Auckland’s Waiheke Island: wine paradise

by Jeremy Kressmann on

New Zealand in recent decades has established itself among the world’s wine hot spots, boasting increasingly famous wine-growing regions like Marlborough and Hawkes Bay. But New Zealand visitors thirsty for great wine need not leave greater Auckland to enjoy some of this beautiful country’s best vintages. Instead, just a short ferry ride from downtown is Waiheke Island, home base for the Mudbrick Vineyard a laid-back winery with killer food and wine and some of greater Auckland’s most astounding views.

Getting to Mudbrick from Auckland is a snap, but it feels worlds away from the city’s fast pace. Start by boarding a ferry for the 30 minute ride from downtown, during which you’ll be treated to panoramic views of Auckland’s scenic harbor and skyline, dotted by the plenty of sailboats. Soon you’ll arrive at Waiheke Island, a land mass formed by a long-extinct volcano. After a quick taxi ride from the ferry station, you’ll arrive at Mudbrick.

Situated at one of the island’s highest points, the vistas from Mudbrick alone make it worth the trip. As you enter the property, the vineyard’s vast fields of grapes slope down toward Auckland harbor below in near picture-postcard beauty. Tiny luminous insects dance over the vines in the shining sun and the faint silhouette of Auckland’s skyscrapers is visible in the distance. Once you’re done with the view, make sure to enjoy a wine tasting or a top-notch lunch at the complex’s al fresco patio. As you look out over the rows of grapes from your table, green leaves rustling gently in the salty breeze, a plate of fresh swordfish and glass of Sauvignon Blanc in front of you, you’ll understand why you made the trip. It’s this combination of unspoiled beauty, amazing views and top-notch wine that make Mudbrick Vineyard truly worth the visit.

The wine is green at Kimpton

by Annie Scott on

If you’re into wine and also into taking care of our planet, consider Kimpton Hotels and restaurants for your next jaunt out of town.

As an addition to their lauded EarthCare program, Kimpton restaurants have been refining their wine lists to provide us with more sustainable sustenance. By January 2010, participating restaurants in 21 cities will be stocking a minimum of 30 percent eco-friendly, biodynamic, and organic wines.

So, is green wine any different from regular wine?

“Yes, I find that they’re better wines. I think that extra level of care really translates into the product,” says appropriately named Kimpton master sommelier Emily Wines.

Wines told Tonic.com all about how wine can be made greener — she especially recommends Oregon house Sokol Blosser, where they keep an eye on the local salmon, and rather than air conditioning their cellars, they built a hill over them to keep the wine cool.

To find a participating Kimpton restaurant (maybe even in your own town), visit the website!

Five Travel products for the wine lover

by Scott Carmichael on

Traveling with (or for) wine is not as simple as it used to be. I’m by no means a wine expert, but before 9/11, even I traveled with a pocket corkscrew and foil cutting knife. For a brief period, the TSA banned any and all corkscrews. Nowadays the rules have been relaxed a little – corkscrews are once again permitted, as long as they don’t have a blade.

Of course, wine is a different matter altogether, and unless you are able to pour your bottle into small containers, and store them in a Ziploc bag, you are going to have to check those bottles in your luggage.

In this lineup, I’ve listed five wine related products that can help travelers transport, open, enjoy and learn about their wine.

Packable plastic wine glasses

If you have ever been unlucky enough to have to drink a $100 bottle of wine from a plastic bathroom cup, you’ll learn to appreciate portable plastic wine glasses.

Sure, they may not be as charming as a good set of crystal glasses, but they sure beat the alternative. These glasses are BPA free (which is all the rage nowadays).

Price: $14.85 (for a set of two, with travel pouch)

Where: magellans.com



TSA approved corkscrew

I’ll admit right away that “TSA Approved” isn’t really something granted to a corkscrew. But the Oxo Good Grips corkscrew is one of the better rated corkscrews that doesn’t violate any of the rules laid out by airport security.

That said – when traveling with a corkscrew, it does make sense to keep the product in an outside pocket, because sooner or later, one of the screeners is going to confuse it for a lethal weapon.

This corkscrew is simple to use, and comes with a built in bladeless foil cutter.

Price: $24.99

Where: Amazon.com and most Oxo retailers


BottleWise Duo wine travel bags

Wine travel bags don’t get more sophisticated than this – the Bottlewise Duo holds two bottles of wine (or other bottles).

Bottles are double-protected, from breakage and leakage. Because lets be honest – the only thing worse than losing your wine, is losing it all over your clothes and toiletries.

Price: from $48.95 (for the black version)

Where: www.bottlewise.net


Tide Stain remover pen

Bet you didn’t see this one coming in a lineup of wine accessories?

Anyone who has enjoyed (a little too much) wine on the road will know what a hassle it can be when you spill. Even the smallest drop can ruin a shirt, and possibly screw up your entire wardrobe if you traveled very light.

The Tide To Go mini stain remover pen is brilliant. Unlike a lot of other fabric product promises, this thing really works. I’ve used it on red wine stains on a white shirt, and after applying, and letting it dry, the stain was nowhere to be seen.

Price: about $4.50 at your local store, or $33.06 for a pack of twelve through Amazon.com

Mobile Phone wine applications

When it comes to wine, there are three kinds of people – those that know their wine, those that pretend they know their wine, and those that don’t know and don’t care. I’m in the middle. I like to pretend I know what I’m talking about, and I’ll swirl my glass making it appear like I know what I’m smelling.

For those of you like me, you may want to look into some of the fantastic applications that are available for your mobile phone. One I can highly recommend is “Hello Vino” (for the iPhone/iPod Touch). This free application lets you search for wine pairings based on meal, occasion, taste/style and country/region.

Its database covers thousands of wines, and shows the year, label, star rating, winery, region and flavor description.

Never again will you be at a loss for words when you are asked to describe a wine!

Price: free

Where: iPhone/iPod Touch App store

Mandola Winery: A slice of Italy in Texas Hill Country

by Kraig Becker on

Texas Hill Country is a unique and scenic region tucked away in the center of the Lone Star State. The rolling hills and limestone cliffs begin just west of Austin and run as far south as San Antonio, with narrow, twisting country roads and interesting small Texas towns dotting the area.

One of the hidden gems in Hill Country is a winery called Mandola’s, found just outside the tiny town of Driftwood, a short drive south-west of Austin. Visitors are greeted by row after row of grape vines as they turn up the long drive way, and by the time they reach the main building, they’ll swear that they’ve left Texas behind and have been transported to Italy. Everything about the setting helps to complete this illusion, including the architecture of the buildings, the meticulously landscaped grounds, and the rolling hills that surround the vineyard.

Mandola’s is surrounded by 20 acres of vines that produce the grapes that go directly into their home grown wines. The vineyard offers six different, and very unique, wines, that are reminiscent of something that would be made in the Italians regions of Sardinia or Sicily, blending the locally grown grapes with other fruits to create flavors that are unlike any other.The vineyard opened in 2006 and holds daily tours and wine tasting. There is also a large, beautiful restaurant on the grounds that serves up amazing Italian cuisine and has an extensive wine list that includes Mandola’s own creations as well as plenty of other great wines.

Visitors to Texas who are looking for a fun and unique wine experience should definitely make the drive to Mandola’s. The scenic Hill Country will make the experience a pleasant one, and the winery will offer plenty of fine dining and amazing wines as well. It’s a trip to southern Italy, no passport required.