Tasting notes... at your fingertips

Marlborough's Whitehaven Wines is giving consumers a new way to assess its 2010 sauvignon blanc - by using the latest mobile phone technology.
They've added a special bar code to bottles of this year's vintage, giving customers far more information about the wine than the traditional label alone could deliver.
A QR (quick response) code is a two-dimensional barcode that can hold a massive amount of information compared to the old fashioned bar codes found on retail products.
Customers who have capable 3G cellphones can download the free QR code application, then use their phone like a scanner to read the QR code.
"It's essentially high-speed information decoding using your phone," says Whitehaven managing director Sue White.
Customers can use their phone's camera to take a picture of the label, which will transfer them to the wine's tasting notes on Whitehaven's website.
"It means you can be standing in a liquor store, pick up a bottle of our wine and flick up our website and see what's being said about it," White says.
"It's a fail-safe way of understanding what you're buying if you're serious about good wine."
Developed in Japan to track vehicle parts, the QR code is now being used as a speedy way of relaying more detailed information for a large range of consumer items.
Sherry, oh baby!
The newly imported range of Barbardillo sherries has
awakened my inner nana, and I couldn't be happier.
They're rustic and ready - the way authentic Spanish sherry ought to be - but if you're more of a modern dancer, importer Catherene Cook from Casa Aragon (www.casaaragon.co.nz) offers a few twists on how to tizzy up a sherry.
50 per cent Manzanilla and 50 per cent fresh lemonade makes a "Rebujito", a popular summer drink in Spain.
Pop a lightly squeezed orange segment into a goblet of cream sherry with some crushed ice - divine.
A splash of Pedro Ximenez (or PX, as we say in the trade) with fruit cake, a chunk of Wensleydale cheese or with knobs of ricotta smeared on green apple slices is just the business.
Send for a JP, immediately!
Emerson's Brewery in Dunedin has released this year's version of JP, an India Pale Ale brewed to honour late professor Jean Pierre Dufour, who, until his untimely death in 2007, was the chair of food science at the University of Otago.
Belgian-born JP (as he was known) was a great friend of the Emerson Brewing team and a champion of New Zealand craft brewers. He was recognised with a Lifetime Achiever Award at BrewNZ 2006 but died a few months later while working in Ghana developing large-scale brewing techniques for Africa's sorghum beers.
Each JP release is designed to showcase the diversity of Belgian brewing techniques and this year's version is brewed to the Tripel style with Belgian yeast, New Zealand and American hops and a whole lot of dedication and respect. It's rich and malty, with citrus and clove notes and a delicate, drying finish. A 500ml bottle is $9. Visit www.emersons.co.nz for local stockists.
Groovy gruner
September 1 heralds Marlborough's first foray into the groovy world of gruner veltliner, the signature white wine of Austria. Cooper's Creek set the scene first in 2008 with their gruner from Gisborne way and now, thanks to Dr John Forrest, a little piece of Austria is in Marlborough.
"Gruner veltliner seems exceptionally well suited to Marlborough's climate, producing aromatically intense wine. It reminds me of when sauvignon blanc was first grown here and how well that worked with the climate and terroir in the Wairau Valley," says Forrest.
Bottled on August 6, it follows in the footsteps of other innovations in "The Doctors" label range, which includes a Marlborough sauvignon blanc with less than 10 per cent alcohol, an award winning kabinett-style riesling, arneis and the use of crown closures on their methode traditionelle bubbles.
Play misty for me
Because I'm up to my eyeballs in wine most days, a dram of good whiskey is a rare treat and a snifter of whiskey liqueur is a rare pleasure.
That was until I stumbled across the new version of Ireland's legendary Irish Mist.
Now in a tall, clear bottle and made to a slightly tweaked recipe, which makes it much smoother and more mellow, the old Irish Mist is set for a comeback. I love it neat, but it's also sensational with a squeeze of lime and, if you can't resist splashing a bit of cola over it, you won't be disappointed.
Let's get fizzicle
If you thought sparkling sauvignon blanc was stretching the boundaries as far as fizz went, then you may want to sit down for this little news nugget.
Waipara Hills has released its first sparkling riesling into the market and it's doing a fine job of winning friends.
Dubbed the Waipara Southern Cuvee ($21), it has classic lime and green apple notes, along with a touch of sweet to add oomph to the texture, but it is also incredibly crisp, clean and refreshing to drink.
Made by North Canterbury winemaker Simon McGeorge, it could be just the ticket to make more people choose riesling - let's hope.
Visit www.waiparahills.co.nz for more information.