Look for great buying on special
Look for great buying on special
Recommended retail prices (RRPs) are a funny thing and can sometimes seem to have little to recommend them (forgive the play on words), writes wine reviewer Mark Henderson.
Mark Henderson
Pinot noir elsewhere differs vastly from Otago
Pinot noir elsewhere differs vastly from Otago
Mark Henderson samples some pinot noirs from South Island regions excluding Otago.
Resurgence of interest in chardonnay
Resurgence of interest in chardonnay
It wasn't that long ago the last vestiges of the ABC movement (Anything But Chardonnay) were still in full swing.
Easter wines
Easter wines
With Easter looming, stashes of chocolate accumulate in many households, which has Mike Henderson thinking about chocolate and wine matching.
Convivial celebration
Convivial celebration
This week, Mark Henderson enjoys some fine Central Otago pinot noir.
Rare opportunity to indulge
Rare opportunity to indulge
At the opening address of the 2018 Central Otago Pinot Celebration, chairman Paul Pujol made the comment that if you saw a wine that you wanted to try, you really should do so, as you are unlikely...
Central Otago pinot noirs ‘strut their stuff’
Central Otago pinot noirs ‘strut their stuff’
At the end of January, I had tremendous pleasure in attending the 2018 Central Otago Pinot Celebration, in Queenstown.
A bowl of fresh summer fruits
A bowl of fresh summer fruits
It will come as no surprise to readers of this column that I have a soft spot for many of the lesser-known varieties, be they white or red.
Not all in wine is black and white
Not all in wine is black and white
Today's tasting features two white wines made with red grapes, and a white wine made from a white grape descended from a red grape. Confused? You needn't be.
No hint of wines' identities until the big 'reveal' after tasting
No hint of wines' identities until the big 'reveal' after tasting
When I taste the wines for this column I do so blind.
The difference a day makes
The difference a day makes
In her 1959 recording Dinah Washington sang ''What a difference a day makes, 24 little hours'' ... so just imagine what two or three years would do?
Summer sunshine in a glass
Summer sunshine in a glass
To quote jazz great Ella Fitzgerald: "summertime, and the livin' is easy''.
Fabulous festive fizz
Fabulous festive fizz
You can pretty much guarantee that the festive season will see fizz making an appearance somewhere along the line, or indeed, at several places along the line!
Aussie reds and summer rose
Aussie reds and summer rose
Aussie reds and summer rose - it must be time to dust off the barbecue.
Christmas wines
Christmas wines
Mark Henderson makes some recommendations for the fe
stive season.
Just the thing for the season
Just the thing for the season
Recent tasting sessions have taken me hither and yon across a range of wine styles, so the mention of a flight of (what would turn out to be superlative) pinot noirs brought a warm smile to the...
Let's be Franc
Let's be Franc
If there were an Academy Award ceremony for grape varieties, the usual suspects of chardonnay, cabernet sauvignon, sauvignon blanc and the like would be vying for the gong for Best Grape in a...
Stellar group from Gimblett Gravels
Stellar group from Gimblett Gravels
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.
A rose by any other name
A rose by any other name
Mark Henderson samples some rose.
Award-winning chardonnays
Award-winning chardonnays
The New World Wine Awards results were published recently and this week's tasting takes a look at chardonnays awarded golds and silvers.