There are many grape varieties that perform well on their home turf but struggle to reach the heights abroad. Chardonnay, by comparison, is the consummate traveller.
Over the years I've lost count of the people who have approached me, sometimes breathlessly or with a conspiratorial wink, to tell me that they have unearthed a treasured, dusty bottle hidden in Granddad's basement.
Pinot noir is never a huge wine, instead it relies on fragrance, finesse and texture to get its message across and this group of wines thoroughly achieved that objective.
Wine tastings can be a fascinating experience and expectations can often go out the window.
Students of Central Otago wines and wine lovers in general will be rubbing their hands with glee at the launch of the inaugural Down to Earth wine event starting at Labour weekend.
Chenin blanc's spiritual homeland is the Loire Valley in France, though the largest plantings now exist in South Africa (where it is also known as Steen) and in California's Central Valley, where its high natural acidity is seen as a foil to those warmer climates.
There was a time when I felt that the words dry and wit made an acceptable pairing but dry and Riesling did not.
When I think of the word fashion, it conjures images of designers, catwalks and svelte models.
Pinot noir is the most widely planted red grape in New Zealand, making up 70% of our red grape vines and just over 15% of our total vineyard area.
Many wine-lovers will remember the unofficial ABC (Anything But Chardonnay) movement, which had its heyday 10-15 years ago.
My wife's brother-in-law is in many ways not your typical Italian.
Joining me on the tasting panel today for this swathe of dessert wines were Dunedin wine enthusiasts Alastair McLaren and Ricky Collins.
There are some who think Organics is a character in the Asterix comic strip; others have visions of long-haired hippies wearing kaftans and Porridge sandals. The reality, however, is somewhat different.
Wine shows are an extraordinarily useful and important tool for both consumers and wineries.
Riesling counts many wine enthusiasts as fans, but has often failed to entice the ''average drinker''.
Joining me on the tasting panel today was Dunedin wine enthusiast Ricky Collins.
Joining me on the tasting panel again were Dunedin wine enthusiasts Alastair McLaren and Ricky Collins.
Second labels may seem to be a relatively new phenomenon in Central Otago, dating back 10 years or so, but there is a more than 100-year precedent in the Bordeaux region of France where in 1902 Chateau Leoville las Cases created its second wine, Clos du Marquis, with Chateau Margaux following suit in 1908.
In recent years the whisky industry has borrowed from the wine industry.
Joining me on the tasting panel today were Dunedin wine enthusiasts Alastair McLaren and Ricky Collins.
