NATIONAL AWARD FOR BOUTIQUE VINEYARD

Every year, renowned New Zealand winewriter Michael Cooper brings out his Buyer’s Guide to New Zealand Wines and this year’s edition has a very special meaning for one boutique Martinborough vineyard.

On the same day that they were advised they had won two Gold Medals and a Silver Medal at the NZ International Wine Show for their red wines, Michael Finucane and Roz Walker of Alexander Vineyard received a very welcome ‘phone call from Michael Cooper.

They learned that they had been given the highly sought after award of producing New Zealand’s

Best Red Wine Buy of the Year for their Alexander Dusty Road Pinot Noir 2018. … Continue Reading

Country dog – City dog

Of Helicopters and Chamber Music

Odd bedfellows?  Hover in there, all will make sense (or nonsense) soon. In the meantime, it was pleasing for the Martinborough Music Festival team (MMF) to note that an appreciative audience member took the time to write a letter to the STAR (November 2019).  A newcomer to Martinborough, Paula Barnett wrote [I have] ‘had the good fortune to experience beautiful music in many venues around the world and was blown away by being able to get as equal an experience in what is now my home town’. 

Just as heart-warming was to bump into Ted Preston of the Jazz In Martinborough team and have him offer congratulations on the success of the MMF.  It is high praise to have another music event organiser in the same town be so generous with their comments – thank you Ted. The post Festival survey was positive as well; several responses expressed a view on preferred chamber music composers and ensemble groupings. … Continue Reading

Regional Council notes

Looking back over the years there has always been something in the news that called us to take action.  Long ago the three main drivers of unrest; the need for more resources, religion and inequality were deemed adequate reason for us to kill one another and take over the resources of the vanquished.  Of course all three still exist and still cause major unrest in some countries but here at home in our mostly peaceful country we have found other matters to get up-in-arms over.

A couple of governments ago it was personal safety.  Spurred on by a massive media campaign people reported that they no longer felt safe in their own homes, crime was out of control and police resources were stretched to breaking.  When those stories ceased to sell newspapers we moved on to mental health.  Prior to the last general election DHB’s were inundated with Official Information Act requests on the state of mental health services in their districts and media was littered with bad news stories about mental illness and addiction. … Continue Reading