In the late summer of August 2026, the skies over southwest France have turned a bruised, apocalyptic orange. France is grappling with its worst fire crisis in decades, with blazes in the Gironde department forcing massive evacuations and consuming over 116,000 hectares of land nationwide. For the historic estates of Bordeaux, the crisis hits exceptionally close to home. While iconic appellations like Margaux and Pauillac have narrowly dodged direct flame damage, the smoke billowing from nearby burning pine forests has cast a dark cloud over a $3 billion industry.

Stepping off the treadmill: An armchair, a good glass of wine and some serious reading

Popular films have long shaped how people discover and engage with wine, influencing perceptions of regions, varieties, and wine culture itself. Understanding these cultural drivers is important for anyone interested in wine education and wine tourism, because movies often introduce audiences to styles and places they later seek out in real life.

To the traveller arriving for a weekend of winery tours and wine tasting in Martinborough, the landscape around the village square looks remarkably simple. It is flat, unpretentious, and easy to navigate. Unlike the dramatic mountain backdrops of Central Otago or the rolling green hills of North Canterbury, our pocket of the Classic New Zealand Wine Trail doesn't boast about its geography.

Tucked into the elevated river terraces north of Masterton, Bijou Estate is one of those Wairarapa vineyards that many locals have driven past without ever realising what sits just a short turn off the main road. It is small, quiet, and resolutely hands‑on—an expression of one woman’s long, determined project rather than a commercial brand chasing scale.

Cellaring wine is one of the most misunderstood parts of wine culture. For some people it’s a romantic idea; for others it’s a practical necessity. At its core, cellaring simply means storing wine in conditions that allow it to stay fresh or improve over time. It’s not about hoarding, prestige, or building a trophy room. It’s about intention: choosing certain wines, storing them properly, and drinking them when they’re at their best.