Margan Wines: Barrels, Barbera and a Front-Row Welcome
A rugby handshake, a garden on the plate, and the first Barbera ever planted in the Hunter. Mālō e lelei
Above the Vines: What Dalwood Taught Me About Respect
The birthplace of Australian wine: Dalwood Estate, Hunter Valley. Part one of three. Mālō e lelei and bonjour, fellow wine
Been There, Done That: Pouring New Zealand premium wines for the Room That Knows
Three wines, ten guests and one honest table at Christine’s (Ofa’s wife) family home. Mālō e lelei, fellow wine explorers.
Sips & Scrums II: The Week Before Kick-off
Day jobs by day. Itineraries by night. Here’s what Ofa and I have been building for the Hunter. Mālō e
A Bottle From 1999: Te Motu and the Pacific Table
How one Waiheke red found its way to our distinguished tongan guests and why a bottle is never just a
The Wine Room by David Nash: A Hidden Gem, a Last-Minute Yes
VIP guests from Tonga, a change of plans, and an afternoon I’ll never forget. Mālō e lelei and bonjour, fellow
Destiny Bay: Where the Vines Come First
A quiet midday on Waiheke, a warm welcome, and a winery that keeps its eyes on the vineyard. Mālō e
Pyramid Valley: The Story in the Glass Is Winning
A limestone hill, a swamp full of moa bones, and why wine with a real identity matters more than ever.
Semillon: The Grape Named After a Town That Doesn’t Want It
Three hundred years of being called the wrong thing — and still one of the great whites. Kia ora koutoa
The heatwave that changed Champagne’s rules
The heat came early, the juice came short, and the bottles are about to get harder to find. Mālō e