This year's Vinitaly was a top reason to explore a little of the world's most fascinating wine country, and who better to meet than Walter Massa, thanks to his excellent UK importer, Master of Wine Michael Palij; these two are doing more than their fair share to champion one of the world's most underrated, least known and excellent white wines, Timorasso.

You may well ask: "What's that?" The answer is: the original Gavi grape. Which means, we're in the north west of Italy where Walter's outstanding 1998 Vigneti Massa Costa del Vento Timorasso was a pristine aged white with hints of an old Alsatian white. Believe it or not. Walter's Timorasso from the DOC of Colli Tortonese is a must try for those who love the acidity of great Riesling, the ageability of Chenin Blanc and

the indefinable freshness of Verdicchio, all rolled into one inimitable northern Italiano bianco - pictured below as Walter, Michael and I taste an aged bottle. 

I have a Diploma in Journalism (1989) from Wellington Polytechnic, New Zealand and, for the past 18 years, have combined a love for language and wine; writing about it in newspapers, magazines and 12 wine books. My wine column appears every Saturday in "Your Weekend" magazine in The Dominion Post - New Zealand's capital city's daily - syndicated to The Christchurch Press and Waikato Times. I edit Drinksbiz magazine and teach at the NZ School of Food & Wine. My first wine column was in Capital Times in Wellington, in 1994, after living in London, Edinburgh and the Shetland Islands, where work as a flambe waitress fanned the flames of wine passion. 

The NZ School of Food & Wine moved from Christchurch to Auckland following the earthquake of 22 February 2011 and it is one of the key places in New Zealand to Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET) qualifications; industry standard in the UK. Will be good when New Zealand restaurants, bars, wine stores and the wine industry follow suit. I teach it part time at the school. http://foodandwine.co.nz/Sommelier

Dog Point Winery founders, winemakers, viticulturists and wine lovers... Ivan Sutherland and James Healey, pictured right, at the after party following the 4th Dog Point Vineyard and Logan Brown Classic Kiwi Picnic in Marlborough, New Zealand, on Saturday 10 March 2012. Dog Point wine highlight: 2010 Dog Point Chardonnay - This youthful Chardonnay tastes like it has a long life ahead with fresh vibrant acidity running as a solid core through this full bodied, savoury style, thanks to the wine spending significant time on lees, post-fermentation. Here's a wine that shows the South Island can produce outstanding bone dry white combining the best of New Zealand's vibrant fruit flavours with an innate understanding of great white Burgundy. Best ever DP Chardonnay for me.

Left, Ivan Sutherland blind tasted visitors, including yours truly (pictured) on 2000 Vega Sicilia Unico, 1993 The Armagh, 1991 Ornellaia, among other unblinded wines, of which the 2003 Rene Engel Grand Cru Echezeaux was the highlight.