Tatty Bogler Central Otago Pinot Noir 2013 $35 ★★★★ It might be named after a scruffy, Scottish scarecrow, but this pinot is pure class. Fresh, clean and showing nice lines of red fruits, cocoa and spice on the nose, the palate is followed by a juicy, long finish. Very nice indeed, and destined for more … Read More
Author: Yvonne
Millton Les Arbres Clos de Ste Anne Gisborne Viognier 2013
Millton Les Arbres Clos de Ste Anne Gisborne Viognier 2013 $60 ★★★★★ Make no mistake; this is a wine you must try before you die. If you’re looking for the epitome of what can be achieved with viognier in this country then this is it. Deeply golden in the glass, this viognier socks you with … Read More
Mead and Millton
I’d like to start this column with a pun. It’s one of a collection of puns that won comedian David Kearse (a ‘Kearse on humanity’ as he calls himself) the Rubber Chicken award for Britain’s Top Pun Artist at Dave’s Leicester Comedy Festival held last week. It goes “Marvin Gaye kept a sheep in my … Read More
Killarabbit Double IPA
Killarabbit Double IPA 330ml (7.2%) $7 Brewed on site by Bannockburn-based winery, Terra Sancta and fermented in aged pinot noir barrels, this brilliant brew is dry-hopped with Pacific Gem and Nelson Sauvin hops for extra-squeaky bitterness. It’s then left unfiltered and bottle-conditioned before being unleashed on the market. Packed with tropical tanginess, herbaceous, resin-like loveliness … Read More
Decades of Dogs…
Last week I wrote about everything being better in two’s and how fun it is to taste two different vintages of the same wine side by side to pick out the differences. Well if the team at Dog Point in Marlborough didn’t just decide to dial that idea up by 500% and open up ten … Read More
“…and then one time, at Wine Camp…”
If you’re an aspiring hospitality professional with a hankering to upskill your wine knowledge, by far the best way to do that is by getting down and dirty in the vineyard and winery. There’s no better, faster, more authentic way to learn how this magical beverage is made, than by immersing yourself in the process, … Read More
Grange Rovers Unite
“Shall we double-decant the Grange’s?” isn’t something I hear everyday. My days are normally about as exciting as “Do you want fries with that?” or “What’ll it be; trim or full fat?” But for a wine nerd like me, the question “Shall we double-decant the Grange’s?” is akin to hearing fairytale-like phrases such as “Mr … Read More
Ginger Ninjas
Everywhere you turn right now there’s someone doing something nifty with ginger. Wigram Brewing in Christchurch have added to their seasonal range the ‘Ginger Jerry’ a wheat beer (or Wit Bier) infused with ginger, honey and lemon – it’ll clear the nose and soothe the throat. Hawke’s Bay Independent Breweries are fizzing over their Ginger … Read More
Don’t ignore 2012’s from Hawke’s Bay
An email arrived halfway through January from Michael Henley, CEO of Trinity Hill Wines. “Trinity Hill are releasing our 2012 Gimblett Gravels wines and I was wondering if you would be interested in receiving some samples?” “Save your samples”, I wrote back, “I’m actually in Hawke’s Bay right now and I’m happy to pop over … Read More
Wearable Arts, William Shatner and a Rhone from Home…
Your own WOW Factor Last week I wrote about the commemorative Wearable Arts Awards bottles of new Brancott Estate wines that were now available. This week I’ve stumbled across a never-done-before Wearable Arts crowd-sourced experiment spearheaded by designer extraordinaire David Trubridge. Supported by WOW sponsors Brancott Estate, Trubridge is working on a ‘mystery wearable artwork’ … Read More