Mark Henderson

My inbox is getting its fair share of press releases as results from a swag of recent wine shows go public and are published.

My first tasting after an overseas break, with Messrs Collins and McLaren champing at the bit to join me. A line-up of 2016 New Zealand syrah beckoned, covering the gamut of price points, and...

It cannot have escaped your notice that spring has, well, sprung.

In putting together today's column, I was struck by the similarity in my scores.

There is a wine term called "developing a cellar palate", which is particularly topical for winery staff, but pertinent for anyone who drinks the same wines over and over again.

Sitting down to a line-up of Central Otago pinot noirs always brings a smile to my face - there's a little bit of the catching up with an old friend sort of feeling about it for me.

I have been bouncing around with all manner of wine styles recently, and have possibly neglected the grape variety that has made us famous the world over - sauvignon blanc - so today I will rectify...

The finals of the 2018 Bayer Young Viticulturist of the Year competition were held in the Wairarapa at the end of August and the winner was announced at the Bragato dinner in Wellington on August 30.

My tasting associate Mr Collins and I have been sitting down to a binge of pinot noirs recently ("binge'' - now that's an interesting addition to the collective noun compendium).

A couple of weekends ago, I had a thoroughly enjoyable Saturday visiting Central Otago cellar doors.

Geographers, and those with an interest in the Arab world, will recognise Muscat as the capital of Oman.

The inaugural Family of Twelve Wine Tutorial recently concluded in Hawke's Bay.

Something old, something new, something from Bannockburn and Bendigo too.

Nearly a decade ago as the GFC bit, we saw amazing wine specials in our supermarkets, as wineries, eager to shed inventory and gain turnover (in what were difficult times), slashed prices.

 After several weeks of winter red-themed columns, it seemed like the right time to break out, and what better than one of my old favourites: riesling.

I'm using my slow cooker year-round nowadays, yet with the shortest day just passed, and winter's icy chill upon us, this form of cooking has even greater appeal.