Marlborough might have conquered the world with Sauvignon Blanc, but tucked away in the Wairau Valley, something rather magnificent has been happening with Chardonnay. If you mention Marlborough to anyone with even a passing interest in wine, they’ll almost certainly say Sauvignon Blanc. And fair enough. It’s the wine that put New Zealand on the […]
In Part One of this story, I told you about Kai Tak Stadium, 50 years of the Hong Kong Sevens and the run of Cathay Pacific lounges that bookended the trip. But Kai Tak was only half the story. Cathay Pacific and the Hong Kong Tourism Board had built a week around us that went […]
I landed in Hong Kong at 9.05 pm, and by the time I’d cleared the terminal I understood why Cathay Pacific calls this city home. The airline I had just stepped off is marking its 80th anniversary this year, and every part of the journey, from boarding in New Zealand to touching down at Hong […]
In support of the Hawkes Bay community and attended by some of Hawkes Bays’ finest, Rolls-Royce Auckland was finally able to have its long-awaited showcase at the Atrium at Tribune in Hastings. After several attempts marred by Covid and then more recently the devastating cyclone in Hawkes Bay, this inaugural event finally came to fruition. […]
I’d always wondered what a robotic vacuum cleaner would be like. I could see the application would be an awesome way to cut out one of the jobs we all hate and free up quite a lot of time. I’d also heard that they were prone to falling down stairs and getting entangled in anything […]
Starting life as a pilot boat for America One in the America’s Cup race in 2000, a 14m (50ft) launch, a catamaran or twin hull motor yacht had made its way into our family. After 20 years of many family trips though it was in much need of some love and attention, so we set […]
Our two favourite things at M2 are Champagne Bollinger and James Bond. Sophisticated and stylish, while still remaining slightly irreverent. The brands represented by Bond often feature in our pages and the Bond movies have always had a lot of coverage by us around the launches. The content from these movies gets great engagement from […]
Last issue we covered some outstanding Pinot Noirs from this part of the world. Here we talk about its closest cousin the Pinot Gris – thought to be a mutant clone of Pinot Noir and named Pinot Gris because of the greyish/blue colour of the grapes’s skin (Gris being French for ‘grey’). Originating from Burgundy, […]
New Zealand is host some of the world’s most southerly grape-growing regions. At at a latitude of 45º south, Central Otago has a climate similar to the world’s great Pinot Noir producer Burgundy, France where you’ll find the world’s most expensive wines. While the wines produced in Central Otago are getting worldwide recognition with some […]
Our drinks section is all about authenticity this month and there’s nothing more authentic than Champagne Bollinger. While whisky houses keep everything they make, in the wine game Bollinger only keeps the Cuvée, which for the uninitiated means the 2,050 better quality litres out of 4,000 kg of grapes. What happens to the rest you […]
Yalumba is one of the very few major players in the Australian wine industry to still remain in family hands and has done so for over 150 years. Established by Samuel Smith back in 1849 in the Barossa Valley, Yalumba has become one of Australia’s major wine producers, producing outstanding Bordeaux blends and Shiraz from […]
Wine lovers looking for a new white that stands outside the conventional offerings should keep their eye on The Virgilius 2016 by Yalumba. The grapes for this complex Viognier were hand picked throughout February and March in 2016. They were then whole-bunch pressed directly to mature French oak barriques, where they were fermented by ‘wild’ […]
With the advent of Spring, what better than a lovely glass of Rosé. The growth in popularity of Rosé over the past few years has been meteoric, but Rosés are nothing new, in fact you could say that the earliest wines were in fact Rosés of sorts. If you look at early renaissance art, you’ll […]
Over the past few months, we have interviewed quite a few winemakers and, while Rosés have been the fastest growing category of recent years, it is the Chardonnays that are almost unanimously expected to be the next big thing for New Zealand wines. New Zealand is producing some outstanding Chardonnays. Here are three Hawke’s Bay […]
South Island born and bred Jody Pagey is this year celebrating his 20th vintage in the wine industry and 12th in Central Otago. After experience around the world, Pagey is putting all of his experience into use as the winemaker for Mount Michael Wines. We talk to Pagey about his philosophy and the future of winemaking in […]
Over the winter months, we have covered some of the most outstanding reds from our part of the world. We’ve brought you a selection of some of the best we have tried with ‘bites’ of information that you can share when you bring these wines out at the next occasion. This is the last of […]
UNDERSTANDABLY, CHIVAS REGAL ARE VERY EXCITED ABOUT THE LAUNCH OF THEIR NEW WHISKY, THE CHIVAS REGAL ULTIS, THEIR FIRST BLENDED MALT SCOTCH WHISKY. FROM MILLIONS OF CASKS IN THE CHIVAS BROTHERS INVENTORY, LESS THAN 1% HAS BEEN HAND-SELECTED BY THE EXPERT BLENDING TEAM TO CREATE THIS SPECIAL BLEND. So it’s a pretty big deal to […]
Waiheke is one of our youngest wine growing areas with the first vines being planted there in 1978 by Kim and Jeanette Goldwater, however the region is fast making a name for itself internationally as one of our premier wine growing areas. Waiheke is recognised for growing some of our best Chardonnays, Syrahs and Bordeaux […]
Heinrich Storm, Goldie Estate Goldie Estate (formerly known as Goldwater Estate) is the oldest winery on Waiheke Island and one that has helped define the island as an integral part of New Zealand’s wine offering. When Kim and Jean Goldwater first planted the vineyard in 1978, there were many logistical hurdles including having to bring […]
Sam Dunleavy, Te Motu Vineyard Sam Dunleavy is part of a new breed of winemakers. One that has access to a level of innovation, technology, marketing and distribution like never before. Yet at the same time he is carrying on a generational legacy with methods set in place by his father John, uncle Paul, […]
Daniel Struckman – Batch Winery On a north facing exposed ridge, on Waiheke Island, Winemaker, Daniel Struckman and his team at Batch Winery create boutique (batch-driven) wines that are world class. They are uniquely Waiheke Island, in terms of drawing on the elements that combine on this special spot in the middle of the Hauraki […]
Throughout the year we are lucky enough to sample some incredible wines. It is always the best of these wines that we feature in our pages and while we don’t feature every wine we get sent, we are always overwhelmed at the calibre of wines that keep coming through the M2 doors. There are, however, […]
Throughout the year we are lucky enough to sample some incredible wines. It is always the best of these wines that we feature in our pages and while we don’t feature every wine we get sent, we are always overwhelmed at the calibre of wines that keep coming through the M2 doors. There are, however, […]
Villa Maria is one of our most highly respected wine labels. For the fourth year in a row they were recognised as one of the world’s most admired wine brands – the highest ranking New Zealand winery. Since 1961, under the guidance of Sir George Fistonich, the brand has become one of our biggest wine […]
Every three months or so a few of us in the neighbourhood get together to try a few drams of whisky. While predominantly blokes, there are now few brave women joining the fold of what has become affectionately known as the Renfrew Whisky Appreciation Society. Having been established just 12 months ago, the numbers have […]
Syrah originated from the northern Rhône region of southeastern of France and is in fact the offspring of two relatively obscure grape varietals Dureza and Mondeuse blanche. While both of these are barely in existence today, Syrah is now the 7th most popular grape in the world, grown across the globe in wine growing regions […]
They say a fine wine only gets better with age, and with a rich history spanning over the past 168 years, Australia’s Yalumba winery is a testament to that. Take a closer look at the only operating wine cooperage in the southern hemisphere. Nestled away in the Barossa Valley, Yalumba may just be the most historic winery […]
A Bordeaux wine is any wine produced in the Bordeaux region of south-west France. The area produces predominantly red wines, which the English will often refer to as Clarets. These red Bordeaux wines are generally made from a blend of grapes, with Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot being the most common. While the Bordeaux […]
The Pinot Noir grape hails from Burgundy in France. While their origins are in France you’ll find that our New Zealand Pinot Noirs are quite unique. It is this uniqueness that has our wine producers looking to Pinot Noir to being the next big export success – on the back of their outstanding success with […]
Recently a few of us lads in the neighborhood got together and established the Renfrew Whisky Appreciation Society. While it sounds incredibly sophisticated, it’s not. It is a bunch of blokes looking for a good excuse to imbibe good whisky. The concept is simple, it always revolves around Single Malt whisky and entry is by […]
In this issue we compare some of our best New Zealand Chardonnays with their close relatives from the Chablis region of France. The big difference we found was the flinty minerality of the Chablis versus the more dominant fruit flavours that came through in their New Zealand counterparts. To be called a Chablis they must […]
Often referred to as the elixir of the gods and quite possibly the magic potion from Gaul that often appeared in Asterix comics, Champagne has long been the celebratory drink for all occasions. To a large part, the wine makers use predominantly Pinot Noir grapes mainly from the Champagne region mixed with Chablis from the […]
Champagne has long been the celebratory drink for all occasions. To be called Champagne, it must be produced in the Champagne region and, to a large extent, winemakers use predominantly Pinot Noir (black) grapes mixed with Chablis (Chardonnay). Here is a selection some of our favourite bubbles for the festive season, including one of our […]
While Chardonnays might be making a comeback and a lot of people are ‘branching out’ and trying different varietals, it is still the Sauvignon Blancs that dominate the landscape when it comes to our favourite white wines. It is of course the Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc that we have to thank for the meteoric rise of […]
A few weeks ago we had a another of our whisky nights with a group of lads from the neighborhood. We call it the Renfrew Whisky Appreciation Society but it is simply an enthusiastic bunch from all walks, including lawyers, accountants, bankers and a couple of project managers, all of whom have a common interest […]
Champagne has never been just a wine. It has long been recognised as something special, and until recent times, something that has only been enjoyed by nobility. Often referred to as, “the Nectar of the Gods”. Champagne can only be called Champagne if it comes from the Champagne region – an area that rarely sees […]
My younger brother is a chef and, being passionate about food, has always been very hands on when it comes to his craft. He always maintains that the passion and love for what you are creating comes through in the end product: “you can taste the love.” It is that same passion that comes through […]
One of our favourite wineries and the most awarded boutique winery in new Zealand has just come out with a new range. This new range joins their premium lineup and sits perfectly between their Elspeth and the Reserve ranges that we often recommend in M2. The new line up was born from the desire of […]
It’s officially spring and, with summer on the way, it is the perfect timing for the release of some spectacular new season wines and time to line up some stunning Pinots, two Pinot gris with very distinct characteristics – one from Hawkes Bay and the other from Waipara Valley, a lovely Pinot Rosé from Marlborough […]
Over the winter months we have covered some of the most outstanding reds from our part of the world. We’ve brought you a selection of some of the best we have tried with ‘bites’ of information that you can share when you bring these wines out at the next occasion. This is the last of […]
If you thought that 2017’s random weather patterns had ruined your weekend plans spare a thought for our nation’s winemakers whose reputations hinge on one of the more challenging vintages in recent history. With Cyclone Debbie, Cyclone Donna, Cyclone Cook and other extreme weather events impacting vineyards all over the country winemakers have had a […]
Warm up your winter evenings around a good drop of red. It’s a great time of year for dinner parties. Time to get light the fire, light the candles, relax and enjoy one another’s company over a nice roast and a good bottle of red. The challenge is to choose the right wine for the […]
We all love a good party here at M2 and dinner parties at home are such a great way to really get to know one another. It’s easy to turn up with a bottle of wine, the dilemma is what wine to turn up with. If you choose a red to suit the personality of […]
Australia’s oldest family-owned winery has put its years of experience and wine pioneering expertise to good use with the exceptional and rare new wine, the 2012 Yalumba The Caley Cabernet & Shiraz. Under a moonlit sky, 168 years ago, Yalumba winemakers planted their first vines. Now, as the only Australian winery to have its own […]
