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Hi I’m Morven, and today on Not Serious Wine Chats, I have the privilege of spending an hour or so with winemaker, Louisa Rose from Yalumba.   It was a right old flash back for me as not only was I sharing a mighty fine glass of Virgilius Viognier – a wine I used to sell, but I was imbibing it while sat in the Negociants NZ boardroom -  a place where I used to work and have had the good fortune to taste wine with Louisa on previous occasions.   Listening to this vigneron wax lyrical on the virtues of viognier, was one thing. What really resonated was the reminder of the research and development and innovation that is surely a mantle of one of Australia’s oldest family owned wineries.  Yalumba has been family owned since 1849, and as Louisa points out, it’s still what she describes as a medium-sized business. That combination feels important. There’s enough history to understand the value of what’s come before, enough personal investment to care deeply about what happens next, and enough scale to actually put meaningful resources behind it. Listening to Louisa talk, I was reminded that sustainability research takes more than good intentions. It takes people, time, money and a business willing to invest in all three — not just for its own benefit, but for the wider wine industry. Lou was quick to point out how open Yalumba is to share their research citing that the more we learn about farming better, the more useful that knowledge becomes when it’s passed on. As that Aussie crooner Paul Kelly once sang, “From little things, big things grow.”  Lou has been a part of furniture at Yalumba since the early ‘90’s and although she was Chief Winemaker when I first met her, somewhere around 2008, she now spends her time leading the sustainability programme and sharing winery stories with world markets as a brand ambassador.   It was during her tenure as winemaker, that Lou was instrumental in the evolution of Viognier at Yalumba, and we chat about what led to her work with this particular version of our favourite fermented fruit — the hard to say, easy to drink white wine for all occasions.  So, get comfy, grab something fair dinkum from the esky, and give this chat a fair crack. This is the not serious Louisa Rose chat.   not serious wine chats would like to thank our supporters: Funded by Tradecraft Supported with time and a place to record By the Bottle Palate refreshing mineral water supplied by Antipodes Water Co. Special thanks to my pal, Benj Brooking of Popular.nz for his help with the editing. An expert filmmaker, editing these chats is being done as one mate helping another. Thanks Benj. You're a legend. join the chat > notseriouswinechats.nz  instagram | facebook  If you're struggling to put that glass down, perhaps our chats aren't the right ear candy for you.  While the chats are not serious, living your best life is a very serious matter indeed and a life fuelled by addiction doesn't sound dreamy at all. If you think you need a hand, visit the Ministry of Health site for platforms that might help you take the first step towards taking control back. Our warmest wishes for success on that journey.

Today on not serious wine chats, Pete and I have the pleasure getting down with two deeply motivated mates who started a wine brand, fittingly called Deep Down.  Clive Dougall and Peter Lorimer united over the shared love of the same style of wines and the desire to make something that spoke a little differently about what Marlborough might have to say.  Both these chaps bring a breadth of experience to the partnership, and one carefully and perfectly complements the other. Clive’s based in Boomtown making the stuff, while Peter travels to market from Tāmaki Makaurau, to share and sell their super tasty organic wines.   The timing of our chat couldn’t have been better placed, as Clive and Peter have been working on something on the down low for the last three years and our chat coincided with its release. Something new, I hear you say? What could it be? Why it’s a low alc number called Down Low of course!  The wine has a hot new look, thanks to Toby Curnow who was part of the team behind the eye-catching design of the hero label, Deep Down. What I loved the most about this wine as soon as I saw it, was how wickedly classy it looks, losing nothing to a world where some of the departure in winemaking tries way too hard to get down with the kids. When that sort of f*****y is featured, the gimmick gets loud and the wine gets lost. Not with Down Low. At 3.8% alc, less than most beers, Clive and Peter have made an absolute cracker. It’s fresh, its yummy and it means you can partake knowing you’re putting less alcohol in the tank.  During our chat, Clive and Peter talk through how it took a lot of time and patience to get this wine utterly right.  So, tell your mates you’ll be at that drinkies sesh, but pop the running shoes by the back door coz you’ll be fresh as a daisy in the morning. Pour yourself something to really get down to. This is the not serious Clive Dougall and Peter Lorimer chat.   not serious wine chats would like to thank our supporters: Funded by Tradecraft Supported with time and a place to record By the Bottle Palate refreshing mineral water supplied by Antipodes Water Co. Special thanks to my pal, Benj Brooking of Popular.nz for his help with the editing. An expert filmmaker, editing these chats is being done as one mate helping another. Thanks Benj. You're a legend. join the chat > notseriouswinechats.nz  instagram | facebook  If you're struggling to put that glass down, perhaps our chats aren't the right ear candy for you.  While the chats are not serious, living your best life is a very serious matter indeed and a life fuelled by addiction doesn't sound dreamy at all. If you think you need a hand, visit the Ministry of Health site for platforms that might help you take the first step towards taking control back. Our warmest wishes for success on that journey.

For this Not Serious Wine Chats, I sat down with two generations and three Gilmour Girls — a family synonymous with service and who have helped pour more than their share of fine wine. Emerald Gilmour, the Madre of this magnificent trio, shares stories from her #hospolife when she straddled her roles as Air New Zealand flight attendant one minute and Clichy and Club Mirage owner the next. Emerald, precious gem by name, should be declared a precious gem and OG of our restaurant scene as she opened Clichy in 1972 — a moment in dining history when not a lot was on offer, but when some of our stalwart chefs and waiters were cutting tracks upon which the rest of us would follow.   It’s fair to say Emerald has a thing for keeping things shipshape — a skill, and quality she’s instilled in her two daughters, Sophie and Mimi Gilmour.  Sophie, who has a consultancy agency called Delicious Business, and is involved with Fatima’s, was part of the team responsible for bringing the “hot chook and a salad” standard to Ponsonby Road, with the eatery business Bird On a Wire.  And, if you’ve ever parked up for a bunnace and a short bottle of Veuve Cliquot at Burger Burger, or tipped back a tequila over a taco at Mexico or more recently indulged in a plate of pasta at Mama’s then you’ve experienced Mimi’s work.  On this chat, there are debates, there are giggles, and there is quite a bit of wine. When I asked the Gilmours to rock up with their favourite vino, they turned with a bottle each, one of which included the fine wine made by their Uncle Pete. You’ve probably heard of it – Te Mata.  This family has long engaged in adding the brightest of threads to the tapestry of Auckland’s hospitality scene and I was grateful we could coordinate diaries for this delectable date where we dined out on wine stories and lives shared in the pursuit of service.  So, grab a sibling who likes a sip, sit down somewhere comfy and cozy and fill the flute with a fizz. This is the not serious Gilmour Girls chat.  not serious wine chats would like to thank our supporters: Funded by Tradecraft Supported with time and a place to record By the Bottle Palate refreshing mineral water supplied by Antipodes Water Co. Special thanks to my pal, Benj Brooking of Popular.nz for his help with the editing. An expert filmmaker, editing these chats is being done as one mate helping another. Thanks Benj. You're a legend. join the chat > notseriouswinechats.nz  instagram | facebook  If you're struggling to put that glass down, perhaps our chats aren't the right ear candy for you.  While the chats are not serious, living your best life is a very serious matter indeed and a life fuelled by addiction doesn't sound dreamy at all. If you think you need a hand, visit the Ministry of Health site for platforms that might help you take the first step towards taking control back. Our warmest wishes for success on that journey.

When I first met Katie – it was at Hello Beasty — I was with one of my favourite lunching sidekicks, Courteney Peters and we both felt sure we’d met her before. Turns out we hadn’t but instead, had just witnessed what true hospitality looks like. That sort of soft but confident, personable service that makes you feel right at home and cared for in an absolute instant. Sort of like if your Mum has grabbed your onesie from the dryer and popped you into a bed made of freshly cleaned flannel sheets, turned the night light on and sung you your favourite song. You know…familiar reassuring comfort. Look, Katie’s not your Mum, but her style of service is similar to being guided through the next two hours of your life by someone who has your best interests at heart and wants your dining experience to get the very best report card possible.  It’s fair to say, Katie Woodhead had made an impression.  That was PCT (pre-covid times) and Katie had been hired by Emma and Stu Rogan to help them establish some structure so their new restaurant could kick off with the best systems in place to perform well in the highly competitive world of making other people’s dinner. Katie earned the gig as her reputation for running a slick operation had preceded her. She was instrumental in setting up systems that made the likes of Scopa, The Bresolin, Madame Woo and others run like a tighter than tight ship where the people who worked there felt empowered by education.    It was DCT (during covid times) that Katie headed back home to meet a very important wee man named Stanley and where she had a crack at making English wine and also worked the floor at Noble Rot (the London version – not the one located in our own lovely capital).  This chat crosses continents, it includes high-risk travel hijinks, a delicious Marlborough Riesling, a robbery and a who dunnit and a story about a winemaker with one eye that saw Phoebe Waller-Bridge want a lot more of the Woodhead wine storytelling magic.  All that before we even get to the brilliant business that Katie has just started. It’s called Wineheads and it’s designed to share the wonder of wine and how to make it profitable for punters intent on living a life in hospo. Hell bent on breaking the mold this wahine grabs life by the gonads and I’m here for it. You should be too.  So, drag the backpack from the back of the closet, grab a dog-eared copy of a Lonely Planet New Zealand styles and sip on something super fresh and fly, this is the not serious Katie Woodhead chat.  not serious wine chats would like to thank our supporters: Funded by Tradecraft Supported with time and a place to record By the Bottle Palate refreshing mineral water supplied by Antipodes Water Co. Special thanks to my pal, Benj Brooking of Popular.nz for his help with the editing. An expert filmmaker, editing these chats is being done as one mate helping another. Thanks Benj. You're a legend. join the chat > notseriouswinechats.nz  instagram | facebook  If you're struggling to put that glass down, perhaps our chats aren't the right ear candy for you.  While the chats are not serious, living your best life is a very serious matter indeed and a life fuelled by addiction doesn't sound dreamy at all. If you think you need a hand, visit the Ministry of Health site for platforms that might help you take the first step towards taking control back. Our warmest wishes for success on that journey.

For this chat, Pete and I had the distinct pleasure of sitting across the table from wine folk Pen Naish and Nicholas Brown of Black Estate.  The monochrome cool of black and white might underpin this winery but colour oozes from every corner. Neither of these two started out destined for a job in wine but, like most vignerons in Aotearoa, wine found them.  When Pen’s Dad stood in a paddock in North Canterbury, the vibes felt right and a deep, honest discussion ensued around establishing a vineyard, winery and, as it happens, a restaurant.  Ambitious? Yes. Achievable? Clearly.  A considered black building, designed by architect Richard Naish – also a relative - stands stark on the rolling hills of a wine region known for being sometimes just a bit tricky. It acts as an anchor and it’s fair to say this whanau are now well rooted to this special spot.  Kids were raised here. Summers have been spent with secateurs in one hand and a barbecue tong in the other. Steve, the chocolate Labrador guards and greets all who come there.  It’s a blissful scene indeed but don’t be fooled. This is no accident.  These guys work their arses off and as certified organic growers and makers, their lives are spent managing sites that a lesser grower might politely decline.  But this is where the rubber hits the road. Nicholas is an experimenter at heart and I suspect digs a challenge. Pen is razor-sharp and grounded. Together they generate a surge of energy that can be felt in the wines they make and the hospitality that is offered when you’re parked up at the Black Estate restaurant – perhaps indulging in truffles sourced from the neighbour Jax at Kings Truffles but definitely always local produce.  There was discussion mid chats of Pete and I lobbying for a second recording on site at Black Estate that just happens to coincide with truffle season. Logistics pending. Budget negotiations ongoing. Stand by… Of course we all know I’d spend most of my time cuddling the truffle dogs but that’s just the sort of crazy dog person I am but I tell you what, for a region known for it’s foraging parties and incredible organic produce, being parked up at Black Estate, eating some nosh, patting a dog and pushing a glass of earthy, supple Pinot Noir into my face sure does sound like a good idea for a work trip!  So, shave a little perigord truffle on your pasta, pour yourself a delightful drink of something clean and fresh from north of Chch, this is the not serious Pen Naish and Nicholas Brown chat. not serious wine chats would like to thank our supporters: Funded by Tradecraft Supported with time and a place to record By the Bottle Palate refreshing mineral water supplied by Antipodes Water Co. Special thanks to my pal, Benj Brooking of Popular.nz for his help with the editing. An expert filmmaker, editing these chats is being done as one mate helping another. Thanks Benj. You're a legend. join the chat > notseriouswinechats.nz  instagram | facebook  If you're struggling to put that glass down, perhaps our chats aren't the right ear candy for you.  While the chats are not serious, living your best life is a very serious matter indeed and a life fuelled by addiction doesn't sound dreamy at all. If you think you need a hand, visit the Ministry of Health site for platforms that might help you take the first step towards taking control back. Our warmest wishes for success on that journey.

For regular listeners to this channel, you’ll know the city of Hamilton features frequently in our Not Serious Chats. I’ve threatened to record a chat here for a while and the lads behind some of the best eateries in the joint generously swapped a management meeting for a sit down with me — and boy did they bring it.   Mat Pedley, Alex Hudson and John Moughan are the three musketeers intent on delivering humble hospitality to Hamilton like no one else.  The brains behind a number of established eateries and bars in the Tron, these guys have an  incredible way of seeing what might be missing and working out how to add it to the offering, giving the locals diversity, choice and deeply connected dining and drinking experiences.  What struct me most about these guys is their relaxed, calm but seriously confident vision for the booze journey they want to share with their locals.  Neat is a great example. Dark, simple shelves laden with bottles of beverages, labelled like eye-candy greet you when you walk in and there’s no behind-the-bar fit out here. You’ll be sat around a large, minimalist table designed for instigating good bants, be it with the bar keep or the bloke sitting next to you. Lit by a simple rice paper pendant lamp and surrounded by moody tunes played from vinyl on a turntable, you know this gaff is all about what’s in the glass and the good times that come with it.  We got so not serious about wine for this chat, that we sat there trying whisky instead. And not just one but four incredible spirits that travelled across continents, incorporated history, discovery, curiosity, science, art and culture — pretty much what all good beverage does.  If truth be told, I was spoiled rotten with the selection that Alex chose – on the spot – to pour while we chatted. All were delicious. All had their own story and one in particular was probably far too precious to share with the likes of me! A Single Malt called Flowermore caught my eye for its un-whisky-like label design and then almost made me faint when Alex mentioned what a bottle will set you back…. Let’s just say, there was to be no spitting that wee sampler.  Look, these guys are serious aficionados of flavour. From ridiculously tasty pizza at Reggies, where you can watch the Mighty Waikato River meander by from the deck, to a burger at the Last Place while you watch a band go ballistic on stage or a winemaker’s dinner at Mr Pickles with some of NZ’s top winemakers, these guys overdeliver hard.  So, pop your earphones in, pour yourself a tasty wee dram and settle in as we wait for the Hamilton fog to clear, this is the not serious Mat Pedley, Alex Hudson and John Moughan chat.  not serious wine chats would like to thank our supporters: Funded by Tradecraft Supported with time and a place to record By the Bottle Palate refreshing mineral water supplied by Antipodes Water Co. Special thanks to my pal, Benj Brooking of Popular.nz for his help with the editing. An expert filmmaker, editing these chats is being done as one mate helping another. Thanks Benj. You're a legend. join the chat > notseriouswinechats.nz  instagram | facebook  If you're struggling to put that glass down, perhaps our chats aren't the right ear candy for you.  While the chats are not serious, living your best life is a very serious matter indeed and a life fuelled by addiction doesn't sound dreamy at all. If you think you need a hand, visit the Ministry of Health site for platforms that might help you take the first step towards taking control back. Our warmest wishes for success on that journey.

Succession — it’s not just one of the best tele shows ever created, it’s also something of a challenge when it comes to the wine world of Aotearoa. I recently wrote a piece on how the future of NZ wine might need to look a lot more collaborative as opposed to inherited, and as if to really double down on the idea, our guests for today have embraced both. They’ve only gone and collaborated to make a really special, actually quite spectacular, wine together from the magical fruits of the Two Terraces Vineyard in Hawkes Bay under the Three Fates label.  Of course, I’m talking about Holly Girven Russell and her dad, Gordon Russell.  These two are a total delight and, as we chatted away, Holly challenged her Pops to a blind tasting of what turned out to be - his very own wine. Did he guess what it was? Did he even guess that he made it? Did any of us manage to guess it? Well, no spoilers but suffice to say the wine was a great nod to Gordo’s experimental and creative wine career.  Gordon has worked as winemaker at one of New Zealand’s most respected wine estates for over 30 years and he's an innovator. He spent his winemaking life getting all experimental with new wine varieties and blends that contributed to the evolution of NZ wine. And he played a lot of vinyl. He reckons he just missed the Punk era but to be frank, it feels like Gordo is adept at embracing a bit of counter culture.  As if London is some sort of portal to a wine career for this family, Holly was off to live the bright lights, big city life in London town herself and with some wine hook ups from her Dad, she ended up working as part of the wine buying team for Marks & Sparks. Fast forward to 2025 Holly is now a winemaker, making wine in Hawkes Bay on her own terms which has culminated in a role at Decibel Wines and as one Fate of the truly wonderful, explorative, collaborative wine brand Three Fates which Holly started with pals, Hester Nesbitt & Casey Motley. Just like a map of London, this chat departs down side streets and little lanes of family memories, shared experience and how making a wine together has created an incredible opportunity that both Father and Daughter have each brought their own inimitable style and panache. So old chaps, pull your A to Z map book and your tube pass from your satchel, pour yourself a jolly crisp refreshment and Mind the Gap, this is the not serious Holly Girven Russell and Gordon Russell chat.  not serious wine chats would like to thank our supporters: Funded by Tradecraft Supported with time and a place to record By the Bottle Palate refreshing mineral water supplied by Antipodes Water Co. Special thanks to my pal, Benj Brooking of Popular.nz for his help with the editing. An expert filmmaker, editing these chats is being done as one mate helping another. Thanks Benj. You're a legend. join the chat > notseriouswinechats.nz  instagram | facebook  If you're struggling to put that glass down, perhaps our chats aren't the right ear candy for you.  While the chats are not serious, living your best life is a very serious matter indeed and a life fuelled by addiction doesn't sound dreamy at all. If you think you need a hand, visit the Ministry of Health site for platforms that might help you take the first step towards taking control back. Our warmest wishes for success on that journey.

I had never met Dave but he was born in Dunedin, Otago — and so was I. We bonded quickly over Mosgiel’s Hollywood sign.  If you’re from Melbourne, Dave probably needs no introduction. He’s the chef and co-owner of Embla, a wine bar that’s not just popular but cult-following popular.  A lot of Not Serious chats seem to involve our guest being in the right place at the right time and Dave is no exception. After a couple of years of kicking off kitchen life in Wellington, Dave meet Chef Josh Emett, who was already ensconced in London but back in NZ to award a certain Chef scholarship. Dave — a carpe diem kind of guy - mentioned he was about to head to London and asked Josh if he might help him with a job. Less than 48 hours after deplaning at Heathrow, Dave was headed to work in his Chef’s White at none other than The Savoy with Josh and that familiar old sweary bastard, Gordon Ramsay.  Fast forward to 2025 and Dave has spent 25-odd years in kitchens, pushing plates across the pass. Like many Chef’s his curiosity over flavour has spilled over from food into booze. Saison Aperitifs — Dave’s range of vermouths and amaros that aren’t just drinks, but layered, aromatic creations that walk the tightrope between food and wine are a testament to Dave’s detail-orientated Chef’s mind. If Embla is the mothership, Saison is the offshoot where herbs, spices and botanicals get the same treatment a chef gives prime produce. The result? Bottles that taste like someone bottled up a season, a memory, a feeling — and gave you permission to sip it over ice. The Saison Black Walnut Vermouth that Dave served with chilled Schweppes Ginger ale and a squeeze of fresh lime juice while we chatted really did float my boat.  I tried to get to the bottom of how a vermouth is made and I’m not sure I’m any the wiser now but that’s ok. There’s a mystery to this stuff that makes it not only intriguing but also delightfully different despite the fact that you’re still playing in the wine isle. Dave does go some way into explaining how he makes Saison but stops just short of truly sharing his secret. Clever bastard. Now I just want it more.  This chat wanders through kitchens, wine bars and herb gardens with the kind of detail perhaps only a chef could give to the craft of booze. If you’ve ever wondered what happens when a flavour-obsessed cook decides to capture the rhythm of a season in liquid form then this, you not serious, wine curious, good times seeker you, is your episode.  So — chuck a chunk of ice in your wine glass and pour yourself something bitter and bright, floral and funky and settle in for some serious fine art of flavour. This is the Not Serious Dave Verheul chat.  not serious wine chats would like to thank our supporters: Funded by Tradecraft Supported with time and a place to record By the Bottle Palate refreshing mineral water supplied by Antipodes Water Co. Special thanks to my pal, Benj Brooking of Popular.nz for his help with the editing. An expert filmmaker, editing these chats is being done as one mate helping another. Thanks Benj. You're a legend. join the chat > notseriouswinechats.nz  instagram | facebook  If you're struggling to put that glass down, perhaps our chats aren't the right ear candy for you.  While the chats are not serious, living your best life is a very serious matter indeed and a life fuelled by addiction doesn't sound dreamy at all. If you think you need a hand, visit the Ministry of Health site for platforms that might help you take the first step towards taking control back. Our warmest wishes for success on that journey.

Ashleigh Barrowman and I first met in Marlborough — Waterfall Bay to be precise. We were hosting hospo folk and wine retailers for a few days foray into MANA Winegrowers — a Marlborough collective of like-minded producers hell bent on sharing the love of the region through the lens of organic farming. At that time, Seresin was still a MANA member, which meant we had the very good fortune of kicking back in the bach of winery owner and Hollywood famous DOP, Michael Seresin (If you’ve watched Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, then you know his work). The pad, a piece of perfection by Architect Pete Bossley, set the scene for an extremely memorable few days talking shitski with people from the booze biz. Ashleigh and I clicked. I really enjoyed her company and we threatened each other with keeping in touch after that gig was over. We didn’t.  But – I did watch on with deep admiration when she resurfaced a few years later visibly determined to dedicate herself to the craft of making jolly good wine.  Ashleigh’s pathway into making her own gear was not known to me at all. She had been working with industry stalwarts, Therese and Hans Herzog, when we met. But it was a chance encounter with a leather-pant clad, pony-tail sporting Frenchman called JJ, also known as Jean-Jacque Morel, who is perhaps most to blame for Ashleigh’s descent into the dark arts of making love potions that transcend the ethereal realms of heavenly nectars to a damn fine daily drop you just want to scoff with a slice of cheese.  Burgundian gangsters aside, Ashleigh has made wine in Sicily, Jura and Australia all alongside equally notable makers. Her world had opened up and it was all about to lead to the Wrekin Vineyard in Marlborough, where she sources the fruit for her Siren wine label — a label of provocative and absolutely pitch-perfect design that colourfully references Tarot cards, eluding to the science and sorcery that is behind winemaking.  So, pour yourself a glass of some ethereal elixir, burn a little energy-cleansing sage and get ready to shuffle your cards, this is the Not Serious Ashleigh Barrowman chat.  not serious wine chats would like to thank our supporters: Funded by Tradecraft Supported with time and a place to record By the Bottle Palate refreshing mineral water supplied by Antipodes Water Co. Special thanks to my pal, Benj Brooking of Popular.nz for his help with the editing. An expert filmmaker, editing these chats is being done as one mate helping another. Thanks Benj. You're a legend. join the chat > notseriouswinechats.nz  instagram | facebook  If you're struggling to put that glass down, perhaps our chats aren't the right ear candy for you.  While the chats are not serious, living your best life is a very serious matter indeed and a life fuelled by addiction doesn't sound dreamy at all. If you think you need a hand, visit the Ministry of Health site for platforms that might help you take the first step towards taking control back. Our warmest wishes for success on that journey.

The funny thing with social media is you can have these online relationships with people but never ever physically meet them. Paul Pujol was one of those blokes for me. Almost every restaurateur I knew raved about the man and couldn’t believe I’d never met him. Thanks to that raving, voyeuristic portal that is Instagram, to be honest, I sort of thought I had. Turns out I hadn’t — until we had this not serious chat.  There are some people you should never meet. You know the saying, “never meet your heroes”? It’s a premise that they never meet your expectations and you leave the encounter deflated and resentful. Well, let me tell you, meeting Paul Pujol in real life is not like that. It is, in fact, pretty bloody dreamy.  Armed with a dry wit meets a fiery sarcasm, Paul has this lovely unassuming calm that is balanced by a clearly caring, sentimental take on life while being something of a adrenalin junky — and he makes tasty gear for us all to enjoy — and he comes from Hamilton. The storytelling flows from this dude like the Waikato River cuts a track through that city. Broad and deep and carefree albeit with planned direction.  Paul shares a winemaking story during this chat that really takes the biscuit. It’s like the Lottery win of how to kick start your wine career. He talks about how his French Father coped with the cheese selection of 1980’s back country New Zealand, spoiler alert – he describes it as being like soap—which is by all accounts was fair for those days. Mon dieu! At least these days Les fromage is much more fanciful and shares the same attention to craft as our winemakers.  Speaking of making wine, Paul gets candid about what it takes to make the Prophets Rock Vin de Paille— a wine that arrives dressed in a striking short bottle eluding to the fact it’s something a little bit different. This little sucker is made from a single parcel of Pinot Gris and takes 21 months to ferment. Now, I may have just gotten technical for the wine curious folk but let me tell you, that’s a shit tonne of time to ferment and by all accounts, what’s left in the barrel at the end of it to be asserted into the aforementioned snazzy bottle is one fifth of f**k all which why it’s sold out. Honestly, listen to this story of winemaking and if you’re not sold on this fella’s vision and his mad passion for the craft then I’m not sure you deserve to drink any of his booze. He has the commitment of a monk trying to beckon God from the sky. It’s close to insanity but also pretty bloody dreamy.  So, grip those rosary beads firmly in one hand, grab a glass of some heavenly sweet, sweet nectar in the other and get ready for some enlightenment. This is the not serious Paul Pujol chat.  not serious wine chats would like to thank our supporters: Funded by Tradecraft Supported with time and a place to record By the Bottle Palate refreshing mineral water supplied by Antipodes Water Co. Special thanks to my pal, Benj Brooking of Popular.nz for his help with the editing. An expert filmmaker, editing these chats is being done as one mate helping another. Thanks Benj. You're a legend. join the chat > notseriouswinechats.nz  instagram | facebook  If you're struggling to put that glass down, perhaps our chats aren't the right ear candy for you.  While the chats are not serious, living your best life is a very serious matter indeed and a life fuelled by addiction doesn't sound dreamy at all. If you think you need a hand, visit the Ministry of Health site for platforms that might help you take the first step towards taking control back. Our warmest wishes for success on that journey.

Today on Not Serious Wine Chats, Pete and John and I sit down with Jannine Rickards (Ngāpuhi & Ngāi the Rangi) from Huntress Wines.  I first met Jannine when she was the winemaker at Urlar in Gladstone, a sub-region of the Wairarapa. This part of the country clearly resonates for Jannine as Huntress shifts from a side hustle to the main act. This wonderful wahine still sources fruit and makes wine in this North Island neighbourhood.  The name Huntress comes from an extremely pragmatic, utterly pedestrian point of reference for Jannine herself is a huntress.  A childhood spent on a sheep and beef farm in the Coromandel nurtured an understanding for animal husbandry and welfare, alongside an innate awareness of the restorative powers of spending time in nature. Her own grandfather passed on traditions such as ancient practices of net fishing for flounder, and her father shared his passion for growing a garden that can feed the family. So it shouldn't come as such a surprise that Jannine grew up to combine the two by becoming a deeply respectful hunter and a massive advocate for a plentiful table laden with homegrown goodness. These things are, in essence, Jannine and factors that contribute to how she sees wine holistically fitting into our lives. Jannine's practice across her winemaking, her gardening and her hunting is based in Te Ao Māori, where land and spirit are inextricably connected. One thing's for sure Huntress wines sure do taste like they summon the powers of Ra, the sun and the mystical whims of Te Whenua, the land, in a magical balance that best reflects the place they come from.  There is something of a nomadic story to the Huntress wines. With no vineyards under ownership or her own winemaking space, Jannine leans into the opportunities that exist around her. Much of the wine story is held up by community and people underneath it, and Jannine's story especially represents this as she sources fruit and facilities available to her each season. It means she must work hard across a lot of levels of the business and sure, one day she'd love to put down roots somewhere of her own but for now this huntress is happy just making the most of what Papatuanuku, Earth Mother and Ranginui, Sky Father have to offer from wherever she finds herself. Luckily for us that the universe provides so we can smash a glass or two of Jannine's explorative and most excellent wines.  So grab your tramping boots, put on your waterproof parker and make sure the singlet next to your skin is made from New Zealand wool. We're heading bush for this one. This is the Not Serious Jannine Rickards chat. not serious wine chats would like to thank our supporters: Funded by Tradecraft Supported with time and a place to record By the Bottle Palate refreshing mineral water supplied by Antipodes Water Co. Special thanks to my pal, Benj Brooking of Popular.nz for his help with the editing. An expert filmmaker, editing these chats is being done as one mate helping another. Thanks Benj. You're a legend. join the chat > notseriouswinechats.nz  instagram | facebook  If you're struggling to put that glass down, perhaps our chats aren't the right ear candy for you.  While the chats are not serious, living your best life is a very serious matter indeed and a life fuelled by addiction doesn't sound dreamy at all. If you think you need a hand, visit the Ministry of Health site for platforms that might help you take the first step towards taking control back. Our warmest wishes for success on that journey.

I recently had the pleasure of parking up in the Cabana at Black Barn in Hawkes Bay and riffing on wine life with wine writer Elaine Chukan Brown. I say wine writer but actually they are much more than simply that.  Elaine’s wine journey started in earnest in 2011 but it’s the life they had in the lead up to then that brings a richness and depth and, at times great humour, to this chat.  Originally from Alaska, Elaine now calls Sonoma, California home and to spice things up they rocked up to our get together with a bottle of wine from Washington state. That threw me - especially as it was a Sauvignon Blanc blend. You could call that a ballsie move to sit down with a kiwi and pour them a glass of that stuff but what it actually was, was an incredible portal that saw us transcend into chatting about prohibition, the great depression, world war II and the effects it had on the American wine trade as well as Elaine’s time spent training camels. You heard that right but here’s the thing. The training camels came after a stint as a Tarot card reader for a Dial-a-Psychic gig which came after a decade of fishing for salmon.  Not serious enough for ya? I’m deadly serious when I say this one is a cracker folks. After all those various vocations, Elaine has ended up dedicating their time to being a global wine educator, a wine mentor, a wine lover but mostly an absolute advocate for the people behind the bottle.  The list of credentials Elaine has earned when it comes to wine is far reaching and includes publishing a wine book, The Wines Of California, assisting with the publication of the 4th and 5th editions of the Oxford Companion to Wine along with freelance writing for all the top wine mags. Perhaps most importantly, they co-founded the Diversity in Wine Leadership Forum, and has advised diversity initiatives in multiple countries around the world.  They were in Aotearoa for the 2024 Chardonnay Symposium - a two day exploration of everything Chardonnay held in Heretaunga, Hastings by Hawkes Bay Wine. The key theme for the conference was to discuss a ’sense of place’ and Elaine was asked to offer their take on it all, from Canterbury to California or Bannockburn to Burgundy. With deep roots to their own place and an academic background in Philosophy (that came after all the camels), they were one of the very best wine people to help define what a sense of place even means.  So, shuffle your tarot cards, pour something that makes you think hard and get the cold smoked salmon plated up. This is the not serious Elaine Chukan Brown. not serious wine chats would like to thank our supporters: Funded by Tradecraft Supported with time and a place to record By the Bottle Palate refreshing mineral water supplied by Antipodes Water Co. Special thanks to my pal, Benj Brooking of Popular.nz for his help with the editing. An expert filmmaker, editing these chats is being done as one mate helping another. Thanks Benj. You're a legend. join the chat > notseriouswinechats.nz  instagram | facebook  If you're struggling to put that glass down, perhaps our chats aren't the right ear candy for you.  While the chats are not serious, living your best life is a very serious matter indeed and a life fuelled by addiction doesn't sound dreamy at all. If you think you need a hand, visit the Ministry of Health site for platforms that might help you take the first step towards taking control back. Our warmest wishes for success on that journey.

Once again we step outside the winery and step up to the pass to grab a plate of goodness with two of Aotearoa’s finest hospo folk, Rebecca Smidt & Dariush Lolaiy of Cazador Restaurant & Deli and San Ray all day eatery.  I’ve had the privilege of calling Bex and Dariush pals for a number of years now and it was a special treat to get them in the hot seat to hear how hospo life brought them together, first as teenagers and friends and then onto lovers, restaurant co-owners and the proud parents of two terrific little kiddos.  Cazador Restaurant opened its doors in Tāmaki Makaurau in 1987. The vision of Dariush’s parents, Tony and Barbara, this joint became the ‘go to’ for the lucky locals living down one end of Dominion Road. From day one, Cazador established itself as a place that delivers nose to tail dining based on the respectful pursuit of hunting that Tony himself enjoyed and something that he would pass onto his son.  After 25 years, having established Cazador as a trusted place to enjoy a plate or two, Tony and Barbara were keen to step away from the restaurant.  Now, a family biz can be a difficult buzz. Retaining the dreams and aspirations of one generation while trying to put your own stamp on the place can be a lot of pressure, especially when there’s quarter of a century of existing vibes that might be perceived as somewhat sacred and untouchable.  During this chat, Bex and Dariush explain how time spent living and working in Italy, Greece, London and New York led to a deep appreciation of how important that legacy is and what an enormous gift it might be – so long as they didn’t f**k it up.  This chat covers wine, sherry and mezcal. We work our way through a platter of tinned treats and terrine. We scoff our faces with rabbit rillette and stickleback on sourdough and we wash it all down with a deliciously salty Spanish wine that Bex delights in serving at the restaurant.  This chinwag covers the challenges of honouring the past while honing a vision for the future. We talk about how important the customer is and how at Cazador, they’re not serving food, they’re serving people and how important it is to invite the customer on the journey rather than ram it down their throat.   I didn’t realise it, but I first met these two, right as they were starting their journey as the next gen of Cazador. I learn for the first time how that wasn’t an easy period and that the lessons being learned where mammoth. It’s the professional acumen of these two that I had absolutely no idea of the challenges in front of them and all I saw was an incredible young couple, utterly nailing it delivering the good times.  And when I say good times, I mean deeply considered dishes that took me from my comfort zone that were perfectly paired with a wine selection that blew my fuse…and all conveyed with an approachable and casual style that cleverly disguised an extreme expertise in dining service.  These two have taken out a number of awards for Cazador. As has the team they’ve nurtured within the 1970’s stucco walls of this now iconic establishment. Not content with sitting back and revelling in the accolades, they knocked out the front windows of the building and opened a deli. And have I mentioned yet that they also host personally guided food tours of Mexico? It’s enough to make you feel inadequate or the very least like you’re a lazy bastard. Especially when you realise they’ve just opened a new venture on Ponsonby Road called San Ray. Will these two quit already? Not likely. And thank goodness for that.  So, pop on your finest hunting tweeds, grab your gumboots and get ready to sip spirits from a hip flask in the mai mai, this is the Not Serious Bex Smidt and Dariush Lolaiy chat. not serious wine chats would like to thank our supporters: Funded by Tradecraft Supported with time and a place to record By the Bottle Palate refreshing mineral water supplied by Antipodes Water Co. Special thanks to my pal, Benj Brooking of Popular.nz for his help with the editing. An expert filmmaker, editing these chats is being done as one mate helping another. Thanks Benj. You're a legend. join the chat > notseriouswinechats.nz  instagram | facebook  If you're struggling to put that glass down, perhaps our chats aren't the right ear candy for you.  While the chats are not serious, living your best life is a very serious matter indeed and a life fuelled by addiction doesn't sound dreamy at all. If you think you need a hand, visit the Ministry of Health site for platforms that might help you take the first step towards taking control back. Our warmest wishes for success on that journey.

Aidan Raftery hasn’t had formal training in winemaking but it seems wine has always featured somehow in some way in his life, a life that now happens to be making the stuff in a village somewhere in the Republic of Georgia.  Born in the UK, he arrived in Aotearoa with his family as a young chap. Serendipity would have it that the family home was perched just around the corner from some wine writer, Master of Wine guy called Bob Campbell.  With a curiosity of industrial proportions, Aidan took any opportunity to learn about wine from the neighbour, and his folks and to be honest, anyone who would engage in wine chats.  Fast forward a few years and a need to leave our small island in the pursuit of more adventure and we follow Aidan’s journey to Melbourne where he established one of the first natural wine bars in the city and began to get his hands truly dirty with grape stain. It was here he gave winemaking a crack and fell even further into his own personal very deep wine cave.  Aidan’s vim and vigour for learning, for making, for tasting and trying, for sharing and for caring about wine is bloody infectious. It’s also given him something of an enviable intrepid urge to follow his nose when it comes to wine adventures and nowhere says wine adventure more than Georgia, where the wine making history is deep, rich and UNESCO protected.  If you think amphora and clay eggs are a new thing, you’re about 6000 years out of touch. It’s in this unexpected but fascinating part of the world that Aidan has really put down his winemaking roots.  Chatting with this guy and drinking his wine is like being teleported to an utterly unknown terra firma. Grape varieties we’ve never heard of, inflictions on words that felt unfamiliar and hard to super pronounce all wrapped up in cultural traditions from a whole other time. This is one special chat with one special chap.  So, put on your Chokha, put down your Panduri so you can pick up a glass and line up by the kvevris, this is the Not Serious Aidan Raftery chat. __ not serious wine chats would like to thank our supporters: Funded by Tradecraft Supported with time and a place to record By the Bottle Palate refreshing mineral water supplied by Antipodes Water Co. Special thanks to my pal, Benj Brooking of Popular.nz for his help with the editing. An expert filmmaker, editing these chats is being done as one mate helping another. Thanks Benj. You're a legend. join the chat > notseriouswinechats.nz  instagram | facebook  If you're struggling to put that glass down, perhaps our chats aren't the right ear candy for you.  While the chats are not serious, living your best life is a very serious matter indeed and a life fuelled by addiction doesn't sound dreamy at all. If you think you need a hand, visit the Ministry of Health site for platforms that might help you take the first step towards taking control back. Our warmest wishes for success on that journey.

You might think I’ve taken a departure from the wine chats by not talking to a winemaker for today’s chat. Quite the contrary.  For most of us, the restaurant setting is where we get our best exposure to wines we may not have heard of or tried before.  The beverage selection is an important income earner for any hospitality joint and the restaurant is an important customer for our beverage producing pals.  With such genuine simpatico it seems only right that we include those hard-grafting hospo heroes in the chats to get their not serious take on wine too.  If you live under a rock, you may not know Chef Josh Emett. For the rest of us, he’s the familiar face from the MasterChef tele show, he’s the Chef who shares social media reels of  cooking in his home kitchen, he’s written a couple of cracking cookbooks and he’s the kiwi done good having earned himself a top international accolade or two alongside folks like Gordon Ramsay.  The anchor to all that action is Helen Emett. She’s one astute, highly motivated woman with a fierce vision for good business and a major funny bone. She’s a hoot and she’s the perfect candidate for a Not Serious chat but believe me when I say she’s bloody serious about getting a dining room perfect and executing extraordinary service in the restaurants she and Josh now own together. You will have likely seen Helen working the floor at Onslow Restaurant and now Gilt Brasserie.  These two are grafters and they’re givers. They took the time, on a busy Monday morning to sit down and share some stories about their journey and how wine for them, and a sweet cocktail here and there, adds the seasoning to their well-travelled lives.  It was a pleasure to sit down in the divine dining room of Onslow for this chat. The kitchen was in full prep mode which you’ll sometimes hear! If you haven’t been to Onslow yet, go. And because Covid taught these two nothing, you’ll also find them at their new spot, Gilt on Chancery Lane.  So, pop your napkin on your lap, pour yourself a sparkling antipodes and grab the knife and fork. This is the Not Serious Helen and Josh Emett chat.  not serious wine chats would like to thank our supporters: Funded by Tradecraft Supported with time and a place to record By the Bottle Palate refreshing mineral water supplied by Antipodes Water Co. Special thanks to my pal, Benj Brooking of Popular.nz for his help with the editing. An expert filmmaker, editing these chats is being done as one mate helping another. Thanks Benj. You're a legend. join the chat > notseriouswinechats.nz  instagram | facebook  If you're struggling to put that glass down, perhaps our chats aren't the right ear candy for you.  While the chats are not serious, living your best life is a very serious matter indeed and a life fuelled by addiction doesn't sound dreamy at all. If you think you need a hand, visit the Ministry of Health site for platforms that might help you take the first step towards taking control back. Our warmest wishes for success on that journey.