Wineinsights

Wineinsights Wineinsights is dedicated to enriching your wine knowledge and experience. I'm John Penney, your learning facilitator, host, and consultant.

Our services cater to wine lovers & enthusiasts who seek to delve deeper into the world of wine. My passion for wine was ignited in wine service experience at the Wellington Club during my university days, nurtured through extensive NZ & international wine travel & developed through completion of formal wine studies including WSET Level 3 with Distinction. I live in the beautiful New Zealand wine

district of Martinborough, renowned for the quality of its Pinot Noir. Here I have an extensive wine cellar and regularly host wine-tasting events for local industry experts and enthusiasts. I am also the cellarmaster for the Martinborough Wine & Food Society.

Delicious local Pinot Noir. Te Hera Estate 2021 Pinot Noir from Te Muna Road, Martinborough sub-region in a good vintage...
17/06/2026

Delicious local Pinot Noir. Te Hera Estate 2021 Pinot Noir from Te Muna Road, Martinborough sub-region in a good vintage. Bright ruby in the glass with aromas of red cherry, forest floor and baking spice. The palate is medium bodied with perfectly balanced acidity and silky tannins framing red berry fruit, mushroom, cinnamon and an earthy mineral edge, with good length and a clean finish. Pure drinking pleasure!

Presenting an international Chenin Blanc tasting last Friday at Martinborough Wine & Food Socciety
15/06/2026

Presenting an international Chenin Blanc tasting last Friday at Martinborough Wine & Food Socciety

Architecture, vineyards and coastal cliffs in a single frame — that’s Elephant Hill’s Te Awanga home. What began as a ch...
13/06/2026

Architecture, vineyards and coastal cliffs in a single frame — that’s Elephant Hill’s Te Awanga home. What began as a chance encounter between a German vintage‑car collector and a Napier craftsman has grown into one of Hawke’s Bay’s most ambitious estates. On my recent visit, winemaker Hugh Crichton took me deep into the three‑site philosophy that now defines Elephant Hill — Stone, Sea and Earth — and the clarity of expression emerging from each vineyard. A remarkable story, and an even more remarkable tasting.

Architecture, vineyards and coastal cliffs in a single frame — that’s Elephant Hill’s Te Awanga home. What began as a chance encounter between a German vintage‑car collector and a Napier craftsman …

Poland's wine grape production is completely dominated by Piwis. For those unfamiliar with this term check out by articl...
10/06/2026

Poland's wine grape production is completely dominated by Piwis. For those unfamiliar with this term check out by article Dipping into Piwi Wines. Link in the first comment

Main Wine Grape Varieties in Poland, 2022. A sizeable share consists of PIWI varieties, i.e., fungus-resistant varieties.

Last week I visited Elephant Hill winery in Hawkes Bay where I was kindly hosted by head winemaker Hugh Crichton. This i...
10/06/2026

Last week I visited Elephant Hill winery in Hawkes Bay where I was kindly hosted by head winemaker Hugh Crichton. This is truly a spectacular location and both the cellar door restaurant and winery are now less impressive! Hope to have my story about them out this weekend.

09/06/2026

Lol

The English version of my article in the Italian online wine magazine Wine Reporter:
09/06/2026

The English version of my article in the Italian online wine magazine Wine Reporter:

Read New Zealand Wine – Much More Than Sauvignon Blanc: Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Syrah and Riesling available in Italy on Wine Reporter. Discover more!

The good news keeps coming! I am very excited this morning as my short article - New Zealand, More Than Sauvignon Blanc ...
08/06/2026

The good news keeps coming! I am very excited this morning as my short article - New Zealand, More Than Sauvignon Blanc has been published by leading Italian online wine magazine Wine Reporter. To see the English version just open the link and click on the language button!

Leggi Vini neozelandesi - Non solo Sauvignon Blanc: Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Syrah e Riesling disponibili in Italia su Wine Reporter - Web magazine internazionale dedicato al mondo del vino italiano e non solo. Scopri di più!

07/06/2026
Both great wines, loved the Saperavi,!
06/06/2026

Both great wines, loved the Saperavi,!

Chief Winemaker Boxi Zhen cradling two of Ballandean Estate's premium wines, the 2023 Shiraz and 2023 Saperavi, set against a vibrant backdrop of red and gold on the Opera Block.

Even though our cellar door is taking a pause, behind the scenes, the Ballandean magic continues as usual:
🍾Perfecting the pour: We are actively finessing and bottling our current vintages.
🍇Prepping the vineyard: Our team is out in the crisp air, pruning the vines for the next harvest.

Cellar door re-opens on June 13.

Granite Belt Wine Country Southern Downs and Granite Belt

Address

7 Dublin Street, Martinborough
Wellington
5711

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