Sue Courtney's blog of Vinous Ramblings
wine, food and other vinous topics from New Zealand
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Welcome to Sue Courtney's web log (blog) of vinous ramblings. One day I'll update it to proper blogger software but right now I haven't the time to research which blogging software is best, nor do I have the time to teach myself how to use it. I'll stick to archaic html to record my daily events. It's my on line journal and an adjunct to my website www.wineoftheweek.com which is for more formal tasting notes and articles.
You'll find links to other wine blogs on my Vinous Links page.
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Archive
May 2008
May 8th: Twin Islands and Opawa Pinot Noirs.
May 7th: Unveiling David Herd.
May 6th: How to cook Cavolo Nero.
May 3rd: Cuisine Magazine's Top Ten Chardonnays.
May 1st: A tasting of Penfolds 'Luxury Wines'.April 2008
Apr 30th: Starting and finishing the month on a 'Grasshopping' high
Apr 28th: WOTW: William Thomas Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2007
Apr 27th: Two Tasty North Island Pinot Noirs
Apr 25th: Peace. Pax. Lest We Forget.
Apr 21st: WOTW: Coal Pit 'Tiwha' Pinot Noir 2006
Apr 19th: Super VFM Thornbury Chardonnay
Apr 13th: WOTW: Lochiel 'The Laird' Fortified Dessert Wine
Apr 9th: Remembering 1968 and Vintage Update
Apr 7th: Toasting Marsden
Apr 6th: A Spiritual Vinous EpiphanyMarch 2008
Mar 31st: Wine of the Week: Saltings Estate Malbec 2006
Mar 30th: Newsletter No. 51 has been posted
Mar 28th: Lunch with Danny Schuster at One Tree Grill
Mar 27th: Cork or Screwcap - who decides?
Mar 26th: Wine Soaked Pears and Blue Cheese Salad
Mar 25th: Lunch at Heron's Flight
Mar 23rd: Late Summer Sauvignon Supper
Mar 21st: A-maz-ing Aromatics
Mar 18th: A classic food pairing with Dog Point wines
Mar 17th: Celebrating St Patrick's Day
Mar 14th: Te Mata Showcase tasting
Mar 13th: Sauvignon Blanc - Lost in Translation
Mar 11th: Iconic Dry River Pinot Noir is Wine of the Week
Mar 10th: Two gold medal Rieslings from West Brook
Mar 9th: Syrah on top - 3rd year in a row
Mar 8th: Toast a Wine Woman today
Mar 7th: Self-saucing peach and blue cheese-stuffed chicken thighs with bacon
Mar 5th: The cultest New Zealand Pinot Gris
Mar 3rd: New releases of Cult Wines - Ready, Set, Buy
Mar 2nd: Vinous Street Names
Mar 1st: The rain fallsFebruary 2008
Feb 29th: Seductive reds for Leap Day
Feb 28th: Newsletter No. 50 has been posted
Feb 27th: Did somebody get the quantities wrong?
Feb 26th: Royal Easter Show Wine Awards - NZ Gold Medal Update
Feb 24th: Royal Easter Show Wine Awards judging
Feb 22nd: Te Koko - Outstanding Alternative Sauvignon Blanc
Feb 21st: Two new Montepulcianos - Morton Estate and Weeping Sands
Feb 20th: Dining out in Marlborough - Herzog Bistro review
Feb 19th: Vintage Underway, Lindauer Cellar closes and other industry news
Feb 18th: More Chardonnay Impressions - Trinity Hill, Cloudy Bay, Twin Islands
Feb 17th: Mother Clucking Chooks at the Wednesday Tasting
Feb 15th: What did you do for Valentine's Day?
Feb 11th: Wine of the Week: Woollaston Pinot Gris 2007
Feb 9th: Gemilicious Festival Fun
Feb 8th: Wines with Maori names or connections
Feb 7th: Maori is cool - so try Tohu
Feb 5th: Feb Newsletter and Sustainable Buzz
Feb 4th: Industry News and Wine of the Week
Feb 3rd: The Woodbox at Mystery Creek
Feb 1st: Outstanding NZ SyrahsJanuary 2008
Jan 31st: 287 Golden Wines
Jan 29th: Pegasus Bay Maestro 2003 - a wine for three courses.
Jan 28th: Auckland Anniversary Day and Marlborough Vintage Update
Jan 26th: Drink an Australian wine today
Jan 25th: Cloudy Bay sings an Aria and sends Shirvers up the spine
Jan 24th: The names behind the new labels and Ebbitt Oyster winners
Jan 23rd: Vaynerchuck reviews new labels from the locals
Jan 22nd: RIP Sir Edmund Hillary
Jan 21st: Wine of the Week: Pegasus Bay Dry Riesling 2007
Jan 20th: Five Refreshing Rosés
Jan 18th: A Quartet of Viogniers
Jan 17th: Matakana Wine Festival and aged Hyperion red
Jan 15th: Crimson Wine of the Week plus 12,000 Miles
Jan 14th: Bosca, Brick Bay, Millton, Rippon, Kim Crawford and Pegasus Bay impressions
Jan 11th: Wednesday Tasting Highlights
Jan 10th: Best of 2007 - Part 3
Jan 9th: Best of 2007 - Part 2
Jan 8th: Best of 2007 - Part 1
Jan 6th: Picnic at Puriri Hills
Jan 5th: Pizza Patate and Chenin Blanc
Jan 3rd: From the Bering Sea to a table in Auckland
Jan 2nd: Les Amoureuses - a wine to make you fall in love with wine
Jan 1st: Was there a New Years Eve?December 2007
Dec 31st: Signing off for the Year
Dec 24th: Wine of the Week: Fromm Marlborough Spatlese Riesling 2006
Dec 22nd: First Glass Favourites
Dec 21st: It was the best of years, it was the worst of years
Dec 19th: Gewurztraminer with or without the umlaut
Dec 18th: Exclusive Bremertons eat at Bruschetteria
Dec 17th: NZ Wines reviewed in Taste Food and Wine 2008
Dec 16th: Weekend Reading - New NZ Wine Guides
Dec 15th: Wine Blogging Wednesday - Que Sirah Sirah - summarised
Dec 14th: In Praise of Riesling
Dec 13th: Blind Tasting
Dec 12th: Wine Blogging Wednesday - Petite Syrah
Dec 11th: More Pinot Gris - Wines with Kiwi Flair
Dec 8th: Minted Lamb Backstraps and Stone Paddock Cab Sauv
Dec 7th: Life Saving Wines from Bach 22
Dec 6th: An impromptu trip to Matakana and a new cellar door
Dec 5th: The Auswine offline in Auckland
Dec 4th: The perfect gift for the wine lover who has everything
Dec 3rd: Wine of the Week: Askerne Hawkes Bay Gewurztraminer 2006
Dec 2nd: French wine highlightsNovember 2007
Nov 28th: Wine of the Week: Matua Valley Paretai Sauvignon Blanc 2007
Nov 25th: And the big Air NZ Wine Awards winner is .... drumroll please ....
Nov 24th: Collards not quite closed, just yet.
Nov 24th: Highlights from Wednesday's tasting
Nov 22nd: Just how influential is Wine Spectator?
Nov 21st: Vineyard Concerts
Nov 20th: The Missing Pinotage
Nov 19th: Three stellar Chardonays from three different regions
Nov 17th: V is for Vermentino
Nov 17th: Promoting your products and promoting your successes
Nov 15th: New Zealand's first Master Sommelier
Nov 14th: Tasting Gold
Nov 13th: New Zealand scoops Tri Nations Trophies.
Nov 12th: They come, they go.
Nov 11th: How to exhaust a visiting winewriter in just two days!
Nov 9th: THE wines from Marlborough
Nov 8th: More Wine Show Reports
Nov 7th: Stuffed Mushrooms and Ruby Bay Pinot Noir
Nov 6th: NZ's best unoaked Chardonnay , ever?
Nov 5th: The judges got the Gunn right
Nov 4th: Pinotage for Peter
Nov 2nd: News Snippets
Nov 1st: Sunrise over the WairauOctober 2007
Oct 31st: Fighting the Frost
Oct 30th: Wine of the Week: Auntsfield Pinot Noir 2006
Oct 29th: Marlborough Wine Weekend
Oct 29th: David Herd Life Time Achievement Award
Oct 26th: Blast from the Past: Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc 1988
Oct 25th: Wine of the Week: Greystone Pinot Gris 2007
Oct 24th: Collards closes its doors
Oct 23rd: Controversy erupts over Hawkes Bay Wine Awards Champion
Oct 23rd: Awhitu Wines - as far as you get get off the beaten track
Oct 22nd: Gisborne's International Chardonnay Challenge another show with a drop in entries
Oct 21st: Delish Lamb Drums and Coopers Creek Syrah
Oct 19th: Frost bites hard in Marlborough
Oct 18th: New Vineyard Location: Paewhenua Island
Oct 17th: Hawkes Bay Wine Show winners found
Oct 16th: New Vineyard Profile: Boreham Wood
Oct 15th: Coopers Creek release 'Select Vineyards' series
Oct 13th: New Zealand winners in Japan
Oct 12th: wine-searcher.com launches in New Zealand
Oct 11th: Warkworth's Kowhai Festival this weekend
Oct 10th: A trade tasting with a difference.
Oct 9th: Marlborough Wine Weekend
Oct 8th: Weeping in my glass of wine
Oct 7th: At least we won something!
Oct 6th: Just how long does a previously opened bottle of Barossa Shiraz last?
Oct 5th: Judging Sauvignon Blanc
Oct 4th: Cloudy Bay released
Oct 3rd: News Tidbits and the Tri Nations Wine Awards DinnerSeptember 2007
Sep 30th: A night of glitz and glamour
Sep 29th: Gorgeous, gorgeous Foxes Island Chardonnay
Sep 27th: Another use for left over wine
Sep 26th: Creamy Ceps and Foxy Pinot Noir
Sep 24th: Bill Hardy presents Thomas Hardy
Sep 24th: Wine of the Week: Ohinemuri Estate Patutahi Riesling 2006
Sep 22nd: Wednesday's Tasting - New Arrivals
Sep 21st: An enviable tasting task
Sep 19th: Buds pushing pretty
Sep 18th: Pegasus Bay Late Picked Aria Riesling as a main course wine
Sep 17th: Puriri Hills Reserve Reds and Carmenere
Sep 16th: Kiwis scoop IWC Winemakers of the Year
Sep 14th: Church Road Cure Kids Dinner
Sep 13th: Hedonsitic Sweeties
Sep 12th: Wine Boggling Wednesday
Sep 11th: Wine, wine everywhere still not a drop to drink
Sep 10th: Wine, wine everywhere but not a drop to drink
Sep 10th: Wine of the Week: Seifried Pinot Gris 2007
Sep 9th: Pasha-ionate matches to new Terroir Series Pinot Noir
Sep 7th: Chardonnay, Shiraz and Spanish Reds
Sep 6th: Sparkling Wine Seminar
Sep 5th: NZ Sommelier of the Year 2007
Sep 5th: Wine New Zealand finale
Sep 4th: VIP Wine Tasting reveals some stunners
Sep 3rd: A Gris Day Out - Wine New Zealand Day One
Sep 2nd: Whitebait Heaven
Sep 1st: Spring Fever
August 2007
Aug 31st: Two from Shaw and Smith in the Adelaide Hills
Aug 30th: Wine Industry Pioneer mourned
Aug 29th: Te Awa and Clearview Oaked Sauvignon Blancs
Aug 28th: Follow the Blind Trail and smell the Wild Earth
Aug 27th: Weekend Winners
Aug 24th: The best line-up of New Zealand reds ever?
Aug 23rd: Helen Clark opens Bragato Conference
Aug 22nd: Strange Bedfellows - Nottage Hill and Dry River
Aug 20th: Wine of the Week: Felton Road Pinot Noir 1999
Aug 20th: A billion glasses of New Zealand Wine
Aug 19th: Brothers In Arms
Aug 17th: Who is on the Rich List?
Aug 16th: Felton Road with Blair Walter
Aug 15th: New Zealand Wine Exports to Canada grow
Aug 14th: New Releases from Esk Valley
Aug 13th: Saint Clair, Lincoln, Matua and Pegasus Bay
Aug 11th: Cuisine's Best NZ Red and Best Winery Restaurant 2007
Aug 10th: Learning French with Saint Clair
Aug 9th: Babich, Rongopai, Rosebank in the News and more on WBW
Aug 8th: Ra Nui Marlborough Chardonnay 2006 for Wine Blogging Wednesday
Aug 7th: Hatton Estate Tahi One
Aug 6th: Weekend Sojourn to Omaha Bay
Aug 5th: Wine Orbit - a new New Zealand wine publication
Aug 4th: Older Pinot Noir and Lamb Shanks
Aug 3rd: Even More on Mikasa and Wednesday's highlights
Aug 2nd: A couple of wines from Seresin and more on Mikasa
Aug 1st: Clayridge Marlborough Pinot Gris 2006July 2007
Jul 31st: New Zealand Wine Pure Discovery
Jul 30th: Wine of the Week: Awaroa Organic Vineyard Syrah 2006
Jul 29th: An intriguing Barolo
Jul 28th: Three Central Otago Rieslings from Rippon and Wild Earth
Jul 27th: Montana Poetry Day
Jul 26th: The John Forrest Collection
Jul 25th: Two Sexy NZ Syrahs separated by a Strait.
Jul 24th: High New Zealand dollar hell for exporting winemakers.
Jul 23rd: Two top blended reds - Schubert and Alpha Domus
Jul 21st: Wine Judging Seminar proves worthwhile for Cath
Jul 21st: Highlights from the Wednesday tasting
Jul 19th: RRP and Sale Prices
Jul 18th: Six Chardonnays: Nelson vs Marlborough.
Jul 17th: South Africa's Pinotage Top 10 goes international
Jul 16th: Wine of the Week: Hinchco Dessert Merlot 2005
Jul 14th: A French wine for Bastille Day
Jul 13th: Stunning Kumeu River Chardonnays
Jul 13th: Rosemount Diamond arrives
Jul 12th: Wine Tasting Term: Mealy
Jul 11th: Dinner by Candlelight and Pinot Noir
Jul 11th: I'm expecting a diamond today!
Jul 10th: Old Wine goes for $14,000
Jul 9th: Morton Estate 'Marchioness of Morton' Sauvignon Blanc 2006
Jul 8th: Spanish Lamb Cutlets and Pesquera
Jul 7th: Saturday afternoon Chardonnays
Jul 6th: Gemstone Wines and benchmark Pinot Noir
Jul 5th: Pruner shortage in Marlborough
Jul 4th: American Wine Drinking Day
Jul 3rd: Wine and Health
Jul 2nd: Wine ofthe Week: Villa Maria Waldron Chardonnay 2004
Jul 1st: Impressive results for New Zealand Wines in San FranciscoJune 2007
Jun 30th: Villa Maria, Dry River and Vidals Soler at Art Ducko
Jun 29th: Cuisine Aussie Shiraz Tasting Redux
Jun 28th: Spicy Sausage Soup And Spicy Shiraz
Jun 27th: Penfolds "rare" wines hit supermarket shelves
Jun 25th: Croatia National Day and Babich Syrah
Jun 24th: The Wine Circle in Kumeu
Jun 23rd: Morton Estate and Mercure
Jun 22nd: Winter Solstice
Jun 20th: Trophy Fest at 2007 London IWC
Jun 19th: Australia's National Sparkling Red Day
Jun 18th: Wine of the Week: Matariki Aspire Chardonnay 2005
Jun 17th: Spanish Saturday at First Glass
Jun 16th: Thoroughly Modern Baumann
Jun 15th: Wine Grower Magazine online
Jun 14th: There is such a thing as a free lunch
Jun 13th: A stunning Sauternes at Wine Options
Jun 12th: A Txakolina by any other name
Jun 11th: More on Wine Options and "Lost in Translation"
Jun 10th: We won at Wine Options!
Jun 9th: The back label code at NZBC
Jun 8th: A Belated Italian day celebration with Frescobaldi Chianti
Jun 7th: Ole to the Kiwis in Spain
Jun 6th: Craggy Range Sophia
Jun 5th: Rare 1903 wine up for auction.
Jun 4th: A well preserved white and red from Vidal Estate.
Jun 3rd: Hunter Valley Chardonnay and a new restaurant tipoff.
Jun 2nd: Kumeu and Huapai's vineyards under threat from Waitakere mayor's grandiose scheme
Jun 1st: A Beattieful Book Blog with an interest in wine.
May 2007
May 31st:The Carbon Footprint furore
May 30th: 2007 preliminary harvest report
May 29th: Screwcap Initiative gets vocal on the radio
May 28th: The scented garden in May
May 26th: Weekend Trivia with a Grey Ghost
May 25th: Argentina's National Day
May 23rd: New Zealand wines shine in London
May 22nd: Summer at the Bach in Autumn
May 21st: 2006 Mahi and 2007 Coopers - savvies rule!
May 20th: A vinous detour between Auckland and Hamilton
May 19th: Mills Reef Elspeth Gimblett Gravels Hawkes Bay Malbec 2005
May 18th: Jacob's Creek, Johann and Centenary Hill
May 17th: Beetroot Risotto and William Thomas Pinot Noir
May 16th: Latitude 35 versus Latitude 45 - Two Chardonnays Excel
May 15th: Viognier Workshop for Gisborne
May 14th: Spy Valley Envoy - Wine of the Week
May 13th: Do you want to be a Wine Judge?
May 12th: The Best Show in Town
May 11th: A Hot White amongst the Hawkes Bay Hot Reds
May 9th: Hawke's Bay Winemakers coming to town
May 8th: Wagyu Beef and Yalumba Tempranillo
May 7th: Scaremongering Screwcap Cancer Link
May 6th: Stonyridge Larose 1996 - just in time
May 5th: Duck Season
May 4th: Not So Common
May 3rd: The Good Gout.
May 2nd: Marlborough Harvest Report.
May 1st: May Day.April 2007
Apr 30th: Wine in the Glass House.
Apr 29th: Wine of the Week - Felton Road Riesling 2004.
Apr 28th: Number Two Chardonnay of the World.
Apr 27th: Anzac Day Challenge - NZ versus Australia.
Apr 26th: Is a bell necessary on a bicycle?
Apr 25th: Anzac Wines
Apr 24th: More dismally low yields
Apr 23rd: Talk about low yields
Apr 22nd: Riverby Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2006
Apr 21st: Clayridge Excalibur Pinot Noir 2004
Apr 20th: Vineyard area
Apr 19th: Highfield leads the field
Apr 18th: Ravishing Rieslings
Apr 17th: Saveuring the Pinot Noir
Apr 16th: Guessing the origin of New Zealand Pinot Noirs
Apr 15th: A Degustation at Mudbrick
Apr 14th: Testing the Vintage
Apr 13th: New Winemaker for Wither Hills
Apr 12th: A Trio of Champagnes
Apr 10th: West Coast Wine
Apr 9th: A safe bet where wine is not a priority
Apr 5th: Champagne, Newsletter and Easter
Apr 3rd: Do you Zork?
Apr 2nd: Wine of the Week.
Apr 1st: New Zealand's first Sauvignon Blanc - debunking the myth.March 2007
Mar 31st: Wet, wet, wet!
Mar 29th: Jane Skilton MW and Chateau Duhart Milon
Mar 28th: Crawford Farm Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2006
Mar 27th: Harvest going well
Mar 26th: Marchesi Antinori and Solaia
Mar 25th: Stunning Syrah wins Easter's top prize
Mar 24th: Brandied Mushroom Pies and Pinot Noir
Mar 22nd: A couple of stunning Easter Show golds
Mar 21st: Recent wines, including a delicious, new pinot noir
Mar 19th: Taste, Terroir and the Pursuit of Quality
Mar 18th: 'Gold' Chardonnay in a Retro-Styled Jug
Mar 17th: Corned Beef and Cabbage for St Patrick's Day. What the ....?
Mar 16th: Hawks Nest Orchard Block Red
Mar 15th: Soljans Gisborne Pinotage 2005 with Mexican Spiced Tomatoes and Beans
Mar 14th: Cuisine Top Ten Chardonnay Tasting
Mar 13th: Julicher Martinborough Riesling 2005
Mar 12th: Phylloxera discovered in Martinborough
Mar 10th: Summerhouse Marlborough Chardonnay 2005
Mar 9th: Te Mata Coleraine and Zerrutti tasting glasses
Mar 8th: Micro-oxygenation and Ngatarawa Alwyn Merlot Cabernet 2005
Mar 7th: More than Champion Wine at Saint Clair
Mar 6th: Picking grapes
Mar 5th: Judging Wine at the Easter Show
Mar 2nd: Penfolds Bin 389 Cabernet Shiraz 1996
Mar 1st: Penfolds Annual Release TastingFebruary 2007
Feb 28th: Von Hovel Oberemmeler Hutte Riesling Auslese 2003
Feb 27th: Hyperion Helios Chardonnay 2006
Feb 26th: Clearview Unwooded Chardonnay, Peach Salad and Peach Soup
Feb 25th: Morton Estate at the Oscars
Feb 24th: Summer Salad and Seresin Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2006
Feb 23rd: Four Alsace Whites, Four Spanish Reds, Four McLaren Vale Shiraz
Feb 22nd: Thai Scented Burgers and Corbans PB Hawkes Bay Syrah 2004
Feb 21st: Pinot Noir 2007 live on your PC
Feb 20th: Sacred Hill Sauvage Fume Blanc 2005
Feb 19th: Pork with Fennel and Pears
Feb 18th: Ten cents well spent - Ostler Vineyard Audrey's Pinot Gris 2006
Feb 17th: Veraison and Kerr Farm P04 Kumeu Pinotage 2004
Feb 16th: Venison Sausages and Okahu Estate Chambourcin 2004
Feb 15th: Anchorage Nelson Sauvignon Blanc 2006
Feb 14th: Pegasus Bay Aria Riesling 2006 for Valentine's Day
Feb 12th: BBQ Wines and Symington's Quinto do Vesuvio Vintage Port 1991
Feb 11th: More on the Waiheke Island Wine Festival
Feb 10th: Waiheke Wine Festival and Pilgrim Syrah Mourvedre Grenache 2005
Feb 9th: Leftover Wine and Fish in a Sherry and Mushroom Sauce
Feb 8th: Verdicchio
Feb 7th: Manaia Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2006
Feb 6th: Waitangi Day and James Busby
Feb 5th: Heron's Flight Dolcetto and Duck
Feb 4th: Dr Loosen and Torus
Feb 3rd: Brown Brothers Crouchen & Riesling 2006 and Spicy Pork
Feb 2nd: Bilancia Hawkes Bay Pinot Grigio 2006January 2007
Jan 31st: Pinot Noir 2007
Jan 30th: Mills Reef Elspeth reds from the 2005 vintage
Jan 29th: Concert under the Stars
Jan 28th: Wynns Michael Coonawara Hermitage Shiraz 1991
Jan 27th: Chapoutier Monier de la Sizeranne Hermitage 1991
Jan 26th: Gewurztraminer Redux
Jan 25th: Two Hands Sophie's Garden Padthaway Shiraz
Jan 24th: Ten Gewurztraminers
Jan 22nd: Margrain Chenin Blanc
Jan 21st: Gorgeous Syrah - Mills Reefs Reserve
Jan 20th: Comet McNaught and celestial wine
Jan 19th: Brian Bicknell pays a visit
Jan 18th: Summary of the Frist Glass Wednesday tasting
Jan 17th: James Love
Jan 15th: Matariki Chardonnay and corked NZ Pinot Noir
Jan 13th: Pomegranate and Pink Wines
Jan 12th: Wynns Coonawarra Rhine Riesling 1982
Jan 11th: First Glass Wednesday summary
Jan 9th: Book Review: How to Cook a Tart
Jan 7th: West Brook visit
Jan 6th: Gazpacho
Jan 5th: Roasted Peppers and Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc
Jan 4th: Fluffy Omelet and Snapper with Sauteed Pears
Jan 3rd: Richmond Grove Riesling
Jan 2nd: Sumac
Jan 1st: The last night of last year
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