Mark Henderson

It was a case of Cheshire cat-like grins from Messrs Collins and McLaren when I informed them that we'd be tasting the Gimblett Gravels Dozen, as this is one that we do very much look forward to.

Mark Henderson samples some rose.

The New World Wine Awards results were published recently and this week's tasting takes a look at chardonnays awarded golds and silvers.

On a recent Sunday afternoon, a gaggle of wine enthusiasts gathered in sunny St Clair, ready and eager for the 2017 rendition of the Blind Chicken wine options competition.

Labour Weekend marks the first public holiday since June, and many of our readers will be taking the chance to visit Central Otago. For wine enthusiasts, a new attraction offers the opportunity to...

Many of you will recognise the advertising slogan ''big is good''.

The erratic spring weather means that this week's stroll along the supermarket shelves covers a mixed assortment of reds.

Rather than the three Rs of reading, 'riting and 'rithmetic, today's Waitaki Valley focus settles on the two, much more pleasurable, Rs of riesling and rose.

Today's tasting saw my regular panellists Mr Collins and Mr McLaren joining me to delve into the world of Waitaki Valley pinot noir.

I recently had an email exchange with a Waitaki Valley vigneron whom I have known for more than a decade.

In the lead-up to my regular Monday morning tastings, I am always striving to put together sets of wines that work as a coherent group.

It wasn't that many years ago that you would struggle to find a bottle of New Zealand Syrah under $30.

The legendary English-born, Welsh-bred Australian Len Evans had a career in wine and food that spanned writer, retailer, restaurateur, vigneron and many other things besides.

While in France recently, I farewelled a group of wine-loving friends who were off to Bordeaux to further indulge their passion.

After returning from a hectic visit to several French wine regions, my first foray back to the tasting bench, with Mr Collins ably assisting me, had me expecting some rapier-like cut and thrust, as...

Central Otago is well represented in the recently released 2017 Air NZ Fine Wines of New Zealand list.

Collective nouns are a funny thing. Whoever thought up a parliament of owls or a knot of toads, for example?

The annual grape harvest has recently come to a close in Central Otago. I think that most viticulturists and growers would admit this year has been a challenging and complicated one with a sunny...

Roughly an hour's drive south east of the Italian city of Torino lies the wine region of Barolo. Eleven villages (including Barolo itself) make up the region; producing predominantly red wines...

Historically, it was not uncommon for farmers to plant a hodgepodge of varieties in a vineyard.