Central Otago winemaker Jen Parr of Valli Vineyards has been named New Zealand Winemaker of the Year 2020 by Gourmet Traveller Wine magazine. “Her experience and attention to detail serve her well when creating wines of great quality and sense of place," said Gourmet Traveller Wine editor Judy Sarriss, at the awards held it the Grand Hotel in Auckland on Monday 20 January.  Parr is one of the three winemakers who creates the four Valli Pinot Noirs every year; the wines make up some of the most interesting comparative Pinots in the region; all are made along the same guidelines but...

It may taste damned delish, but this vintage of Luna Pinot Meunier Rosé was far from easy to make. Jack Frost and high rainfall led to crop losses, so this wine was pretty pricey to make. Not only were quantities reduced, but the rainfall meant that the grapes had to be hand harvested, due to the condition of the vineyard. Add in the fact that crop levels were severely reduced, due to cold and rainy weather and you have smaller than usual quantities of a tasty rosé. The 2019 vintage is the first time this wine was made with an old Swiss...

Summer of Rosé in store Saturday 18 January 1pm to 5pm... Find out the answer to all your pink drink questions... Is rosé dry or sweet? Does the colour of pink wine influence the style and flavour? What makes a good rosé? What grapes are used to make rosé? Is pink wine a blend of red and white - or something else? Summer of Rosé takes on a delicious new meaning this Saturday at Regional, thanks to pink wines from Lebanon, France, North Canterbury and Central Otago, all made from different grapes  Everyone is welcome to our in store wine tasting...

“Riesling? Oh, it's too sweet for me,” is the common refrain of many wine lovers, often when they have never even tried a dry Riesling. Which was exactly what motivated New York restaurateur, Paul Grecco, to kickstart a movement called Summer of Riesling back in 2008. He wanted to bust the myth that all Riesling is sweet and he was not (and is not) alone. “It’s always been about aromatics at Zephyr Wines,” says Marlborough winemaker Ben Glover, who celebrates the greatness of Riesling regularly with a laid back, low key, decadent wine afternoon called Summer of Riesling. The aim of the Summer...

This month marks the 105th birthday of the woman who inspired one of New Zealand’s best bubblies made using the French traditional method, the same way that champagne is created. The woman and the wine are called Dawn. The first vintage of Dawn was made from the 2012 vintage to mark its namesake's 100th birthday in December 2014. Now, Dawn Ibbotson has turned 105 and her family says she enjoys a daily glass of the bubbly they made in her honour. It's a top bubbly in taste too, as our instore experts pick it as one of their favourites, year round. ...