Charmian Smith

Many of today's concerns also worried people in the past, something artists need to be aware of, Dr Susan Ballard, co-curator of ''Among the Machines'', tells Charmian Smith.

Some pinot noirs are crisply acidic on the finish - this adds a liveliness if there's enough fruit weight for balance, but if the fruit is verging on unripe, it can make the wine appear lean and even mean.

Numia Fereti, from Samoa, shows how to make sapasui, a Samoan variant of chop suey made with beef and noodles.

Last week Negociants wine distributors held its biennial Dunedin roadshow.

Kolkata is not the first place you think of when planning a holiday. Its reputation for poverty, overcrowding, floods and dirt deter many from visiting but, nevertheless, it's a fascinating place. Charmian Smith explores a city that was once compared favourably with London.

We southerners may not be familiar with Auckland's Karangahape Rd but we've probably heard of its reputation as a red-light district: its prostitutes, drag queens, drug lords, drunks, bars and nightclubs.

The aftermath of war is often overlooked, but it can be more devastating than the war itself, as The Women of Troy shows. Charmian Smith talks to Dr Harry Love about a new production of an ancient play.

Pinot gris is often off-dry or medium sweet, oily or velvety in texture with a fairly high alcohol content. While some can be attractive when fresh, few benefit from bottle age and these tend to be those that have had some barrel fermentation.

Former Dunedin man Jud Arthur is one of the soloists in the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra and City Choir Dunedin's performance of Verdi's Requiem next Thursday. Charmian Smith catches up with the former rugby player-turned opera singer.

It's usually recommended to drink sauvignon blanc young but I find it's most delicious abouta year after harvest when it's had time to settle and integrate. The 2012s are drinking well now,but won't be around long as the brash young 2013s will be released soon.

I'd forgotten how much I used to enjoy rice pudding until I tried some packets sent by Alexandra Fine Foods.

Dunedin's annual Midwinter Carnival celebrates the longest night of the year with giant lanterns, dancers, stiltwalkers, music and many other performers. Charmian Smith talks to artistic director Juliet Novena Sorrel.

Good wines made from cabernet, shiraz or merlot often have the most gorgeous deep velvety colour, sometimes almost black with bright cerise edges when young, changing to a brickish tint as they mature. Tilt the glass and hold it against a white background to really appreciate the colour of a good red wine.

In anticipation of the next 50 years, Villa Maria has redesigned its bottle labels.

Flavours of home is a series of recipes from around the world cooked by people at home in Otago. This week, Moreen Hall, from Fiji, shows us how to make vegetable curries.

Tribes, each with their own rituals and ways of doing things, can be found in families, communities and groups with particular interests, says Fortune Theatre artistic director Lara Macgregor. Charmian Smith talks to her about Tribes, the theatre's upcoming production.

Balance and harmony are the hallmarks of good pinot noir. Oak should support the fruit rather than dominate it; a lively edge should not have unripe fruit lingering beneath; and fruit should not be pressed so hard that the wine is harsh on the finish. It takes time for all the components to meld into a harmonious whole.

Those of us with edible gardens will be familiar with sometimes having too much of a good thing and at the same time being reluctant to see the bounty go to waste.

David Burchell has a particular enthusiasm for organs. Charmian Smith talks to him about the one in the Dunedin Town Hall and the one he has at home.