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Good taste: Can you compare?
An obsession among "new world" wine producers is to compare their wines to their European equivalents. Around the winemaking fraternity, you hear producers comparing their sauvignon blancs to the Loire. Cobblers, I say.

Long term optimism in wine industry
Most New Zealand wineries believe they will be profitable in 10 years' time despite the "tough times ahead", a wine industry survey reveals.

California: Special terroir, special wines
Ewan McDonald finds not all good US fruit of the vine comes from Napa.

Wine: Employing common senses
The art of wine-tasting requires the use of all of your faculties.

Wine: The chance Cook missed
Do wines taste better drunk from a glass while meandering among the vines from which the grapes were grown? I think so, but then I am hopelessly sentimental.

Good taste: Prince William's royal affair
The media attention surrounding Prince William's trip to Christchurch and Greymouth was almost as big as the circus over pint-sized pop star Justin Bieber's New Zealand tour.

Wine: No-risk sophistication
"If champagne speaks of celebration, then port speaks of relaxation."

Wine: A vine chance to help others
Wine-inspired initiatives are supporting quake-stricken Christchurch.

Italy wins cocktail contest
An "elixir of love" brought Italy victory in Queenstown's annual cocktail world cup on Friday night.

Wine: Following the market
Scoffing at the merits of pinot gris is no longer fashionable - if, indeed, it ever was.

Four of the best: Irish pubs
The "Bollix" has built its reputation on featuring the best in homegrown and international rock, pop, celtic, folk and blues talent.

Cocktail World Cup contestants take the plunge
Jetlagged contestants at the 42 Below Cocktail World Cup were given an adrenaline-filled introduction to their week in Queenstown yesterday.

Success: Wine just part of vineyard's yield
Entertainment and hospitality boost Soljan's revenue.

Wine: The vintner's luck
Some of our most experienced wine entrepreneurs are among New Zealand's richest people.

Wine: Lured Downunder
Still they come. Men and women with vision, courage, zeal and determination. They dream.

South Australia: Valley of vines
Kerri Jackson soaks up more than just good wine on a Penfolds tour that's steeped in history.

Wine: Out of the bin
For lovers of fine wine, March 1 is coming to mean only one thing every year: the annual release of Penfolds highly sought after Bin selection.

Wine: Stepping out for a drop
It's an exciting thing to discover a bar that has the right mix of interesting wines and good music.

Wine: Bottles speak for selves
When wanting to impress visiting overseas wine buffs, I have trusty favourites that I pluck from the cellar and open with a good deal of confidence.

Good taste: Syrah's comeback
Randall Graham, a founding member of Californian wine group, The Rhône Rangers, once claimed it was more difficult to get rid of a case of syrah than the clap.

Don't over do the fridge time for your wine
Thanks to the recent soaring temperatures I've fallen in love with my fridge over the past few weeks.

Wine: Ready for riesling
When this variety is doing its job well it can transport you to a different place.

Wine: A year of gorgeous drops
Wine writer John Hawkesby takes a look back over a year of sipping to come up with his 12 best bottles.

Good Taste:In praise of riesling
If you donned a "Jesus drinks riesling" T-shirt in the normal world, most people would think you were one sandwich short of a picnic, but among other riesling freaks it doesn't make the grade.