Anne Krebiehl: Sixth blog from New Zealand harvest

Excitement: the first day of picking! After the night frost I am dressed in layers of clothes. I was told to be ready for pick-up at 07.45 and Bruce, an athletic Englishman who made New Zealand his home and works for Felton Road full-time arrives promptly.

We drive to the Cornish Point Vineyard on Lake Dunstan and bit by bit various pickers arrive. As of yet they are nameless, but we are well-mixed in age and origin. We try and stay warm in the early morning and smile tentatively at each other, some of the older hands clearly know each other and we strangers laugh at their familiar banter.

Carol Emmas -Roaming around the Rhône

The great thing about a wine trip is how much you can learn from a two or three day visit to a producer or an area - as it doesn't matter how much you read, you can never learn fully from the pages of a book.

Anne Krebiehl: Fifth blog from New Zealand harvest

On the coach again southbound from Blenheim to Christchurch: the route runs along the coast and to my right there is bush and steep cliffs, to my left is the Pacific Ocean. Fresh crayfish is sold at roadside stalls and I regret that I cannot just hop off to sample some of it.

Anne Krebiehl: Fourth blog from New Zealand harvest

Red eye: am on the early coach from Nelson en route to Renwick. State Highway 6 winds its way through coniferous forests, crosses the turquoise Pelorus River in a picturesque, narrow valley and continues south to reach the expansive vineyards of Marlborough: Renwick, a sleepy highway village, sits amidst these and it's yet again a case of dropping the rucksack, grabbing bicycle, helmet and map and heading off to hit the cellar doors.

Richard Siddle, opinion April 3, Power to the people

Anyone who is anybody from the political world was hanging around Downing Street this week as Gordon Brown hosted the world leaders for the G20 summit. So when better to pop along to Number 10 to do a spot of sabre rattling on behalf of the drinks industry over the never-ending issue of high duty rates.

Dominic Walsh, The Times, opinion

The ink had barely dried on my first column a few weeks ago, on the subject of the demonisation of drink, when the Chief Medical Officer added fuel to the fire by launching a call for minimum pricing.

Anne Krebiehl's third wine harvest blog from New Zealand

South Island - what a difference! Anne Krebhiel continues her tour around the wine regions of New Zeland - this week she crosses over into the South Island.

Anne Krebiehl, blog March 23, harvest blog from New Zeland

Hello again - this time from Martinborough in the Wairarapa - this must be the most bijou little town ever and seriously makes me think of emigrating....

Richard Siddle, opinion March 20

Like it or not the corridors of power and the voices of influence remain within the M25. For some they simply exist within the four corners of the House of Commons or the offices of our major newspapers and broadcasters.

Jeremy Beadles column March 2009

The health lobby probably thought the Chief Medical Officer's message on minimum pricing was exquisitely timed. What could be better? Fire a broadside against the drinks industry just as we're about to call on the Chancellor to think again about the tax escalator on alcohol.

Anne Krebiehl, wine writer's blog from the New Zealand harvest

Kia Ora from New Zealand and welcome to the first instalment of my Kiwi wine adventure: I have come here from London to harvest grapes at the illustrious Felton Road estate -- one of the world's most southerly vineyards -- in Central Otago on New Zealand's South Island. To make the most of this long journey I decided to come early and taste my way through the various wine regions to give my shamefully Eurocentric palate a real understanding of Kiwi wines and their huge success on the world stage.

Blog 4: Mario Pablo Silva, managing director Vina Casa Silva

Blog number four from Mario Pablo Silva, managing director of Viña Casa Silva March 16 2009, Colchagua Valley, Chile

Prepared to fight: Richard Siddle's comment

If the drinks industry was midway through a boxing contest with the Treasury it would be a long way behind on points going into the decisive final rounds.

On-trade review 2008: Graham Page, Nielsen

What a year 2008 was for the on-trade. When we had the wettest summer on record and the smoking ban was introduced back in 2007 we thought things couldn't get much worse, but 18 months on and in the thick of a depression one has to consider the long term viability of the British on-trade.

Closures debate: Alessandro Bocchio of Guala Closures Group sets the case

Alessandro Bocchio , global wine co-ordinator of the Guala Closures Group stands up for his company's beliefs and standards in the closures debate

Harvest Blog from Mario Pablo Silva, Vina Casa Silva, Chile

Our third harvest report from Mario Pablo Silva, managing director of Viña Casa Silva March, Colchagua Valley, Chile

Harvest report, week two Mario Pablo Silva, Vina Casa Silva, Chile

The second in our harvest reports from Mario Pablo Silva, managing director of Viña Casa Silva sent on February 29 from the Colchagua Valley, Chile

Diary of a sommelier: Jake Crimmin

Diary of a sommelier: Jake Crimmin, sommelier at The Gaucho Grill, Swallow Street, Piccadilly looks back at the first few weeks of the year

My swansong

This is, alas, my swan song. After this column, you will hear no more
from my oft-disgruntled pen. Henceforth Harpers will be rant and insult
free.

No business like snow business

There is nothing quite like a nationwide snow storm to get the recession of the front pages and put a smile back on people's faces.