Day 2 of Our Napier Winery Tour
Day 2 of our Napier Winery Tours started at the prestigious CRAGGY RANGE. An impressive venue. Matthew showed us around the exterior of the venue & told us its history. We had a tasting outside before moving into the venue & having a further tasting in the barrel room. The wines here have a proven international track record & were partaken of enthusiastically!
At mid-day, we had an excellent tasting & lunch at BLACK BARN. We had the tasting on arrival & enjoyed the award-winning wines, The lunch choices were many & varied, on the first trip but the service, though good, was slow., because of the school holidays We had a schedule to which we had to adhere, so we were very grateful that, on our second trip, things were changed & we were given a delicious 2-course menu ( Entree & Main),
SMITH & SHETH is a venue of which many have not heard. Each year since 2008, the Gimblett Gravels Winegrowers Association has hired Sydney-based Master of Wine, Andrew Caillard, to choose his top syrah and blended red wines from a single vintage. His latest selection features wines from the 2018 vintage.
Of the 6 syrah chosen for the 2018 Vintage Selection, two were from Smith &Sheth - The CRU Heretaunga Syrah & the S&S Cru Omaha Syrah. The presenters here were a wealth of knowledge & had been sommeliers. It waswas an outstanding presentation.
We had green olives provided & were told that they make you salivate, which improves your tasting.
PARITUA WINERY has only recently opened its cellar door.Their greatest strength is in Bordeaux-style red wines.With the help of a high-tech digital sorting machine that photographs every berry, rejecting those with imperfections, Paritua seems to be able to make good wines from challenging vintages such as 2018 and 2016, from which others would quail
It was worth visiting this stylish, modern winery’s recently-opened cellar door and many added their name to the mailing list. The bus was a bit heavier when we left this venue.
Poll: If we want to reduce speeding, what do you think actually changes driver behaviour? 🛻🚨🚓
In the Post's article on speeding penalties, the question is asked whether speeding fines are truly about road safety, or are they just a way to boost revenue for the Crown?
What do you think? Should speeding motorists receive speeding fines or demerit points?
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40.7% The sting of a fine (Money talks!)
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59.3% The threat of demerit points (Nobody wants to lose their license!)
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.
Scam Alert: Bank cold calls
ASB is warning customers about reports of cold calls from scammers claiming to be from ASB. These scammers are trying to obtain personal information, including usernames, dates of birth, and verification codes sent to your mobile phone.
🛡️ The "Caller Check" Test
If you get a call from someone claiming to be from ASB and you’re unsure, just ask them for a Caller Check. You will then be able to verify the call through the app.
Remember, banks will:
❌ Never ask for your banking passwords, PINs, or verification codes
❌ Never need to know your full credit card number – especially the CVC
❌ Never ask you to download software or remotely access your device
❌ Never ask you to purchase gift cards or transfer funds.
If you have received a phone call and think your account has been compromised, call ASB on 0800 ASB FRAUD (0800 272 372), or visit your local branch.
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