Joelle Thomson

Wine writer and award winning wine author


What I am drinking, reading and savouring each week

New releases from Yealands

October 15, 2024
 White wines rule the vinous roost in Marlborough with 81% of its vineyard area planted in Sauvignon Blanc, 9% in Pinot Noir, 4% each in Chardonnay and Pinot Gris and 1% in Riesling. This leaves lesser known grape varieties, such as Albarino and Gewurztraminer, to make ...
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One year and three days after my sister, my daughter, my beautiful Mum's partner and our wider family and I said our last goodbye to Mum, I was lucky enough to attend the 2024 Hawke's Bay Charity Wine Auction. This year the auction raised $325,697 for the Cranford Hospice. M...
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Highlight of the weekend; being at the Hawke's Bay Charity Wine Auction in a room full of people who were happy to give to the Cranford Hospice, including the purchase of one lot of wine (Te Mata Coleraine), only to gift it back for re-auctioning. This meant that the particu...
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Chardonnay is king and queen of the global wine scene, no rhymes intended, because it is the most popular wine in the world and is widely tipped to be the most planted grape variety on Earth. It is also the top drop at Tony Bish's Urban Winery in Napier, an historic building...
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Folding Hill is a small wine brand situated in Bendigo, one of the driest of all wine sub regions in Central Otago. Evocative by name and by location, it is owned by Tim and Nikki Kerruish, who own an off the grid home on their vineyard and pour their time, resources and lov...
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Rapaura Springs has released these three single vineyard, site expressive wines this month and each wine highlights the diversity of Marlborough as a wine region. It may be heavily dependent on Sauvignon Blanc but the Chardonnay and Pinot Noir here are clear examples of two ...
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Bookings are open now for the second weekend of Discover Te Muna Valley, an outstanding two day discovery of the spectacular valley that lies nine kilometres east of Martinborough wine village.This is the second Discover Te Muna weekend. Our first event was in August this ye...
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Martinborough wine news

August 7, 2024
It's been a busy two months on the Martinborough wine scene with launches, tastings, a new brand (Mason) and new releases, including the sixth vintage of Marie Zelie Pinot Noir and new single vineyard Pinot Noirs from Escarpment. Not to mention a private group’s Italian ta...
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It was warmer than usual, drier than usual and riper than usual, which could be an expression of climate change (warmer weather) or an unusually warm year. Whatever it comes to down, the new 2023 Earth & Sky Pinot Noir is a richly fruity, spicy Pinot Noir from Central Ot...
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What is Marlborough’s best kept vinous secret? There are several contenders but it has to be a wine that is rising in stature, both in volume and in value (quality, in another word). So, here it is: Pinot Noir. The vast stony plains of free draining, arid soils and th...
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