New Zealand Wine Guide (2nd Edition) Book Launch
We celebrated the launch of the NZ Wine Guide with a wine tasting (naturally) and a guest appearance by illustrious wine maker and winery photographer, Kevin Judd. It is certainly Kevin's photos that provide such meaningful illustrations of the story of New Zealand wine and Kevin joined us live from his home in Marlborough.
Our tasting included 15 leading New Zealand Wines
Kumeu River Cremant
Blackenbrook Pinot Gris 2019
Tongue in Groove Riesling 2015
Millton Chenin Blanc 2018
Hans Herzog Mistral: Viognier, Marsanne, Roussane 2017
Kelly Washington Sauvignon Blanc 2017
Kumeu River Hunting Hill Chardonnay 2018
Cambridge Road Pinot Noir 2017
Greywacke Pinot Noir 2017
Burn Cottage Pinot Noir 2016
Passage Rock Syrah 2019
Craggy Range Merlot 2016
Hans Herzog Tempranillo 2015
Oak Estate Late Harvest Chardonnay 2018
Pegasus Bay Finale Noble Sauvignon Semillon 2017
We asked our guests to complete a questionnaire that included about what they liked about the wine: fruit? acid? mouthfeel? and then if they would buy the wine (as price is no object!).
The 5 top rated wines were:
Millton Chenin Blanc 2018
Kumeu River Hunting Hill Chardonnay 2018
Burn Cottage Pinot Noir 2016
Hans Herzog Tempranillo 2015
Pegasus Bay Finale Noble Sauvignon Semillon 2017
The 5 wines that people would buy were:
Millton Chenin Blanc 2018
Oak Estate Late Harvest Chardonnay 2018
Burn Cottage Pinot Noir 2016
Hans Herzog Tempranillo 2015
Pegasus Bay Finale Noble Sauvignon Semillon 2017
Pegasus Bay Finale Noble Sauvignon Semillon was the resounding winner on both questions.
Just goes to show that many kiwis do have a sweet-spot for those luscious white wines...
Some Choice News!
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!
Have you got New Zealand's best shed? Show us and win!
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.
Share your favourite main crop potato recipe and win a copy of our mag!
Love potatoes? We will give away free copies of the May 2026 issue to readers whose potato recipes are used in our magazine. To be in the running, make sure you email your family's favourite way to enjoy potatoes: mailbox@nzgardener.co.nz, by March 1, 2026.
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