Published NZME Regional Papers Tue 12 April 2016 I’ve been spending a lot of time on vineyards around the country over the last few weeks. Harvest is in full swing and it’s an intense time for anyone involved in the wine industry. Winemakers and grape growers are glued to weather forecasting apps on their … Read More
Current Columns
Escape life’s demands
Published NZ Herald Sat April 9th 2016 You’ve spent the week working hard to be all things to all people. Maintaining through the demands of family, friends, your workplace and those pesky SocMed platforms that’ll forget you in a click if you don’t ‘like’, ‘share’, ‘regram’, ‘retweet’ or ‘snap’ something every seven minutes. Good … Read More
Wine & Wilderpeople
Published NZME Regional Newspapers Tue 5 Apr 2016 I’ve just returned home from the local premier of Taika Waititi’s ‘Hunt for the Wilderpeople’. It’s based on the Barry Crump story Wild Pork and Watercress and stars 13yr old Julian Dennison (he’s skux, look it up), Sam Neill (he’s crusty), Rima Te Wiata (my new … Read More
Appreciating creative powers
Published NZ Herald Sat 2 Apr 2016 How long is it until the next census? In the box that asks to what religion I subscribe, I shall write “The Holy Brethren of Broad City and Caitlin Moran”. These women appreciate the creative powers that tasty wines can impart on ones choreography skills; values that … Read More
Wine talk: Sweet wines
Published NZME Regional Newspapers Tue 29 Mar 2016 Life without the occasional sticky treat would be so boring. Wines that are indulgently delicious, swoon-inducingly sweet, yet make all the cavities in your teeth scream bloody murder with every sip. Bring it on! Pegasus Bay Aria Late Picked Riesling 2014 750ml $30 ★★★★★ Wow. … Read More
Fifty Shades of Gris…
Published NZME Regional Newspapers Tue 29 Mar 2016 Back in the early 2000’s when I said goodbye to my loved ones, packed up my corkscrew and set out to seek my fortune in this wine writing caper, things were already on the turn. There was change in the air, confusion and wonder. The rules … Read More
Three wines to turn to…
Published NZ Herald Sat 26 Mar 2016 Hands up if you’re trying to sell your house right now. We’re having open homes so I understand. I’ve been trying to keep our house unnaturally spotless and uncluttered and my ‘soft furnishings’ meticulously coordinated for an entire fortnight and I am on the precipice of monsterdom. … Read More
Wine Talk: Wine with some heat
Published NZME Regional Papers Tue 22 Mar 2016 It’s been a really interesting week where I’ve actually spent more time meeting wine ‘people’ than tasting new wines, and I’ve loved it. In our everyday lives where convenience reigns and most of our wine decisions are made on price in the supermarket – it’s easy … Read More
Three reasons we should toast today
Published NZ Herald Sat 19 Mar 2016 Reasons to be cheerful. On this day in 1932 the Sydney Harbour Bridge was opened, on the same day in 1957 Elvis Presley bought Graceland and today in 1984, the TV show ‘Kate & Allie’ premiered. Let’s raise a toast to random trivia… Amisfield Central Otago … Read More
Wine Talk: Spicy Reds
Published NZME Regional Newspapers Tue 15 Mar 2016 One of the most common questions I’m asked next to “Mum where are my socks?” and “Do you know where the toilets are? (I must have one of those ‘she-knows-where-the-toilets-are faces)?” Is “Yvonne why must I pay so much money to buy a bottle of wine … Read More