995 days ago

New Zealand Sommelier of the year - 2021

New Zealand School of Food & Wine

Congratulations to Andrea Martinisi as he is awarded New Zealand Sommelier of the Year 2021.

Andrea Martinisi is presented with the New Zealand Sommelier of the Year 2021 trophy by Marek Przyborek (NZ Sommelier of the Year 2018) and chair of the Examination Committee with Celia Hay, chair of New Zealand Sommeliers and Wine Professionals Association. Andrea is General Manager and Head Sommelier of The Grove Restaurant, Auckland. Marek is head sommelier at Amisfield, Central Otago.

The day started with the Theory Assessment (60 minutest) and Blind Tasting of 2 wines. The white wine was Saint Clair Pioneer Block Gewurztraminer 2020 from Marlborough and from Spain, Muga Seleccion Especial Rioja 2016. The Practical included a restaurant scenario to decant a bottle of Te Mata Awatea 2018 and provide a food pairing. This was made a little tricky as we also had a bottle Te Mata Awatea 2019 on the sideboard... to check if the candidates were reading the label!

The Practical also featured a spirit tasting where candidates were asked to identify 4 spirits. This year the spirits were Bacardi, Tequila Blanco, Jack Daniels, Calvados.

More messages from your neighbours
4 days ago

Poll: Does the building consent process need to change?

The Team from Neighbourly.co.nz

We definitely need homes that are fit to live in but there are often frustrations when it comes to getting consent to modify your own home.
Do you think changes need made to the current process for building consent? Share your thoughts below.

Type 'Not For Print' if you wish your comments to be excluded from the Conversations column of your local paper.

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Does the building consent process need to change?
  • 91.5% Yes
    91.5% Complete
  • 8.1% No
    8.1% Complete
  • 0.3% Other - I'll share below!
    0.3% Complete
1171 votes
20 hours ago

Lest we forget...

The Team from Neighbourly.co.nz

On this ANZAC Day, let's take a moment to remember and honor the brave men and women who have served and continue to serve our country.

Tell us who are you honouring today. Whether it's a story from the battlefield or a memory of a family member who fought in the war, we'd love you to share your stories below.

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2 hours ago

welcome (& help) new neighbour

Julia from Henderson

kia ora lovely neighbours

as some of you know, I love the marketplace on here - (you know people are LOCAL, easy to collect) - and meet such lovely neighbours in the process.

I did not click on the 'ad' for "free house hold stuff" - as I though were GIVING away stuff - and little I need right now.

oh when I did - a very easy mistake to make - ASKING for - not giving away

Amanda & her 2 sons (12 & 16) have just moved here, out west, from Wellington - and looking for a helping hand

so generous neighbours - is there anything surplus to your requirement that you can help Amanda with?

"Hi me an my two sons have just relocated to Glen Eden from Wellington an are looking for few things for our house kitchen table an chairs pots an pans an draws cabinets etc thank you"

"16 and 12 and we are needing dinning table and chairs vacuum kitchen stuff and draws for boys rooms"

I think I have a spare large frying pan - but can't help with the rest....

if you can't help, all good - just if you don't ask, you don't get - (so see Amanda's ad - in Marketplace - under "free house hold stuff" - for her contact info)

peace & love - arohanui