Zhongguo is the Chinese name for China, and translates literally as ‘Middle Kingdom’. It is a country that sits in the middle of the northern hemisphere, and with 1.4 billion people is a powerful, re-emerging economy. The saying usually goes: ‘If 1 percent of China’s population enjoyed wine, then the problems of the international wine […]
The centuries-old expression ‘the angels’ share’ refers to the small amount of wine that evaporates through porous oak barrels during the ageing process. My own experience of angels is that they live among us to look after us. Not an easy job, so I think it appropriate that they are, in turn, helped out from […]
Summer chillaxing presents a whole new opportunity for vinous appreciation. Whether you are out and about in the Big Smoke or stretched out on the back lawn, herewith are my top five all-time favourite summer aperitif wines. Not only are they easily accessible, but they present what I think are far better alternatives to ‘make […]
There has been a buzz in Martinborough over the last few years. An injection of energy, coupled with a desire to be part of the Martinborough scene, is present in the vitality of the people and in the increasing popularity of annual events such as the Olive Harvest Festival, the September Jazz Festival, summer farmers’ […]
Why does wine go so well with food? Wine is essentially an acid, which cleanses the palate. More importantly, wine provides an array of aromas, flavours and textures that, when combined with food, creates the epiphanic experience in which the sum of the two parts topples the individual components. It takes a bit of practice, […]
Whenever I hear the statement that New Zealand produces less than 3 percent of the wine sold on the global market, I try to visualise what that is. This year I attended ProWein in Düsseldorf, Germany, and could see that 3 percent works out to be approximately 200 square metres — or about 800 bottles […]
The Egg: a sensual piece of winemaking equipment but, at the same time, Humpty Dumpty-like and not far removed from an Orkan spaceship. In Martinborough, the people of Cambridge Road Wines have an egg. It’s the first of its kind to, erm, ‘nest’ in New Zealand. Since purchasing one of Martinborough’s oldest blocks of Pinot […]
In the absence of accolades, budget restriction, brand or word of mouth, choosing wine as a gift is sometimes as simple as choosing the prettiest label. Undeniably, a bottle with the most striking packaging will attract and, by the look of the cover, we will buy that book. It helps that the world of wine […]
Making wine is not a paint-by-numbers formula that can be repeated each year without thought. The nature of working with nature is that things change, and there are no guarantees. Not all vintages will be the same, and not all grapes within the same plot or vintage will produce the same wine. For Kapiti producer […]
I admit to having a Toast addiction. The wine kind. Year after year, Toast Martinborough’s wine, food and music festival has the formula that makes this event famous. Like any successful brand or business, the triumph of Toast Martinborough comes down to the personal touch. And the numbers stack up nicely too: $2.5 million is generated […]
