Published NZME Regional Newspapers Sat 14 Nov 2015 I don’t know about you, but I’ve just had one of those weeks where anxiety rendered my shoulders permanently riveted up around my earlobes, my lips were locked in a pinched, “be careful Yvonne, don’t-speak-or-something-ridiculous-will-fall-out” expression and my breath seemed to live in this dry, ever-tightening … Read More
2015 Archived Columns
Lessons from a wine column
Published NZ Herald Sat 14 Nov 2015 Hobby horses, Austrian natives and the dangers of ride-on lawnmowers – don’t say you’ll never learn anything from a wine column… Wirra Wirra Scrubby Rise Shiraz Cabernet Petit Verdot 2013 $18 When the Rugby World Cup final was broadcast, there’s a high chance the crew … Read More
Three drops to begin November
Published NZ Herald Sat 7 Nov 2015 “Whaat? Is it November already?” I shrieked at my 15 year old. “Yip. For realz” she mumbled from the couch. “Really?” I said. “Legit as” was her reply. “Forget November I sighed, I need a good wine with which to grieve the English language…” Brancott … Read More
Sileni Success
Published NZME Regional Newspapers Sat 31 Oct 2015 Every now and again I’m asked to take visitors to Hawke’s Bay on wine tours and I enjoy these for reasons aplenty. The first is that I’ll leap at any opportunity to show off the spectacular place where I was born, raised and live to anyone. … Read More
Supermarket wine made easy
Published NZME Regional Newspapers Sat 31 Oct 2015 When you turn your trolley around the end of the chippie and cracker aisle in the supermarket and launch yourself into the wine department, it’s almost an automatic response, to slow down, re-group and try to focus on finding something that’s going to taste good. The sheer … Read More
Cider Satisfaction
Published NZME Regional Newspapers 24 Oct 2015 My name is Yvonne Lorkin and I am a cider nut. While wine is my core business (see what I did there), at least a couple of times a week I’ll treat myself to a glass something amazing made from our old friend the apple. One of … Read More
New Meaning to Old Vines
Published NZME Regional Newspapers Sat 17 Oct So you’re looking over at the fence at the back of your section at that gnarly old grapevine that’s been there since WAY before you bought the house and it occurs to you (again) “I wonder whether we could make wine from the grapes that grow on that?” … Read More
Sparkling Spring
Published NZME Regional Newspapers Sat 10 Oct 2015 There’s something about the onset of Spring which sparks the desire for something well, sparkling. Mimi Sparkling Pink $13.99 ★★★½ Aromas of delicate strawberry shortcake and cranberry cashew trail mix lead the way to soft cherry, breadcrust and biscuit flavours. It’s fresh, smooth, lengthy and the … Read More
Cloudy Bay 30 Years 2015
Published NZME Regional Newspapers Sat 10 Oct 2015 In 1985 about this time, I was sitting in a movie theatre watching Michael J Fox as Marty McFly travel via his silver DeLorean thirty years into the future, to 2015. 1985 was when our family moved from Takapau to the big smoke of Hastings and … Read More
Wine Roulette
Published NZME Regional Newspapers Sat Oct 3 2015 A text message arrives from my friend Jen. She’s given up on trying to pin me down for coffee, or for a proper, well-behaved, big girls glass of wine at a reputable establishment to ‘catch up’. To say I’ve had a busy two months is a bit … Read More