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In 1996 we planted a further 4,000 riesling vines on grafted rootstocks to give a total planting of 8,500 vines for this variety. In the same year we started the first stage of construction of a Mediterranean style building on the property. This was intended to give us future living accommodation, a cellar door forContinue reading “Second Excerpt – Winegrower”

I advise that the revised version of my novella eBook entitled ‘ A Winelover’s Tour de France ‘ is now available from the following retailers – Amazon, Kobo, Barnes & Noble ( Nook ), Itune and eBookit.com I seek your support for my writing by buying this book which is only available in a digitalContinue reading “General Announcement”

5                                             Initial Vineyard Set Up On settlement of the purchase from Falaise Hales and her Family Trust we took title to the property in the name of our company Spencer Estate Wines Ltd. We then had discussions with a number of interested vineyard contractors before settling on a local Gywn Williams. Gwyn was engagedContinue reading “First Excerpt – Winegrower”

I am currently working on a story covering 20 years of my time as a winegrower in the Waipara Valley, North Canterbury. I intend to self-publish this work by the end of the year. In the interim, I propose to post selected excerpts from the manuscript to titilate my followers out there. Cheers! BARRY JOHNSContinue reading “Writing Update”

9. End of Tour – observations and impressions The traveller sees what he sees. The tourist sees what he has come to see. (G.K. Chesterton) On reflection, Bede’s journey through France provided him with some of the most enjoyable and pleasurable experiences in his life up to that time. It was a grand adventure, andContinue reading “A Winelover’s Tour de France (15)”

8 It’s not the arriving, it’s how you get there. (Anon) His stay in Paris this time was to last six days and gave him ample opportunity to explore this exciting pleasure dome. It was good to be back at the Hôtel Parisiana and to catch up with Veronique again. He was given room No.1Continue reading “A Winelover’s Tour de France (14 )”

Bede took a room at the Hôtel de la Poste and immediately set about checking on Michelle’s whereabouts. He soon caught up with her over an espresso in the small café attached to the hotel.Michelle had business commitments for the next two days and they would not catch up again. The morning dawned fine andContinue reading “A Winelover’s Tour de France (13)”

It was late afternoon when Bede reached the large wine town of Beaune. The roadside sign proclaimed “Ici Beaune – Capitale du Bourgogne”. Beaune is the centre of the Burgundy wine trade and lives up to the nobility of its neighbouring vineyards. To the traveller, Beaune comes as a respite. It is a drowsy BurgundianContinue reading “A Winelover’s Tour de France (12 )”

The recent decision by Air NZ, our premier airline, to conclude an exclusive supply arrangement with Villa Maria wines for its Koru lounges, and in-flight economy and premium economy classes, rankles. The wine awards, for which they have held the naming rights for 28 years, known as the Air NZ Wine Awards, is considered theContinue reading “Air NZ Wine Awards”

The next two days were spent leisurely exploring this large and beautiful city. Lyon sits at the confluence of the Rhône and Saône rivers and is the second largest city in France, after Paris. It is a city rich in artistic interest, and its old quarters (Croix-Rousse, St Jean) are no less impressive than itsContinue reading “A Winelover’s Tour de France (11)”