You may have heard that Halliday is now tasting New Zealand wines. Let's introduce you to the members of the Tasting Team who are reviewing wines from our Antipodean neighbour.
Dave Brookes says he is stoked to be covering wines from the country he was raised in. Dave's allocated regions are across both the North and South islands, and include Hawke's Bay, Central Otago and Bannockburn. New Zealand is also a special place for Mike Bennie, who is focused on Wairarapa, Gladstone, and Martinborough.
Jane Faulkner says it would be remiss of any writer to ignore what the Kiwis do. She's looking after Auckland, Matakana, Kumeū, and Waiheke Island. For Shanteh Wale, who will review wines from Marlborough and Nelson, tasting these wines again is as satisfying as visiting New Zealand.
Dave Brookes
Dave on his connection to New Zealand: My family were Ten Pound Poms and we moved from the UK to Ōtautahi, Christchurch when I was little. After high school, I flew the nest, heading off overseas to work in the music industry while my parents relocated to North Canterbury, just inland of Waikari (where they live to this day). They started working as the 'oldies' in a few vineyards in and around Waipara – it was here that I began to tuck into the wines of New Zealand in my early 20s.
Highlight so far: To be honest, it's all been a highlight so far. It's just so nice to have a deeper, renewed connection to the regions and wines I've appreciated through the years, so to say I'm stoked to be covering New Zealand wines is a bit of an understatement. I'm looking forward to everything – the wines, the land, the people and the produce.
Dave Brookes will be reviewing wines from:
North Island: Gisborne, Hawke's Bay, Central Hawke's Bay, Northland, Waikato – Bay of Plenty
South Island: Canterbury, North Canterbury, Waipara Valley, Central Otago, Bannockburn, Waitaki Valley
Mike Bennie
Mike on his connection to New Zealand: My first backpacking trip (aged 17) was to NZ, so my eye was caught then by the varied landscapes of this amazing and diverse country. However, from a wine standpoint, I started working with NZ wines over 20 years ago when I was working at Best Cellars Fine Wine Merchants... I was there when Pyramid Valley was first planting, and established a relationship to import their wines. I worked with Bell Hill Wines in their early days doing similar; the business also imported Mt Edward, Churton and Schubert, alongside a collection of other prestigious producers, and again it was my role to visit and work with these great wineries. From these formative days I made it part of my education charter to visit New Zealand at least once a year and travel around tasting.
Most looking forward to: It's going to be fantastic to, once again, deep dive into NZ and to, importantly, foster connections with the wonderful, energetic (and super fun!) winemaking community in NZ.
Mike Bennie will be reviewing wines from:
North Island: Wairarapa, Gladstone, Martinborough
Jane Faulkner
Jane Faulkner on her connection to New Zealand: I’ve been visiting New Zealand as a wine lover, writer and traveller for a couple of decades. Its beauty, lushness – it’s so green, rugged and breathtaking, but it's the people that keep me coming back. Oh and the wine, too.
I’ve been writing about New Zealand wine since I started out as a journalist, back when I was penning columns for The Age/Sydney Morning Herald, more than 20 years ago. Australia has a strong connection to New Zealand and it’s no secret we love their wines.
Most excited about: Tasting wine from another country means I’m transported there. For example, when drinking Kumeū River’s famed Maté vineyard chardonnay, I can picture the place, the layout of the land and how it feels. It’s my job to convey that in some way to our readers.
Jane Faulkner will be reviewing wines from:
North Island: Auckland, Matakana, Kumeū, Waiheke Island
Shanteh Wale
Shanteh on her connection to New Zealand: I first visited New Zealand through Sommit™ 2018. New Zealand Wine Sommelier Scholarship & ‘Sommit™’ invites wine professionals to discover regions, varieties and landscapes. I fell in love, hook, line and sinker! I am an outdoor girl and Sommit™ was a dream realised.
Highlight so far: Revisiting these wines is almost as satisfying as visiting the stunning countryside itself; they capture the essence of the glorious landscape and the abundance of life within it.
Most looking forward to: Finding the gems that translate place and time, and discovering new stories.
Shanteh Wale will be reviewing wines from:
South Island: Marlborough, Nelson
View all New Zealand tasting notes.
If you are a New Zealand producer and would like to submit your wines for review, you can find more information here.
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