One event I am looking forward to is the Waiheke Island of Wine Expo on September 17. It’s at the Floating Pavilion, so it’s a cracking venue and the line-up is fantastic, with 17 wineries taking part. It’s a great opportunity to get familiar with Waiheke wines in a way that won’t break the bank.
I’m going through a bit of a Waiheke wine obsession after having had some mouth-wateringly lovely wine from there recently.
When I first tasted wines from Waiheke, about 18 years ago, I was astonished not so much at the quality of the wine as to how on earth they could get away with charging so much for it.
I know that wine is a capital-intensive business and small production means big prices, but there was certainly an element of having to pay a premium simply because the word Waiheke was printed on the label.
I’ve changed my tune pretty radically down the years. The prices can still be right up there, but the level of quality has increased so markedly that you hardly wince at the price tag and several of my current favourite wines manage to pack exquisite quality into a reasonably priced bottle.
So, if you are not on any mailing lists and would like to try some of the loveliest wines currently residing in a bottle, check out the Herald’s event website atwww.events.nzherald.co.nz and make sure you make the most of this opportunity.
Don Kavanagh – Herald on Sunday
