Roast Day cometh!!

July 18, 2015By Yvonne

Published NZME Regional Newspapers Sat 18 July 2015   Sunday August 2nd is fast becoming one of my favourite Sundays of the year because I have full permission to abandon all arty farty food anxieties and get amongst a gloriously old school roast. Selaks New Zealand Roast Day is a fantastic initiative instigated by the … Read More

Pinot Trail Tales…

July 14, 2015By Yvonne

Cloudy Bay’s winemaker Nick Lane is racing around the country hosting the Cloudy Bay Pinot and Duck Trail, a series of events designed to showcase how pinot noir and duck dishes are a match made in heaven. Today he’s at Auckland’s Sapphire Room where three of the best chefs in town are preparing duck-centric dishes … Read More

Sips and Pips

June 27, 2015By Yvonne

It’s been a whopper of a week in terms of wine tasting – so why waste time with faff and paff, let’s just get straight to what’s important.  This is what I reckon you should be seeking out to sip (and possibly what to avoid) this week:   Fairbourne Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2014 ($34) ★★★★½ … Read More

Paritua 21.12 vertical tasting

June 23, 2015By Yvonne

PARITUA 21.12 VERTICAL TASTING 24TH FEBRUARY 2015 Back in February I was lucky enough to secure a seat at the very first vertical assessment of Paritua’s flagship red, the 21.12 over its five vintage history.  Only 5 versions have been made, because not every year will offer the correct conditions for winemaker Jason Stent and … Read More

Twenty Five Years for Alpha Domus

June 16, 2015By Yvonne

Happy Birthday Alpha Domus “It’s a great time to celebrate 25 years of being in the wine trade,” says a clearly chuffed Paul Ham of Alpha Domus as he introduced a room full of hospitality professionals in Wellington recently. “It’s also the perfect time to introduce you all to the 2013 Aviator and 2013 Navigator. … Read More

Boutique Fests and Biodynamic Events

June 13, 2015By Yvonne

Published NZME Regional Newspapers Sat 13 Jun 2015 I’ve said before in this very paper, that I’m a sucker for a good wine festival; and coming up over the next few weeks are two real goodies.  The first is just days away on June 14th, so if you’re anywhere near Auckland I suggest you scuttle … Read More

Money Wine and Whiskey

June 6, 2015By Yvonne

Published NZME Regional Newspapers Sat 6 Jun 2015 I tend to daydream a lot about the things I’d do if I suddenly came into money.  Overwhelmingly those things involve hiring people who are expert in their chosen fields to do all the hard work for me.  I’d hire a cleaner, a gardener, a chef and … Read More

Crafting Genius

May 30, 2015By Yvonne

Published NZME Regional Newspapers Sat 30 May 2015 I’m typing this whilst sitting at the hairdressers, chin-deep in a billowing black cape. I have a head covered in little tinfoil parcels containing chunks of hair that are slowly sautéing toward a lighter shade of something-or-rather.  It’s hardly attractive. There’s something about hairdressers mirrors that make … Read More

The Philistines Wine Group

May 23, 2015By Yvonne

Published NZME Regional Newspapers Sat 23 May 2015 Once upon a time, back in 2006,  four self-confessed “school dad’s from Napier hill” got together to form a club. “It was while we were celebrating my son Max’s 4th birthday,” says founding member Allister Bathgate.  “The dads were relaxing on the lawn when the subject of … Read More

If you will be upstanding…

March 10, 2015By Yvonne

Here’s my dilemma. My job as a writer is making me fat! It’s making me fat because firstly, being self-employed, I obsess about every waking moment being used efficiently, to earn money to keep things ticking over if you will. I’m also a mother of two and wife of one, so if I take time … Read More