Simon Cunliffe's blog

It's been a long lay-off; too long. but needless to say it hasn't been wasted, much research having been, reluctantly I might add, undertaken in the interim.

Like red wine but find it plays havoc with your constitution? The headache, the dry horrors the morning after, the feeling you've been clobbered during the night by a virtual steamroller? In this part of the world we are used to our reds being "big".

It is a terrible cross to bear, but if you are a pinot noir lover then by and large you are going to pay for it through the nose.

Now is a great time to stock up on sauvignon blanc.

It's been a fair old sort of a lay-off; winter blues, perhaps, and then the delights of Tuscany - more of that anon, perhaps.

Recently I was up north in the big smoke - Auckland.

Don't say I didn't warn you.

Every lazy cook should have one, and I've been making the most of mine of late.

OK, here's one for all the movie trivia buffs and wine fanciers out there.

Being the reluctant drinker that I am, it takes a bit of arm twisting to get me out to any of the city's watering holes - and even then they have to have something a little different about them.