Wine: Slow squeeze of pleasure (+recipe)

If there's one thing surer than death and taxes, it's that by now you're probably wondering what on earth to do with all that excess Christmas chocolate, the boxes of crystallised ginger grandad keeps forgetting to take home, all the uneaten Round Wines or Krispies left in the Griffins Sampler tin and those annoying bowls of festive mixed nuts no one touched because the nutcracker's been awol since 1993.

The answer is very simple; it's called Nana Billy's Biscuit Cake.

Melt 120g each of sugar and butter together with 3 tablespoons cocoa powder. Whisk in an egg and a teaspoon of vanilla essence, then heat till the mixture starts to bubble. Add 250g of crushed biscuits, a cup of currants or raisins, half a cup of chopped crystallised ginger and a half cup of chopped nuts.

Press into a slab tin then cover it with melted chocolate and more chopped nuts, then chill till completely set. Slice it into hefty slabs and consume with gusto with a large glass of sparkling shiraz.

I absolutely adore a good, Aussie sparkling shiraz with anything remotely chocolatey, especially if there's fruit, spice and nuts involved. It's a sweetish, plummy, fizzy, red wine. Though that may sound sickening to some, believe me, when I've spent a hot, dusty day in the outback fending off goannas and rabid tree-bunnies all day, it's pretty much corker, rippa, bonza, grouse, mate.

I hope we can embrace it over here because there are some delicious, well-priced examples on shop shelves which really hit the spot.

Any supermarket worth its salt will stock Wyndham Bin 555 Sparkling Shiraz NV ($16), which ticks all the boxes for ripe, red fruit and dark berries combined with cocoa, smoke and spice. Scenic Cellars in Taupo stocks the absolutely delicious Bleasdale Sparkling Shiraz NV ($26) from Langhorne Creek, which has concentrated plum, cocoa and dark berry notes combined with intensely rich, yet refreshing, length. But my new favourite comes from McLaren Vale's Penny's Hill Wines and it's called Black Chook Sparkling Shiraz ($25).

Made by talented winemaker Ben Riggs, this wine has intense plum, pepper and blackberry aromas with a rich, smooth, spritzy texture and a robust, fruity finish. For stockists see: www.federalgeo.co.nz

Akarua's Noir Ice 2011 $40 (Stars: 5/5) is a definite new favourite. I've tried only one dessert-style pinot noir before, so it's a rare example indeed. Wax sealed, individually numbered, it's scented with strawberries and cream and oozes candyfloss, toffee and rose caramel richness. Harvested at optimal ripeness and flavour, the grapes were then frozen in a blast freezer before being pressed over three days to release the sugary juice and separate it from any water crystals to concentrate the flavours. It's stunning. www.akarua.com

I just need a bit more moo time

Australian scientists at the Victorian Department of Primary Industries have discovered that if cows eat regular quantities of a by-product of winemaking called "grape marc" they reduce their methane emissions by more than 20 per cent. Apparently, a dairy cow produces the same volume of greenhouse gas emissions as an average family car. Grape marc is all the skins and seeds left over after grapes have been crushed and pressed during winemaking. A huge amount of this waste is produced and mostly it goes into compost, but it's a big deal finding a suitable way to cope with it all. Not only does this byproduct cut down on bovine burping and flatulence, it's also a fantastic high-fat feed supplement which results in productive, efficient milk-making by cows and higher "good" fatty-acid content in their milk - which is linked with improved heart health and all sorts of cancer-fighting weaponry for humans. So, I think it'd be brilliant for us here in NZ to be able to package all this grape waste and feed it to our cows because it's a win-win for wineries, farmers, people and the environment.

Church Road Reserve Hawke's Bay Viognier 2010 $40 (Stars: 5/5) I love the essence of orange oil, quince and wild flowers on the nose and the immediate burst of mandarin, apricot and soft spices in the mouth. Its lusciousness and mid-palate texture is absolutely divine and it's a superb example of the style. One glass is just never enough. For stockists see: www.churchroad.co.nz

Kidnapper Cliffs Hawke's Bay Pinotage 2010 $45 (Stars: 4.5/5) One of the most sophisticated examples of pinotage on the NZ market, this wine oozes cranberry, redcurrant, rosehip tea and cherry cola aromas yet it has a spicy edge with savoury, dried herb flavours and is soundly built with solid tannins, a warming mid-palate and lengthy persistence of flavour. See: www.kidnappercliffs.com

Rochdale Pear Cider 330ml ($15 x 4pk) A lovely, full-flavoured cider that bursts with tangy, pure pear character before finishing with refreshing acidity and excellent length of flavour. Drink super-chilled with snapper slathered in spicy mango salsa. For stockists see: www.mccashins.co.nz

Tresillian Single Vineyard Akaroa Chardonnay 2009 $23 (Stars: 4.5/5) This is a superb Canterbury chardonnay chock-full of melon, mango and peach notes on the nose all followed by an explosively fresh burst of tropical and citrus flavours in the mouth. Clean, long and linear, it's a lovely drink indeed. Buy from: www.tresillian.co.nz

Sustainable Dots Hawke's Bay Gewurztraminer 2010 $19 (Stars: 4.5/5) If you're a fan of fabulous, well-priced gewurztraminer then this is for you! It's a beautiful example with lychee, rose and soft spices on the nose followed by clean, crisp, tangy tropical flavours in the mouth. It's a wine with fantastic lines and leaves an impression. More please! For info on how to buy see: www.osawawines.co.nz