Neill Keeps it Real
Sam Neill features alongside Sting, Cliff Richard, and Francis Ford Coppola in a Guardian story on celebrity vineyard-owners. Neill is described as one of the more down-to-earth of the bunch, who takes an active role in the…
News of New Zealanders via Global Media
Walker Fesses Up
Karen Walker grilled in Australian Vogue about her annual wardrobe expenditure. “I spend about $10,000 a season on my own ranges and another couple of grand a year on shoes, plus loads of vintage….
Charting the Edge
Sydney’s Morning Herald publishes its 2003 top-10 lists for global rovers with Aotearoa again destination du jour. The chart toppers – Wine: Marlborough (“with its combination of bush, mountains and coastline … Cloudy Bay, Cairnrae and Allan…
An Eye for Beauty
NZer David Lennie is behind a recent renaissance of works by late Australian fabric designer, Florence Broadhurst. As a director of Signature Prints, Lennie discovered an extraordinary collection of Broadhurst’s work from the 196s…
Cloudy Bay’s Silver Lining
Japan’s Daily Yomiuri tracks the stellar career of NZ’s best known vineyard – Cloudy Bay – in a feature on summery Sauvignons. “NZ zapped into the spotlight in 1985 with Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc. The wine…
Designs for Edge Living
A group of NZ artists are currently on display at the Gallery of Functional Art in Santa Monica, Los Angeles. The show, ‘Straight from New Zealand,’ includes sculpted sheep and dogs by Rodney Brown,…
Wild West Coast food in Hokitika
Hokitika’s Wildfoods Festival rates a mention in a New York Daily News feature on icky eating. “More than 20,000 adventurous eaters gather to sample such delights as bulls’ penises and sphagnum moss,” states the…
Two Good
Four NZ whites won double gold medals at the San Francisco International Wine Competition – widely regarded as America’s premiere wine judging event. Babich Wines 2002 Sauvignon Blanc, Kim Crawford 2002 Sauvignon Blanc, Mt Difficulty 2003 Sauvignon…
Paddo Pleats to Please
Leading Sydney retailer, Belinda Seper, is stocking hand-pleated designs by “New Zealand newcomer” Rachel Pederson at her new store in William Street, Paddington. Pederson’s work will hang alongside that of Michelle Jank, Easton Pearson,…
Poetry in a Bottle
Guardian wine critic, Malcolm Gluck, bestows lyrical praise on the 2002 Neudorf Sauvignon Blanc and 2000 Wither Hills Chardonnay, rating them each 16.5 and 17.5 out of 20 respectively. “Neudorf,” he says, “has the texture of…
Bio-dynamic Man
Winemaker James Milton represented NZ at a tasting of bio-dynamic wines at the Vinexpo trade fair in Gironde, France. Bio-dynamic producers are distinguished from the “merely organic” in that they use a variety of homeopathic sprays on…
Starship Enterprise
NZ has notched up its second consecutive win at the annual International Enterprise Olympics with an innovative touchy feely concept – ‘Sense’: a braille fastfood menu (“food from your fingertips”). The international event, organised by NASA, asked…
Scotsman Sees Red
Scotsman feature ‘Best of the Summer Wine’ adds some body to their list with the 1999 Palliser Pinot Noir. Wine critic Rose Murray Brown: “One of New Zealand’s best attempts at this grape so far. Really stylish…
An angel at his table
Actress Kerry Fox interviewed in the Observer ‘favourite eateries’ column and muses on fellow Kiwi, ex-flatmate and celebrity chef, Peter Gordon’s Tapa Room – as well as his influence on her own culinary habits….
Leading Lights and Walk-overs
NZ wines rate highly in Tim Atkin’s list of ‘summer corkers’ at their peak of drinkability. 2002 Villa Maria Private Bin Sauvignon Blanc: “I’ve never tasted a better vintage of this intense, guava, gooseberry and mango-like South…
Breath of Life from Medical Innovator
UK-born NZer, Norma McCulloch, was named one of the world’s top 1 female inventors at the Global Women’s Innovator and Inventor awards held in Britain as well as the British Female Inventor of the Year Award. McCulloch’s…
Kiwi Wine Puts a Cork in Critics
“The idea that screw-caps are not socially acceptable is absolute nonsense. People should go by their senses, palate, and nose.” The trend-setting move by NZ winemakers in favour of screw-caps over corks is applauded by Guardian wine…
Walker’s Goes AWOL
Nylon magazine is all praise for Karen Walker’s gender-bending Runaway collection, calling it “a perfect blend of daddy’s old fishing jackets and backless chiffon mini-dresses.” Based in Auckland, Walker attributes her edgy designs to…
Cubicle Life
Proving that cubicle life is not a fluorescent-lit oxymoron Lower Hutt industrial designers and export success story, Formway, have contributed edge design nous to Bertford’s group project: ‘Liquid Workspace’ at NeoCon 2003 (a ‘Best…
Bay Alchemy: Red to Gold
Sacred Hill Wines earned a gold medal for their Helmsman Cabernet Merlot 2000 at the renowned London International Wine Challenge. Chief winemaker Tony Bish sees the award as proof that “Hawke’s Bay, indeed NZ, continues to produce outstanding…
Truffles R Us
An English farmer aims to bring truffles – “the black diamond of the fungi world” – to the masses using technology purchased from the NZ Institute for Crop and Food Research. Nigel Hadden-Paton…
A Toast to the “New Classics”
British wine writer, John Hunter, educates his readers in the (remarkably brief) history of NZ wine. Urging them to cast aside any lingering associations with Australia – “it’s a darn sight closer to Antarctica” – Hunter recommends…
Bravo Blumenfield
NZ brand, Blumenfeld, was judged Best International Olive Oil at the LA County Fair Wines of the World Competition – the longest-running, largest and most respected event of its kind in the US. Blumenfeld NZ Classic Blends…
Sylvester a “Singular Sensation”
Touted as “the black sheep of the fashion flock,” designer Kate Sylvester impressed at Sydney Fashion Week without sacrificing her individual edge. SMH: “Citing New York-based installation artist Vanessa Beecroft as an inspiration, Sylvester…
Attack of the Warm Fuzzies
Kiwi designers are ahead of the pack in prefiguring the global “mood of softness and warmth” hitting catwalks around the globe. According to the Canberra Times, the “feast of beautiful, well-crafted and intellectual winter…
For Him
Winemaker Kim Crawford’s “Pansy” has been released in the UK following its overwhelming success on the NZ gay market. The cabernet blend was commissioned by the owner of Auckland gay bar, SPQR, who had witnessed the popularity…
Kiwi Homme
Following Hunter and Bax Henry Hargreaves is the latest Kiwi clothes hanger to attract the lens’ attention on the international fashion circuit. The New York based model has campaigns for Lacoste, Prada, Kenzo and…
Deluxe Drop
Christchurch brewer Dux de Lux was awarded the grand champion trophy at this year’s Australian international beer awards. The brand’s Nor’wester Pale Ale was judged best brew out of a record field of 590 beers from 22…
Tastefully turning heads
Turner NZ restaurant – serving up an all-Kiwi array of food and wine – stands out in the sea of Italian, Asian and American cuisines on offer in Southern California. Says an enthusiastic reviewer…
Street Eyes
Pavement regular, fashion and portrait photographer Derek Henderson, is showing at Sydney’s 2010 gallery. The images in the collection, entitled with sweet melancholy, I Don’t Feel Alone, are described as, “contemporary landscapes and cultural…
Karen at the Cutting-edge
Work by leading NZ fashion designer Karen Walker is currently on show at Seattle’s Bellevue Art Museum. Walker is featured alongside fellow rule-breakers John Galliano, Issey Miyake and Alexander McQueen in Fashion: The Greatest…
Zambesi Deals in Dark Delights
NZ fashion house Zambesi lived up to its reputation for thoughtful sewing of the seams with an inspiring show at Sydney Fashion Week, netting a lucrative distribution deal with Canada’s largest department store chain…
A winter’s ale: Montieths
“This dark, brooding, Kiwi ale with its deep nutty, malty flavours is the perfect thing – served just chilled, of course, rather than cold – for old fashioned roast…
Let Them Eat Plate
NZ company Potatopak, which produces edible fast-food packaging, plans to have its product on Australian shelves by 2004. The eco-friendly invention has been selling through organic shops and catering companies in NZ since 1999, and already…
NZ: Wine Enthusiast ‘Region of the Year’
American-based Wine Enthusiast Magazine named NZ “Region of the Year” at their prestigious Wine Awards for 2002. Said judges of our viticultural edge; “When examining the NZ wine industry, broader themes emerge, encompassing such important concepts as innovation,…
Fashionistas Duke it Out
Home-grown fashion site Lucire has been nominated for a Webby Award; the online equivalent of an Oscar. Lucire is up against stiff international competition, including Dolce & Gabbana and Style.
Survival of the Hippest
Karen Walker continues her reign as NZ’s leading fashion export, scoring extensive coverage in some of the international media’s hippest publications over the past month. She was profiled in i-D as one of their…
Winning hearts through stomachs
Noel Turner’s US eatery, Turner New Zealand, continues to attract epicurean praise with it’s gourmet cuisine sourced with principled fidelity from the freshest NZ product. A “wide-waisted wordsmith” reviews for Orange County Weekly….
Sacred Hill Win on Sacred Turf
Sacred Hill’s 2001 Barrel Fermented Chardonnay became the first NZ wine to win gold at the prestigious Chardonnay du Monde competition in Burgundy, France. Sacred Hill marketing manager Duncan Elliott: “This is like winning the French equivalent…
First Lady of Style
Lower Hutt-born Anouska Hempel (Lady Weinberg) featured in The Times‘ list of iconic women over 50 in a piece by writer Paul Theroux on ‘the older woman’. Hempel is the creative force behind ultra-hip London hotels Blakes…
Celebrity chef
Kiwi chef Alex Mackay is one of the bright sparks leading Britain’s ongoing gastronomic revolution. After working in England and Italy, Mackay now runs an acclaimed cooking school at Le Baou d’Infer in Provence…
California Dining – From the Edge
Country style cooking? “We’re all familiar with restaurants featuring cuisines from countries and subregions around the world. What if a restaurant opened that featured the food products of a certain country rather than…
Change of Pace
BBC series on ex-pat Brits profiles Jake Barnett, a London banker turned Christchurch viticulture student. Barnett has nothing but praise for the NZ wine industry, not to mention his adopted homeland. “The nearest we get to…
A Savvy Critic
“New Zealand wines have zest.” So proclaims Michael Apstein, wine writer for The Boston Globe. His picks of the sauvignon-blanc bunch include Mount Riley (Marlborough, 22), Thornbury (Marlborough, 22) and Craggy Range (Martinborough, 22).
Get Thee to a Nunnery
Detroit Free Press recommends Marlborough’s Old Saint Mary’s Convent in a feature on romantic getaways “off the beaten track.” “Lavender, vineyards and olive groves surround the property, and there’s a pond you can putter in with a…
Round one…
“The food is sooooo good — we want to lick our plates. And the breathtaking views – islands, harbours, volcanoes.” Edmonton Journal travel writer is so impressed by his whirlwind North Island tour he’s…
Pays Au Long Nuage Blanc
Special assignment NZ: Le Monde heads Down Under in search of good wine and finds it in abundance. “NZ, long considered a land of beer-drinkers, has made a sudden and remarkable appearance on the world wine…
BBQ Kings in Sydney
Two Kiwis more than make the grade in SMH‘s respected rating of Sydney’s top young chefs. Jared Ingersoll of Danks Street Depot is praised for his “simple yet fine food, cooked with faultless technique,”…
Habit-forming
Habitual – brainchild of Kiwi designer Nicole Garrett – is officially the coolest denim line on the street. The range is now stocked by big-gun retailers including Barneys (New York and Japan), Colette (Paris),…
Washington Wine Win
NZ wines cleaned up at the 7th Annual Wines for Oysters competition in Washington. Marlborough vineyards won five of the ten awards, with Charles Wiffen’s Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2001 taking home the Grand Champion Trophy.
Screw Convention
“There’s nothing romantic about a corked bottle of wine,” says NZ winemaker Kim Crawford in Time. Crawford is one of many Kiwi vintners thumbing the nose at tradition, preferring screw tops to corks despite a recent international…
Karen’s Kiwi Christmas
Observer “unwraps Christmas in NZ” from the comfort of Karen Walker’s Waitakere Ranges home. “It’s a guaranteed white Christmas … the manuka trees are frosted with delicate white blooms so that the hillside appears…
Readable eatables
Business Day gives Ray McVinnie’s latest cook book a review good enough to eat. The Modern Cook is more than “a series of mouth-watering recipes,” it also builds one recipe upon the next in…
Bottoms Up
Deutz Marlborough Cuvee beat Bollinger, Moet & Chandon, and Veuve Cliquot in a blind-tasting by seven British bubbly experts. Which? magazine organised the test, asking local supermarkets and high-end liquor stores to submit the best of their respective…
Fur-envy
Inspired by the success of NZ possum-fur products, Australian designers have incorporated the “soft, mink-like” pelts into their own winter collections. Most notably, Lisa Ho imported NZ skins for her range of winter stoles…
“Great Things Come Out of Splendid Isolation.”
“It’s not just about the Datsun’s, you know …” Style bible i-D devotes a section of its Cruise Issue to Kiwi creativity. As well as the obvious candidates – Karen Walker, The D4, Natalija…
