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
The Third Half
The moments around the glass. Occasions, evenings and wine culture.
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.
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
Are We Drinking Less Wine or Just Drinking Better?
I heard the numbers on the radio on Monday morning. Then I spent all week thinking about what they actually
You Don’t Have to Finish It.
Open It Tuesday, Enjoy It Friday – Marketing at it’s best Mālō e lelei, fellow wine explorers. Four bottles. That
Bastille Day: Why It Matters to the Wine World
This week, on Tuesday 14 July, France celebrated Bastille Day its national day and one of the most significant dates
Pour it, Pass it, Enjoy it
Last week, while conducting a Champagne tasting in Auckland, I stumbled across a wine that stopped me cold. It wasn’t
The Wine Gift: Why Does It Feel So Hard?
A warm guide to choosing a bottle for someone else – without the overthinking. Malo e lelei, fellow wine explorers,
How Has AI Impacted the Wine Industry?
Ofa asked me a great question Last week: Now that is a question worth pouring a glass over. Wine is
Is Wine Losing Gen Z?
Over the past year, I’ve had the chance to host tastings all across Auckland. Different rooms. Different people. Different energy.