Nose To The Ground (Archive)

With an enviable reputation for the quality of its Pinot Noir firmly in its grasp Central Otago aspires to doing the same with aromatic white varieties such as Riesling and Pinot Gris. New Zealand Wine's slogan is  "Pure Discovery" and no other description could be more ... read more

Pinotage and Zinfandel share a common characteristic - consumers either love or loathe them. Pinotage can be an exceptional wine as well as being "full-throttle" as Hugh Johnson proposes. At the venerable age of 350 years old, it would be logical to consider the South African wine industry as ... read more

Riesling from the Mosel can result in the finest expression of terroir. The intricacies of the area, with its tiny estates possessing individual vineyard characteristics, produce wines that can rival those of terroir-centric Burgundy. Suzanne Brocklehurst The German wine producing region, the Mosel, is a study in contradictions. Romantic and ... read more

This place draws passionate and individual winemakers like a magnet; even if other opportunities beckon the attraction of Sonoma remains strong enough to hasten their return. Every wine region leaves unique and lasting memories for the transient visitor, but some give indelible memories that remain etched in the ... read more

Rioja now produces fresh and fruity unwooded whites, youthful, fleshy reds and supple rosés that bring an extra dimension to the region. Unlikely pairings can often be very successful.  This was the case when the young female readers of fashion and gossip magazine "Grazia" were invited to attend a ... read more

Piedmont has the ability to satisfy most wine tastes as it produces such an array of styles. "Quality, not quantity" is the quickest way to describe the wines from Piedmont in the North Western area of Italy.  Producing only around 7% of the country's total production, the region is considered ... read more

No longer must Northern Rhône wines be considered brooding or intimidating; there's a spicy elegance and excitement in many! Intimidating and brooding are terms more likely used to describe noblemen in a Jane Austen novel rather than words to characterize a modern day wine.  Yet until ... read more

Gentlemen, in the little moment that remains to us between the crisis and the catastrophe, we may as well drink a glass of champagne. Paul Claudel What could be more appropriate for the launch of any new venture, particularly a wine column, than shining the spotlight on the drink most associated ... read more