Food & Wine

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.

Some of the readership may be aware that I usually do my wine tastings on a Monday morning as it is good to taste the wines when you, and your palate are fresh, and with sufficient time in hand to...

The highly respected Drinks International magazine compiles an annual list of the 50 most admired wine brands in the world, surveying more than 200 key wine industry professionals, including...

It is no secret that I am rather fond of riesling, so as I sat down to this collection with Messrs Collins and McLaren I was certainly looking forward to what lay ahead.

I must admit that Mr Collins and I went into this tasting with some "emotional baggage'', though we always remain open-minded.

This was a fascinating tasting for Mr Collins, Mr McLaren and me as it was a compelling example of the benefits of giving wines some time to "breathe''.

Amongst the plethora of new grapes beginning to spread over our vinous landscape is the white grape Gruner Veltliner.

Aussies Shiraz. I cut my vinous milk teeth on wines like this.