Mark Henderson

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.

A vaulted cellar, serried ranks of dusty bottles gaining in profundity, exclusivity and value with the passage of time, as the mysterious alchemy that is ageing transforms humble bottles into things of wonderment.

You are sitting in a moodily-lit restaurant perusing the wine list, wanting to impress your dinner date: wine waiter standing over you.

Highly respected publication Drinks International, which focuses exclusively on the global wine, beer and spirits market, has released its annual ''Most Admired Wine Brands'' poll.

The Black Caps' recent prowess in the Cricket World Cup has brought a strong vein of pride and patriotism to the fore.