25, 2023

Maison Noire Hawke’s Bay Rosé 2023 $24 Using 100% cabernet franc grapes grown in his home block high on the Waimarama Road behind Hawke’s Bays Te Mata Peak, Guillaume Thomas has fashioned a crunchy-crisp rosé that’s easy on the eye, but injects zing and ping into to the palate. Red apple and wild raspberry aromas … Read More

Maison Noire Hawke’s Bay Puketapu Chardonnay 2022

November 25, 2023

Maison Noire Hawke’s Bay Chardonnay Puketapu 2022 $35 Sourced from the Puketapu (sacred hill) subregion of Hawke’s Bay inland west of Napier, winemaker Guillaume Thomas has opted to create a creamy, barrel-fermented, 12-month barrel-aged style that will please anyone partial to a twang of buttered toast in their glass. Grilled stonefruit, a splash of creamed … Read More

Maison Noire Hawke’s Bay Chenin Blanc 2023

November 25, 2023

Maison Noire Hawke’s Bay Chenin Blanc 2023 $24 It’d make perfect sense for Chenin Blanc to be Guillaume Thomas’ favourite white wine seeing as its a signature grape of the Loire and Guillaume also happens to be a signature child of the same place. Contrary to much of the chenin grown in New Zealand (and … Read More

Brookfields Highland Hawke’s Bay Merlot 2021

November 25, 2023

Brookfields Highland Hawke’s Bay Merlot 2021 $46 Owner and winemaker Peter Robertson has been making wine in Hawke’s Bay since the mid-1970s and when you’re in Hawke’s Bay for that long, you get to know Merlot incredibly well. In fact, Hawke’s Bay’s wine powers that be were considering dubbing the region “Hawke’s Bay, Merlot Country” … Read More

Tony Bish Fat & Sassy Hawke’s Bay Chardonnay 2022

November 25, 2023

Tony Bish Fat & Sassy Hawke’s Bay Chardonnay 2022 $22 Pronounced nectarine and lemon notes on the nose lead to a palate awash with stonefruit and preserved lemon layers wrapped around a sawdusty, toasty core. If ‘fatness’ to you means ‘creaminess’ then that’s not what you’ll receive, but if you’re a fan of toasty, spicy … Read More

Te Kairanga WPF Martinborough Pinot Noir 2020

November 19, 2023

Te Kairanga WPF Martinborough Pinot Noir 2020 $175 Created by long-time winemaker John Kavanagh and his team as a tribute to William Patrick Foley (or Bill Foley to his mates) the owner of Te Kairanga and head of the Foley Family Wines group. Using only their best Abel clone fruit, this pinot has huge aromatic … Read More

Mt Difficulty Ghost Town Lowburn Valley Chardonnay 2019

November 9, 2023

Mt Difficulty Ghost Town Lowburn Valley Chardonnay 2019 $33-$43 Gorgeously golden in the glass and glowing with cashew and grilled peach aromas, this chardonnay has a beautifully edgy energy to it. Named after the deserted relics of the goldmining era dotted around Central Otago’s river valleys, this wine washes gold across the nose and palate. … Read More

Riverby Estate Marlborough Chardonnay 2021

November 9, 2023

Riverby Estate Marlborough Chardonnay 2021 $28 Deeply golden in the glass and groaning with toasty, roasty, peachy goodness in the glass. Classic baked apple, grilled citrus and stonefruit notes wash across the nose and palate, hints of pineapple wrap around a core of caramelised oak to create a super-fresh impression. Bright, energetic and a joy … Read More

Brookfields Sun-Dried Hawke’s Bay Malbec 2022

November 9, 2023

Brookfields Sun-Dried Hawke’s Bay Malbec 2022 $26 Winemaker Peter Roberston and his team hand-harvest their malbec and then lay the grapes out on racks to partially dry in the sun, much like the Italian appassimento technique to concentrate the flavours and accentuate the rich, fruity aromatics. The nose reveals rich, blueberry, boysenberry, cocoa and liquorice … Read More

Maison Noire Hawke’s Bay Cabernet Franc 2022

November 9, 2023

Maison Noire Hawke’s Bay Cabernet Franc 2022 $35 Cabernet franc is a rare thing to see on its own here in New Zealand, so it’s exciting whenever I see one, particularly one from one of the tiniest vineyards in Hawke’s Bay. Very new and youthfully fresh, it boasts a huge lift of bay leaf, blackcurrant, … 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.