Your top ten wine questions answered
I have been running wine courses since 1986, mostly in New Zealand but also in Australia, Singapore, Malaysia, China and the United Kingdom. I recently shook hands with the 23,042nd graduate. I’ve probably had at least as many questions on wine. Here are my top 10.I’ve had this...
In good time - the pros and cons of cellaring Central Otago pinot noir
Two recent vertical tastings of Central Otago pinot noir have encouraged me to ponder the virtues of drinking aged wine. A vertical tasting is one that reviews the same wine over several vintages. It is the vinous equivalent of an archaeological dig, revealing the development of...
Craggy Range, a wine estate with a 1000-year future
When Craggy Range founder Terry Peabody set up a family wine estate in New Zealand, he established a 1000-year trust, meaning the winery can never be sold. Around 20 years after its first vintage, this dynamic winery continues to grow in both size and stature with the recent purc...
Red, white and true-blue - tasting notes on the Penfolds Collection 2020
The annual “Penfolds collection” tasting reminds me of Russia’s Victory Day Parade or perhaps Kim Jong-un’s annual show of strength in North Korea. “If you’ve got it, flaunt it” is the battle cry. Sadly, spoilsport covid-19 prevented my usual trip across the Tasman and the opport...
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