1548 days ago

WSET Level 3 Award in Wines

New Zealand School of Food & Wine

Learning about wine involves international travel in your glass. Here is our tasting today for the WSET Level 3. San Gregorio Fiano di Avellino DOCG from Campania, Italy, Argyros Atlantis Assyrtiko from Santorini Island, Greece, Masi Valpolicella Classico DOC, Emiliana Adobe Carmenere, organic wine from Colchagua Valley, Chile, Fontodi Chianti Classico DOCG, Marques de Riscal Reserva, Voyager Estate, The Modern Cabernet Sauvignon from Margaret River, Western Australia.

Our Sunday WSET Level 3 tasting started with Massolino Moscato d'Asti; Jansz Premier Cuvée from Tasmania, Piper Heidsieck NV followed by Fortified wines Tio Pepe Palamino Fino, the outstanding Del Duque Amontillado VORS 30 years also from Gonzales Byass; Cazes Rivesaltes AOC Ambré 2004; Warres Otima Tawny Port 20 years; Campbells Rutherglen Muscat and Williams & Humbert Pedro Ximenez 12 years old sweet sherry.

We then wrote formal tasting notes for the following wines in preparation of the WSET Level 3 exam on Sunday 12 December.

Franz Hirtzberger Gruner Veltliner Federspiel 2016;
Alba de Vetus Albarino, Rias Biaxas 2019;
Mullineux Swartland Syrah 2014 and
Prats & Symington Post Scriptum, Touriga Nacional blend 2018, Douro, Portugal

Fascinating and captivating wines for sure!

More messages from your neighbours
19 hours ago

Some Choice News!

Kia pai from Sharing the Good Stuff

DOC is rolling out a new tool to help figure out what to tackle first when it comes to protecting our threatened species and the things putting them at risk.

Why does this matter? As Nikki Macdonald from The Post points out, we’re a country with around 4,400 threatened species. With limited time and funding, conservation has always meant making tough calls about what gets attention first.

For the first time, DOC has put real numbers around what it would take to do everything needed to properly safeguard our unique natural environment. The new BioInvest tool shows the scale of the challenge: 310,177 actions across 28,007 sites.

Now that we can see the full picture, it brings the big question into focus: how much do we, as Kiwis, truly value protecting nature — and what are we prepared to invest to make it happen?

We hope this brings a smile!

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3 hours ago

Selling Investor house

Navera from Mangere

Is anyone looking to buy an investor house in Mangare Bridge. It's a brand new two bedroom, one bathroom townhouse, it is going for $580,000 to $600,000.The house comes with a well referred tenant and is not to be sold to live in but to invest in with a current tenant. She is the first and only tenant that has lived there. It is located near the motorway and bus stops and is in a very safe communal neighborhood managed by Bodycorp. The house is surrounded by beautiful views and trees everywhere and is therefore very cute and cozy. If you are interested to buy the house as an investment please message me. I will send you the pictures.

20 days ago

Have you got New Zealand's best shed? Show us and win!

Mei Leng Wong Reporter from NZ Gardener & Get Growing

Once again, Resene and NZ Gardener are on the hunt for New Zealand’s best shed! Send in the photos and the stories behind your man caves, she sheds, clever upcycled spaces, potty potting sheds and colourful chicken coops. The Resene Shed of the Year 2026 winner receives $1000 Resene ColorShop voucher, a $908 large Vegepod Starter Pack and a one-year subscription to NZ Gardener. To enter, tell us in writing (no more than 500 words) why your garden shed is New Zealand’s best, and send up to five high-quality photos by email to mailbox@nzgardener.co.nz. Entries close February 23, 2026.

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