Behind the scenes at Rippon
I arrange to meet Jo Mills, one of the key backroom staff at Rippon, on a sensational day in mid February, at the winery in Wanaka. Rippon Cellar Door has …
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Winemaker series: Rudi Bauer
Our next interview in the series takes us to the door of Quartz Reef winemaker and two-time recipient of New Zealand Winemaker of the Year, Rudi Bauer. Hailing from Salzburg, …
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An afternoon with Terra Sancta
A beautiful mid-February afternoon, spent driving around Bannockburn, brought me to one of the older properties on Felton Road – for many years now, known as Terra Sancta. Spending an …
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Sacred Hill Reserve Chardonnay 2017
A Hawke’s Bay Chardonnay, from the Rifleman’s Terraces. Pale straw with green edging in the glass. Starting with a bright aroma of cashews and candied peel, with a sweet baked …
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Top 10 Tasting – Pinot Gris
Finally made it to our first big Varietal tasting of the year. Tasted on Saturday Feb 1st, a warm summer day. We had a great session – Pinot Gris is …
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Winemaker series: Michael Brajkovich
An occasional series where we corner the best of New Zealand’s winemaking talent. Today we talk with Michael Brajkovich. So, a New Year, and, in fact a new decade! But now …
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A series: Selling wine in New Zealand – Part 2
A series of interviews and articles with a theme of buying and selling wine here in NZ. Part 2: The Fine Wine shop. Interview: Kingsley Wood, First Glass Fine Wine …
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It’s the New Style…
A new phenomena from these times of Level-4 Lockdown, is the “virtual tasting”, performed through a computer screen using new tech like Zoom, or via a Facebook live stream. I’ve …
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Villa Maria voted as New Zealand’s Most Trusted Wine Brand in Reader’s Digest poll
Villa Maria Estate has been voted as the Reader’s Digest Most Trusted New Zealand Wine Brand for 2020. It is the third time in the last five years the family-owned …
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West Auckland – Part 2
We set off down the hill Heading off into a sparkling sunny mid-winter day, still in Waimauku, we took a detour into the Hunting Lodge. The last time I’d been …
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