This Time Last Year – Part 30: Catching up with family in Bellingham
Part of a series of posts that cover my travel to Greece and the USA in April/May 2016. May 14 2016 – Bellingham, Washington, USA I say my farewells to Bob and Jenise at Bellingham Airport where they...
View ArticleThis Time Last Year – Part 31: Into Canada
Part of a series of posts that cover my travel to Greece and the USA in April/May 2016. May 15 2016 – Vancouver, Canada My motel in Bellingham has a free shuttle to the airport. Today I am the only...
View ArticleThis Time Last Year – Part 32: Capilano diversion
Part of a series of posts that cover my travel to Greece and the USA in April/May 2016. May 16 2016 – Vancouver, Canada The sign on the bus states” ‘No standees’. Not a problem as the bus is virtually...
View ArticleThis Time Last Year – Part 33: Homeward Bound
Part of a series of posts that cover my travel to Greece and the USA in April/May 2016. May 16-17 2016 – Vancouver to SFO to New Zealand I’m flying via San Francisco to Auckland. There is no direct...
View ArticleRockburn Central Otago Pinot Noir 2015
I’ve opened this pinot to match to three slices of fillet steak with three different one-side glazes. One is smeared with pomegranate molasses (from Lebanon), one with Kalamata Orange and Lemon...
View ArticleDomain Road Central Otago Pinot Noir 2013
Domain Road Pinot Noir 2013 is from the Bannockburn subregion of Central Otago wine country, South Island, New Zealand. It costs about NZ$38 a bottle. Colour: Ruby with flashes of purple. Bouquet:...
View ArticleHunters Marlborough Unoaked Chardonnay 2016
It’s not often I get excited about unoaked chardonnay but from the very first sip Hunters Marlborough Unoaked Chardonnay 2016 set out to impress me. It’s soft, almost creamy in the mouth and actually...
View ArticleRefreshing Riesling Before Dinner
Every time I go to the First Glass wine tastings and taste a riesling that is just off dry with juicy acidity and fruity freshness I say to myself, ‘I am really enjoying this, I should open more...
View ArticleKick it in the guts Trev
If your name is Trev or you’re a fan of the late John Clark aka Fred Dagg (who coined that now Kiwiana classic ‘Kick it in the Guts Trev’ phrase) then you’ll love this Waimea Family Estate Wines...
View ArticleWine tasting exercise with Te Mania and Richmond Plains
When you drink wine socially you have one glass in your hand and you either like the wine or you don’t but you drink it anyway just because it is there. When you are a wine taster there’s often more...
View ArticleIconic Tom releases from Church Road
At the First Glass wine tasting the other night (21 June to be precise) I got the opportunity along with the other 120 or so at the tasting to try the three new ‘Tom’ releases from the Church Road...
View ArticleFirst taste of 2017
Matawhero Single Vineyard Pinot Rose 2017 from Gisborne, North Island, New Zealand 13.5% alc. RRP $23. My first taste of vintage 2017 – and a taste of summer in winter – though here in Auckland today...
View ArticleSweet, smooth and celebratory Dulcet
I’d never come across Dulcét (note the accent over the e) prior to stepping into the Business Class lounge at Auckland International airport in July and ordering a glass of bubbles to sooth my nerves...
View ArticleTime and place makes so much difference to taste
I first tasted Mills Reef ‘Bespoke’ Hawkes Bay Chardonnay 2016 at a Chardonnay wine tasting. It was number 6 in a line-up of twelve chardonnays and followed Penfolds Reserve Bin 15A Adelaide Hills...
View ArticleWaimea Nelson Gewurztraminer 2015
This is gorgeous Gewurztraminer. It is just the merest of off dry and the smooth flowing, soft flavours are reminiscent of orange water; cumin, coriander, cardamom, fennel seeds and anise spices; the...
View ArticleSemillon and Lemonade
There’s something about bottle-aged Hunter Valley semillon that is just sensational. It’s that scintillating acidity that’s so spine-tingling yet so smooth at the same time with that hard to put your...
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