Please sir, can I have some more?
Please sir, can I have some more?
Regular readers know that I usually taste in flights of similar wines and report accordingly.
Mark Henderson
Fuller-bodied red adds warmth to cooler spring nights
Fuller-bodied red adds warmth to cooler spring nights
While there may be an urge to gravitate to springtime whites, there will always be a place for fuller-bodied reds, particularly on those cooler nights.
We can drink zeroes (if just for one day)
We can drink zeroes (if just for one day)
If you’ve been perusing wine aisles recently, you may have noticed growth in low and zero-alcohol wines.
Time to celebrate International Pinot Noir Day
Time to celebrate International Pinot Noir Day
I've said it before and I’ll say it again, ‘I like my job’.
Style from an old Kiwi classic
Style from an old Kiwi classic
Inspired by the Greek god of wind (and their 1965 Mk III Zephyr), Zephyr Wines is very much a family business. The first vines were planted in 1988, and it is now moving to Bio-Gro certified organic.
Impressive variety of styles among recent sauvignon blancs
Impressive variety of styles among recent sauvignon blancs
Exciting for me in the latest collection to taste my very first wine from the 2021 vintage, from the Jules Taylor stable.
A grape by any other name
A grape by any other name
In life you might question someone who goes by an alias, but in the world of grape varieties this is all very commonplace.
Piquette, blends, ambers next trends
Piquette, blends, ambers next trends
Once just a light, lunchtime quaffer for French farm workers, piquette is undergoing a resurgence.
A collection of Australians
A collection of Australians
Disruptions in the supply chain are creating ongoing headaches for local importer/distributors, but there'll always be something to whet your whistle, such as these Australian wines.
Time for luscious beauties
Time for luscious beauties
Fortified wines in all their guises, which may seem just a bit too full on in the heat of summer, truly come into their own as the temperature falls.
Taking one’s tastebuds on a tour of Central Otago
Taking one’s tastebuds on a tour of Central Otago
One of my regular tasting colleagues was in Central Otago recently and, as one does, managed to fit in a few pleasurable cellar door visits.
Unsung hero living in pinot noir’s shadow
Unsung hero living in pinot noir’s shadow
Today's line-up allowed me to compare a quartet of Central Otago chardonnays with a Hawke’s Bay pairing.
Never too cold for a rose
Never too cold for a rose
Today's collection covers a couple of bases with a trio of rose taking the lead.
Wine industry ageing nicely
Wine industry ageing nicely
I recently spent time pondering the age of our Central Otago wine industry and its ever-growing maturity — in vine age, the number of vintages harvested and in the accrual of knowledge in fine...
Vintage highlights longevity
Vintage highlights longevity
A press release from Pegasus Bay arrived in my inbox recently, celebrating their 30th vintage.
Pi-not a dud among the bunch
Pi-not a dud among the bunch
Over the course of 48 hours prior to putting this column together, I managed to taste more than 20 pinot noirs ranging in price from $22 to $120 (with a number of those north of $75 a bottle).
Distillery shows spirited innovation
Distillery shows spirited innovation
Many wine enthusiasts enjoy a wide range of flavour experiences, and boutique spirits fit that bill.
Get ready for a celebration
Get ready for a celebration
For all its many devotees, every day can be a sauvignon blanc day given its accessibility, affordability and sheer all-around drinkability.
Shift from duty free to retail
Shift from duty free to retail
As our quarantine-free air corridors to Australia open, money will be spent on goods and services in both countries: a lifeline for a number of businesses.
Riesling rewards attention
Riesling rewards attention
Like a lot of people involved in the wine industry, I love riesling, and have also sometimes pondered whether it might be riesling’s moment to shine in the sun.