http://www.joellethomson.com/blog/ The latest Blog feeds from www.joellethomson.com en-us Sat, 13 Jun 2026 20:37:12 +1200 Rocketspark http://www.joellethomson.com/blog/post/165953/californian-cabernet-shows-a-cool-side/ For a region (or should we say a 'state') that has the perhaps dubious accolade of being the fourth biggest producer of wine in the world, California features strangely rarely in our glasses at this far flung end of the Earth. But two recent encounters with big bold reds from the sun drenched climate of California (which made 81% of all United States wine, in 2020*) have forced a rethink of hot climate red wines. Not least because California also has cooler climatic pockets, as the second vintag... Mon, 08 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +1200 http://www.joellethomson.com/blog/#post165953 http://www.joellethomson.com/blog/post/165970/bendigos-best-foot-forward/ 2025 Mondillo Central Otago Pinot Noir RRP $58Bendigo may be situated 80 kilometres from Queenstown but its latest 2025 Pinot Noir reflects all the majestic beauty of the deep south. The new 2025 vintage (officially released in July this year) shows the estate’s silkiest side with this wine's velvety smooth mouthfeel layered over purity of dark fruit in a wine with a savoury mid palate. Its vibrancy reveals an accessible and approachable wine to enjoy now, in its youth, and its firm structure ... Sun, 07 Jun 2026 19:01:50 +1200 http://www.joellethomson.com/blog/#post165970 http://www.joellethomson.com/blog/post/165784/rockburns-punchy-new-releases-from-the-deep-south/ Where did the past 20 years go? The latest releases from Rockburn of Central Otago mark the 21st vintage of winemaker Malcolm Rees‑Francis, whose tenure has shaped Rockburn into one of the region’s most consistent wineries for quality and diversity but also span Central's journey from a new wine frontier into one of the world’s most respected cool climate wine regions. Central is the most southerly major wine region on Earth. It has forged a global reputation in a few short decades for win... Wed, 03 Jun 2026 10:18:54 +1200 http://www.joellethomson.com/blog/#post165784 http://www.joellethomson.com/blog/post/165678/honouring-the-past-in-martinborough/ This column is also published in the Martinborough Star, June 2026There’s something to be said for Pinot Noir clones and New Zealand winemakers have had plenty to say about them over the past month with the seventh vintage release of Martinborough Vineyard’s top wine, Marie Zelie, made from 10/5 and Abel clones. Not only that but the announcement that the 2024 Nga Waka Lease Block Pinot Noir scooped four trophies, a gold medal and high score at the one of the world’s biggest wine competiti... Tue, 02 Jun 2026 22:08:14 +1200 http://www.joellethomson.com/blog/#post165678 http://www.joellethomson.com/blog/post/165615/hope-for-a-generation/ Virginie le Brun's first memory of selling was as a young child, boarding a bus of visiting tourists and asking if they would be interested in buying bags of pine cones. It was her own idea to package up several bags of green pinecones, much to her mother's surprise, and (also to her mother's surprise) several people bought a bag. It was a confidence building experience and it came naturally to Virginie. So, it's no surprise that led her as a young person into a part time role as a sales pe... Sun, 31 May 2026 00:00:00 +1200 http://www.joellethomson.com/blog/#post165615 http://www.joellethomson.com/blog/post/165613/rock-and-a-good-place--wine-of-the-week/ Central Otago was once as famous for its rocky canyons and hair raising gravel roads as it now is for its Pinot Noir but whether it is driving or making wine in this dramatic mountainous landscape, it can be a risky venture.The most famous of all the well known risky drives in Central has historically been Skipper's Canyon and yes, I have been down there - several times - in a Land Rover, on a mini bus and in a car but I sometimes think that making wine is even more challenging than attempt... Sat, 30 May 2026 19:50:28 +1200 http://www.joellethomson.com/blog/#post165613 http://www.joellethomson.com/blog/post/165586/red-hut-makers-release-second-chardonnay/ Red Hut Chardonnay has moved onto its second release with the launch of the 2025 vintage of this inaugural wine brand. The Red Hut wine brand was launched last year in New Zealand by the duo behind the concept - Mike Farrugia (New Zealand wine importer, distributor and producer) and Corey Ryan, winemaker of this and other brands (Australian-based).From the get-go, the Red Hut wines have over delivered on taste, marketing and - obviously - good value, offering more than many of their co... Sat, 30 May 2026 00:00:00 +1200 http://www.joellethomson.com/blog/#post165586 http://www.joellethomson.com/blog/post/165585/top-12-from-2024--gimblett-gravels-wines-announced/ What a vintage. The 2024 top 12 reds from Gimblett Gravels in Hawke's Bay, New Zealand, have been announced and independent taster Andrew Caillard MW describes the wines from the 2024 vintage in Gimblett Gravels Wine Growing District® (GGWD) as "An embarrassment of richness.” The wines are selected via a blind tasting led by Master of Wine Andrew Caillard, the 2024 AVS represents the best of the vintage. Now in its 17th  year, the initiative ensures influential wine media and market lead... Fri, 29 May 2026 12:45:25 +1200 http://www.joellethomson.com/blog/#post165585 http://www.joellethomson.com/blog/post/165319/dream-martinborough-vintage-wins-top-scores-in-london/ Every vineyard has a story behind it and that story gained a lot more significance this week for Nga Waka Lease Block Pinot Noir 2024 from Martinborough, which won four trophies, a gold medal and 96/100 points at the 2026 International Wine and Spirits Challenge.The Challenge has forged a name for putting wines through their paces rigorously every year since it was founded in 1969, so it's no mean feat to gain high scores, let alone so many trophies. And while this is a significant win for the s... Sun, 24 May 2026 14:47:11 +1200 http://www.joellethomson.com/blog/#post165319 http://www.joellethomson.com/blog/post/165308/from-france-to-new-zealand--the-inspiring-family-behind-clos-henri/ When scanning the land in Sancerre for new places to expand, brothers Jean-Marie and the late Rémi Bourgeois discovered it was going to be extremely tricky, which led them to... Marlborough, New Zealand. Some might say it's the epicentre of Sauvignon Blanc but for a family whose members have been making wine in France for 10 generations, that might be a little bit of a stretch. That was in 2000 and the two brothers bought 98 hectares of land, naming it 'Clos Henri'. In many ways, they are ... Fri, 22 May 2026 22:40:06 +1200 http://www.joellethomson.com/blog/#post165308