The June Bank Holiday weekend always feels like the beginning of summer even if the weather is often rather mixed.

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.

Nobody knows Irish food better than Joe McNamee. From chutney to cheese, craft beer to chocolate, he’s put together The Menu’s Annual Christmas Hamper – full of the local products that really stood out this year. Plus, he’s got the top gifts for foodies.

Recently I gave over my column to the joys of sherry and wrote about how well it goes with food. This week it is the turn of port. Port and sherry are drinks we wrongly associate with Christmas when in fact they work all year round.

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

I’m a little late focusing on the Rugby World Cup, but with the final group matches this weekend there will be a lot of tension around and you may need a glass of wine to calm your nerves.

The Dog Days are over to quote Florence and the Machine (who will be at Electric Picnic this year, as will I - of which more next week).

A message in a bottle, sent from Florida in the US, arrived on a sandy west Cork beach last week, almost exactly one year after it left the Sunshine State’s shores.

This week I want to share with you some of the reasons why good Champagne is expensive. One reason is our punitive tax system (fizzy wine is double the tax of still wine), but also because this is not an easy wine to get right.

Readers of this column may be getting tired of my raising the issue of excise duty on wine but bear with me for just a few sentences. 

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

SUMMER 2014 remains as unpredictable as we have come to expect in Ireland so I will be hedging my bets with recommendations for summer drinking over the next few weeks.

WINE enthusiasts sometimes tie themselves into knots worrying about the complexities to be found in the drink, fussing about which flower or fruit a wine smells like, or worse still focusing on soil structure and hectolitres per hectare.

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.

TWO wineries plus three cities equals a surefire treat for wine lovers this month: The most promising wine events in the autumn line-up (so far) have to be the tastings in Cork, Dublin and Kilkenny featuring wines from Langmeil in the Barossa region of Australia and Huia in Marlborough, New Zealand.

Singer Pete Doherty was today warned he could face jail again after he pleaded guilty to possession of cocaine.

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.

Rock singer Pete Doherty was rearrested at court today moments after he was spared jail with a fine for driving offences.

Singer Pete Doherty will appear in court today accused of dangerous driving after a gig.

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.

Rock singer Pete Doherty, who is charged with drink-driving after a gig, posed for pictures on a court steps today before being given until October to decide on his plea.

Rock singer Pete Doherty was released on £50,000 (€58,000) bail today to await trial charged with dangerous driving after a gig.

Singer Pete Doherty will appear in court today charged with drink-driving and possession of Class A drugs.

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.