A bit off the topic but I agree with Cyril's comment - I grew up on a vineyard, have lost my Mum and sister to cancer and my Dad has also had cancer. My other sister has significant digestive and health issues. It feels like there is a lot we don't know about the negative impact of sprays - fungicides and herbicides - being used to grow grapes.

Wine like most indulgences to do with the senses has developed into an art form. The "dumbing down of wine" refers to the "industrialisation" of this product.Just as you can have a Mcdonalds anywhere in the world and it invariably tastes the same, so it is for wine when it is made by "chemistry". The art is in the skill of the Vitner not the Wine Critic. In the vineyard for example,the point at which you pick the grape and subsequent taste is a major factor. Wine grapes are not just picked based on sugar levels alone. As for the correspondents who consider wine appreciation as pretentious,I wonder what they would choose if offered the choice of a free highly aclaimed wine or a free bottle of cheap plonk.I suspect we would then see that their arguement is really a question of price

Dumbing down of wine? Wine was smart? Yeah right! More like the de-mystifying, stripping away the pompous snobbery and having to go with commercial reality in the modern world. Gone are the days of moneyed snobs spouting rubbish about wine to confuse the working classes. No, wine will have to move with the times. Wine's popularity has brought it to a wider audience and, heaven help the poor darlings of the wine industry, they'll have to cater to its commercial reality if they want to make money. However, that does not mean polluting wine with additives and indulging in this genetically modified nonsense is acceptable. As to China, if they can make good wine without polluting it or adding stuff like melamine, good for them. Anything that breaks the traditional wine growing countries' stranglehold on perceived quality is probably a good thing. Remember, 50 years ago NZ wine was a European wine world joke. Now who is laughing?

Depends on whether you consider wine as a fruit drink with alcohol in it or something a bit more subtle.Perhaps some of the correspondents might remember that the NZ wine industry makes a significant contriburion to the NZ economy and is growing even in difficult times. I doubt that the popularity of our wine is solely due to snob appeal. Competing against third world countries with cheaper labour and lower quality standards is always going to be a challenge

chinese wine malborough wine if you knew about the type of chemical useage involved especially malborough where I live, you wouldn't go near it.Cancer from bad sprays is not fun.

I agree with Chris,in the book "The Drunkard's Walk" some of these blind taste tests are reported,most wine or spirits "experts" didn't score any better than chance.Some people claimed to be able to distinguish one vodka brand from another,which is hilarious really, as this spirit is designed to be as tasteless as possible.

When I'm tired of water, OJ or Coke I'll have a glass of white wine for a change as long as it's cheap and comes in a box. Don't mind what sort. Hate red, always tastes sour and foul.

My favourite wine is cheap and fizzy so i'm probably not the most valid commenter. I think its not about being snobby - there is something very special about something grown - and crafted into a flavour of its own without adding in a whole heap of other stuff. Goes for more than just wine.

I would prefer they just leave things as they are. But I guess things move on. But I don't like the idea of "genetically modified to change a wine's taste and producers will add artificial flavourings to create wines in a style that consumers want."

Why do they have to keep playing around with what is already great wine? I don't want artificial cr*p in my wine.

I personally don't see how know a wine by name is a "dumbing down".

Perfectly good wine region can produce a substandard wine. A good wine is based on personal taste in my opinion. eg I like a Marlborough sav, but I know of "brands" I prefer and those that are not in my preference.

To be honest I think the entire industry is getting too head strong in traditional ways. A quality wine is a quality wine were ever it came from. I recommend they watch out they don't end up a relic like the British gentry, after years of snobbery.

elitism will always exist, but it wont float the many many winery's popping up allover the show.