New Zealand is a tiny wine producing region in world terms but has managed to carve out a hugely influential niche for itself with their unique take on Sauvignon Blanc.

Sad news to report as in case you didn’t hear the legendary Cork-based wine importer Joe Karwig died suddenly on October 26.

Chat show host Graham Norton toasted the arrival of his memoir yesterday — with a bottle of his very own line of special edition sauvignon blanc.

THIEVES CLEAN UP IN POUND SHOP RAID

THERE are few wines more iconic than New Zealand’s Cloudy Bay which was founded in 1985 and whose intense pungent Sauvignon Blanc became a benchmark for the varietal in that country.

This is award season in the wine trade as much as in the movie business.

NEW ZEALAND represents less than 1% of the world’s wine production but has become hugely influential in the past 20 years thanks to their unique take on Sauvignon Blanc.

PINOT Noir is one of the great misunderstood grapes but one you will be seeing a lot more of in the coming years if Chile has its way.

THIS column has neglected New Zealand a little in recent months and given how much we love their wines in Ireland it is time to make amends.

IS GREAT wine made in the vineyard or in the winery?

ST PATRICK’S DAY is upon us, so it is good to remind ourselves of the Irish wine connections.

NEW ZEALAND wine producers held their annual wine fair in Dublin earlier this month and it seems Ireland is now their fifth largest export market with sales having increased by around 12% in 2012.

Bright clean cherries and strawberries on the nose with lovely fresh clean red fruit flavours on the palate.

The people of Wiltshire have a long standing reputation for preferring farming to war-like pursuits.

Champion trainer Richard Hannon is recovering in hospital after undergoing vascular surgery on Monday.

THERE was an embarrassment of riches at the annual New Zealand wine fair last week.

A taxi driver in Britain charged with the murder of Sian O’Callaghan was remanded in custody today.

A 47-year-old man is being held by British police on suspicion of two murders including that of missing woman Sian O’Callaghan.

BEN DUNNE slammed the Moriarty Report as “profoundly flawed” as he rejected findings that he was corrupt and challenged the tribunal to hand him over to the DPP for criminal investigation.

THE past week has been an extremely eventful one. Overall, it has been very successful but with just a bit of luck it might have been even better.

Troubled Pete Doherty has revealed that his heart "stopped" and he was on a life support machine after being rushed to hospital in Wiltshire.

Rock singer Pete Doherty will stand trial in December charged with dangerous driving after a gig, a British court heard today.

Singer Pete Doherty was last night arrested on suspicion of drink-driving and drug possession – half an hour after playing a gig, police in the UK said.

Roaring Forte will head to Royal Ascot after leading from pillar to post in the Edmondson Hall Solicitors & Sports Lawyers Handicap over seven furlongs at Newmarket.

Alan Daly ended his 15-year riding career in the best way possible as he guided Desert Dreamer to success in the Newchapel Selling Stakes at Lingfield.

Pete Doherty is planning to stage a gig in his barn - after officials banned a music festival the controversial rocker's band was due to play.

King Supreme orchestrated the perfect moment to curtail a long run of seconds and thirds with victory in the £20,000 totesport.com Brighton Challenge Cup.

A trust fund in aid of the popular Dorset trainer Robert Alner will be launched on Monday.

SIGNIFICANT initiatives including the banning of traffic on central routes in Dublin will be needed before the “big dig” for the metro can begin in the capital in 2010, transport planners revealed yesterday.

A CONVICTED paedophile who kidnapped and sexually assaulted a three-year-old girl was yesterday jailed for a minimum of five years, sparking outrage from the child’s family and immediate calls for the “unduly lenient” sentence to be referred to Britain’s Court of Appeal.

A convicted paedophile was today jailed for life in the UK for kidnapping and sexually assaulting a three-year-old girl just weeks after his prison licence for an earlier sex attack on another child ran out.

Police in Cardiff investigating the alleged kidnap and rape of a three-year-old girl have said that two men were seen attempting to entice young girls into their car near where the snatch took place.

Trainer Marcus Tregoning and owner Hamdan Al Maktoum have enjoyed plenty of success at Goodwood over the years and Nuzooa completed an across-the-card double for the pair when landing the feature race at the Sussex track this afternoon.

Nicky Henderson’s amazing run of Saturday specials shows no sign of ending after Isio struck under Barry Geraghty to take the inaugural running of the £100,000 (€148,600) Vodafone Gold Cup at Newbury yesterday.

FRENCH challenger Jair Du Cochet is set to go off a hot favourite for the Pertemps King George VI Chase at Kempton Park on St Stephen’s Day.

Connections of Kingsmark are praying for soft ground to allow the grey to take his chance in the Tommy Whittle Chase at Haydock Park on Saturday.

Hussard Collonges has been a "nearly" horse this season but that could all change in the big one a week on Thursday.

Hussard Collonges can cement his position as a leading contender for top chasing honours this season with victory in next month’s Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup at Leopardstown.

Nine times Irish champion jockey Charlie Swan reached yet another career milestone at Navan when Over The First became the 1,300th winner of his outstanding riding career.

Mick Fitzgerald suffered from mixed fortunes at Cheltenham - taking the feature race on Fadalko before being told he faces a six week lay-off.

Tony McCoy breathed a sigh of relief after being declared fit to ride in the Martell Grand National.

No horses were withdrawn from the Martell Grand National at the final declaration stage.

Mick Fitzgerald today lost his appeal against suspension and will miss Saturday’s Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup.