Tag Archives: New Zealand

Janiene Bayliss – Ata Mara Estate

Janiene Bayliss is co-owner and Director of Ata Mara Estate, a vineyard encompassing over 20 hectares in Central Otago, New Zealand. That may sound casual, but she was actually the one that converted the land from sheep farming into vineyards producing hand crafted, award winning, and internationally selling wines back in the early 2000s! ThisContinue reading “Janiene Bayliss – Ata Mara Estate”

Central Otago, New Zealand

On par with Burgundy in terms of quality Pinot Noir production, Central Otago is a gem of a wine producing region, located at the bottom of New Zealand’s South Island. Vineyards are nestled in a number of different valleys situated on the foothills of the Southern NZ Alps and are divided into 6 sub-regions: CromwellContinue reading “Central Otago, New Zealand”

Pip Goowin – CEO of Palliser Estate

Palliser Estate is one of my favorite wineries. It’s located in Martinborough, New Zealand, about 1.5hrs drive from Wellington. It’s a small estate focused on sustainability, hard work, and excellent wines, and it’s presided over by Pip Goodwin; a local herself, having grown up in the Wairarapa area.  Having spent over ten years in theContinue reading “Pip Goowin – CEO of Palliser Estate”

Hawke’s Bay

Hawke’s Bay is a wine growing region located on the North Eastern side of New Zealand’s North Island. It is NZ’s oldest and second-largest growing region (it boasts over 200 vineyards), producing about 10% of the country’s wine. There are 70 wineries (30 with cellar doors where you can actually go and taste) located throughoutContinue reading “Hawke’s Bay”

Scapegrace Black

Gin has been around for a long time, but it doesn’t take a long time to make, compared to drinks such as wine or whisky. In fact, many whisky companies also make gin so they’ll have product to sell while they wait for the whisky to mature! The main requirement of gin (differentiating itself fromContinue reading “Scapegrace Black”

Sparkling Wines

Sparkling wines are one of the great joys in life. Easy to pair with all sorts of food, perfect for any occasion (and I recommend enjoying the bubbles even when there is no “special” reason), they come in white, rosé, and red, can be sweet to bone dry, with all sorts of flavours like citrus,Continue reading “Sparkling Wines”

Martinborough

Region Highlights Martinborough, New Zealand Located near the bottom of New Zealand’s North Island, a winding 1.5hr drive North-East from capitol city Wellington, Martinborough, once home to sheep and agricultural crops, has seen a burgeoning into the wine world. In the late 1970s, a scientific study of the area came out, likening the climate toContinue reading “Martinborough”