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
Columns
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
Three bottles to watch TV with
Published NZ Herald Sat 12 Mar 2016 I’ve always been big on pairing wine with TV. These glorious drops got me through a Netflix binge of the pantswettingly funny ‘Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt’. They’re great sips for sore ribs. Santagostino Nero D’Avola Syrah 2011 $30 The groovy, gothic-style circular design on the label comes … Read More
Italian Invasion
Published NZME Regional Newspapers Tue 8 Mar 2016 I’m hugely fortunate to be the wine writer for Dish, an absolutely fantastic food and wine magazine that launched back in 2004. A new issue hits the stands every two months and the April-May issue is traditionally when we focus on all things Italian. This will … Read More
A wine pick for Madonna
Published NZ Herald Sat 5 Mar 2016 Tonight, after a 32 year wait, I finally get to see Madonna perform live. Madonna. Fizzing doesn’t begin to describe the feeling. How does that relate to my wine picks this week? Well I suppose one of them also happens to be white and Italian… Cento … Read More
We’ve got Wine Sustainability…
Published NZME Regional Newspapers Tue 1 Mar 2016 You’d be hard pressed these days to pick up a bottle of New Zealand wine and not see a ‘Sustainable New Zealand Winegrowing’ emblem on the back label. It began when NZ Winegrowers launched the ambitious initiative back in 2007 after years of research into holistic … Read More
Three from the length of the country
Published NZ Herald Sat 27 Feb 2016 From the tropical far north, to the dry, dusty heat of Hawke’s Bay, to the coolness of Canterbury and beyond, the vines are thriving under our summer sun with bunches fit to burst come harvest time… Butterfish Bay Pinot Gris 2015 $20 ★★★½ Pinot gris is … Read More
Cheers to not poisoning you, my friend
Published NZME Regional Newspapers Tue 22 Feb 2016 If you’re sitting at home or at the café or the hairdressers or possibly on a plane or a bus or at your computer reading this newspaper, then you’re possibly feeling that it’s all very well being kept up to date with the current affairs of … Read More
Three to satisfy urges
Published NZ Herald Sat 20 Feb 2016 If you feel the urge to adopt an organic edge, embrace the ANZAC spirit or immerse yourself in something unusual from Italy, I think I’ve got just what you’re looking for this week… Richmond Plains Nelson Pinot Noir 2014 $27.99 Don’t be expecting to see a neatly … Read More