Wine Reviews

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Central sips to savour for the festive season

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Central sips to savour for the festive season

Christmas has come rushing towards me at breakneck speed: I had an idea in my mind that I had a few Wednesday columns to introduce you all to new wines, only to realise crikey, that’s not the case!

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Sav Blancs a neighbourhood favourite

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Sav Blancs a neighbourhood favourite

I found myself walking up the street one recent bottle collection morning and couldn’t resist a few furtive glances into the bottle bins to see what made up the empties.

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Monte Christo gets new lease of life

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Monte Christo gets new lease of life

Split Enz sang that "history never repeats", but I doubt Dunedin-born Dr Stanley Paris told himself that before he went to sleep.

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It’s all coming up rosés

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It’s all coming up rosés

I’m sometimes asked if I feel we’ve reached “peak rosé” - whether the wave of interest in this wine style has reached its crest and begun to taper off.

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Fruits of a long overdue visit to the bargain basement

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Fruits of a long overdue visit to the bargain basement

I’ve had a few columns recently that have pushed the boat out price-wise, so a visit to the "bread and butter" wine aisles at the supermarket seemed long overdue.

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Open up a great new wine experience at Cellar Door

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Open up a great new wine experience at Cellar Door

I spent a night in Christchurch recently and ticked a box that was well overdue.

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Top 50 acclaim great publicity

Winemaker Eliana Leal demonstrates how to blend wines during this year’s Central Otago Young...

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Top 50 acclaim great publicity

The 2023 New World Wine Awards Top 50 launched to much fanfare in early October: to recap, this competition is focused solely on wines selling for $25 or less.

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The best of Central pinot noir

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The best of Central pinot noir

Today's line-up would have to be called an extravaganza of Central Otago Pinot Noir, as these are wines that don’t cross my path every day.

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New vintage Sauvignons

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New vintage Sauvignons

It's always exciting to notch my first taste of the new vintage with two wines from 2023 making an appearance today in this Sauvignon Blanc lineup

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Top shelf sometimes worth the expense of visiting

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Top shelf sometimes worth the expense of visiting

The price of admission is high, but these are stylish, beautifully crafted wines if you're seeking that top-end experience.

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Faults fewer now but still around

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Faults fewer now but still around

The age-old dining ritual of the waiter offering you a taste isn’t asking whether you "like" the wine; rather, giving you the opportunity to check whether the wine is suffering from any faults.

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Future favourites ripe for discovery (if only you’d dare)

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Future favourites ripe for discovery (if only you’d dare)

Many years ago I remember a debate with a customer at a wine shop.

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Chardonnays raising the bar of excellence

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Chardonnays raising the bar of excellence

I continue to appreciate the quality of the Chardonnays being crafted around the country and I’ve been very fortunate this year to taste many wonderful examples.

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Taste buds set to tingle at must-do event offering new releases

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Taste buds set to tingle at must-do event offering new releases

The Alexandra Basin Wine Growers New Release Tasting in Clyde is a must-do for many wine enthusiasts over Labour Weekend and will be upon us before we know it.

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