Wine Reviews

Dingying Jiang from Kahiwi, the 2025 Tonnellerie de Mercurey Central Otago Young Winemaker of the...

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‘Sense of timing’ key for appreciation of aged wine

Hot on the heels of the Young Viticulturist competition comes the Otago leg of the Tonnellerie de Mercurey Young Winemaker competition which was held at Vinpro in Cromwell at the end of July.

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Lighter, low-alcohol wines still pleasing to the palate

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Lighter, low-alcohol wines still pleasing to the palate

It is clear from the sales of the Nolo (No or Low Alcohol) wines that more people are looking to moderate their intake of alcohol.

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Central Otago Young Viticulturist winner announced

Carrick vineyard manager Damon Lovell. PHOTO: SUPPLIED

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Central Otago Young Viticulturist winner announced

Every year I bring attention to both the Young Viticulturist and Young Winemaker competitions as these young men and women are the future of our wine industry.

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Never any hardship to taste collection of Pinot Noir

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Never any hardship to taste collection of Pinot Noir

If you thought that I have written about Central Pinot only recently, you would be absolutely correct.

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Let a little sun spill over with every sip of these beauties

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Let a little sun spill over with every sip of these beauties

It won’t have escaped your notice that we are in the depths of winter, though on the positive side we are now quite a bit past the shortest day.

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Wine a pleasure to embrace rather than dumb down

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Wine a pleasure to embrace rather than dumb down

I’ve recently read a speech given by winery owner Nigel Greening at Pinot Noir NZ 2025, earlier this year in Christchurch.

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Breaking out of the box can bring its own rewards

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Breaking out of the box can bring its own rewards

While tasting this Pinot Gris lineup with my colleague Mr Collins, we had considerable discussion about one of the wines: he initially struggled with the style, whereas I was a fan.

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Time allows winemakers to further hone their craft

Rockburn winemaker Malcolm Rees-Francis. Photo: supplied

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Time allows winemakers to further hone their craft

In my view, one of the strengths of the Central Otago wine scene has been the longevity of involvement of so many of its winemakers.

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NZ chardonnay going from strength to strength

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NZ chardonnay going from strength to strength

I can’t but help feeling (after tasting these wines amidst a bigger grouping) that Chardonnay in New Zealand is going from strength to strength.

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Marvellous opportunity to be seduced

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Marvellous opportunity to be seduced

Today, a marvellous opportunity awaited in the guise of four sub-regional expressions of pinot noir by Valli and two newcomers from Domaine Thomson.

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Chardonnay - Otago’s rising star

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Chardonnay - Otago’s rising star

It's hard to believe 1994 was more than 30 years ago. That year I drove to Bannockburn to help my friends Steve and Barbara plant their Cairnmuir Road Vineyard that later became Carrick.

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More than the single gewurztraminer in the supermarket

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More than the single gewurztraminer in the supermarket

Back in late January, the family and I did a bit of a road trip around the South for our summer break, taking in not only some stretches of road that I’d never driven before, but also others that I...

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Good to add variety to your wine flavour palette

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Good to add variety to your wine flavour palette

I’m taking artistic licence with a biblical quote here when I say that ‘‘man cannot live on pinot noir alone’’!

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Felton Road keeps ‘winery of year’ title

Felton Road winery, Bannockburn. Photo: supplied

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Felton Road keeps ‘winery of year’ title

I’m delighted to report that the winner of the 2025 Real Review New Zealand Winery of the Year is Felton Road Wines from Bannockburn in Central Otago.

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