Looking at this video from the Cortes de Cima winery in Portugal is a reminder to me how the only real point of difference in wine is terroir - that untranslatable, difficult-to-define French word, which is something akin to the combination of individual place/people/practices where each unique parcel of grapes is created. The winery as seen in the video could just as ...

A quick photo update on the progress of our Guner Veltliner - growing well and now up to the fruiting wire. No major issues there so looks like we will have one cane down for next year and a small crop to experiment on. Also held recently were three varietal symposiums and these were a great success - promoting Syrah, Pinot Noir and the Aromatics. These events are essentially promotional in outlook, ...

Straight from Stuff but worth repeating... A New Zealand wine industry leader says British critic Oz Clarke has given the industry a timely warning not to flood its main export market with cut-price pinot noir, as is already happening with sauvignon blanc. Mr Clarke, reigning world wine tasting champion, told the Pinor Noir 2010 conference in Wellington last night that "oceans" of New Zealand sauvignon blanc were hitting British supermarket shelves at prices ...

A quick link to two recent TV interviews in relation to the current NZ Pinot Noir 2010 conference in Wellington.   Leslie Sbrocco : http://www.3news.co.nz/International-wine-critics-converge-on-the-capital/tabid/369/articleID/139705/Default.aspx   Oz Clarke: http://www.3news.co.nz/NZ-wine-industry-praised-by-champion-taster/tabid/372/articleID/139648/Default.aspx

  "The question is: are you the best, and I think you are. That's what you have done in the past three years, distanced yourselves from the competition in numbers of wines and overall average quality." PinotNoir2010 kicks off today in Wellington. Its NZs most important showcase for our number 1 red varietal, in fact our number 1 varietal full stop. The wine worlds media are here in force to tour and taste their ...

Coming soon, our new wine range TRUE AND DARING. Not only are they great value and quality, they can also do tricks as in the photo above. Initially the range includes a 2008 Pinot Noir and 2007 Riesling.  As an introduction to the label we are offering this wine to you FREE ! Until Feb 5th, all you have to do is purchase a 6 bottle case of any Sandihurst wine ...

Removal leaves in the fruiting zone, usually at some point between fruit set and pea size, favourably alters the microclimate in the canopy. It increase ligt and heat on the bunches which can advance grape maturity and improve berry composition. This is a real advantage in cool climate wine growing regions. In addition the increased airflow around the fruit ...

Our 2007 Nelson Chardonnay, with a year of bottle maturation under its belt, seen here having the final touches applied. Sleeve rolled on, labelled, boxed and ready to go. Unoaked and dry in style, Ripe and fruit forward with added weight and texture derived from 6 months ageing on lees, 90% tank fermented, 10% barrel fermented in neutral oak. Plenty going on and a ...

I had a long conversation with a friend of mine in South Africa about a presentation she attended on the South Africa wine industry. A variety of presentations on a variety of subjects. You can have a look at all the presentations here. It makes for some very interesting reading in general. Trust me however to be grabbed by the following statement about ...

Hers an article that recently appeared in The Southland Times featuring Sean Brennan and his plans to build a wine cave on his vineyard. The Brennan vineyard, in the Gibbston Valley, is where Sandihurst sources its Central Otago grapes from. Sean does an excellent job with the grapes and his own wines from the vineyard are superb. Check out his website for more.  

He might not