Judy O'Kane  is an Irish lawyer on sabbatical.  She recently graduated from Ballymaloe Cookery School in County Cork after three months travelling around New Zealand vineyards.

Have wine, will travel.

"Welcome back" Immigration greets me in Auckland on Christmas Eve.  With Michael Cooper's Wine Atlas under my arm, I wend my way through both islands, from Waiheke to Central Otago, filling my backpack along the way with pinot, aromatic whites and some great chardonnay.

I am lucky enough to hear of Himmelsfeld, a boutique vineyard in Moutere, with Romney sheep lazing in the shade along the tree lined drive, each allocating themselves a tree.   Beth Eggers, the owner, welcomes us in the beautifully crafted tasting room, the  Wine Loft, and her intelligent eyes dance without any sales pitch or cliched wine patter.  Like a good wine, her face opens out with the chat, full of character and passion.  Her family arrived in Moutere 150 years ago and her German heritage tells in her  hardworking sincerity.

Himmelsfeld means "heaven's field" in German.  It boasts the country's smallest chapel and several pretty sculptures.  While we are seduced by the romance of the vineyard, she talks about the realities of living from the earth.  Her heart wrenching decision to rip out the orchard some years ago was like losing a limb.  She was devastated as each tree collapsed, left on the land to haunt her as regulations prevented the burning of timber over the summer months.

The sheep provide entertainment by scratching themselves against the picnic tables, lifting the slate tops.  Tom, our designated driver, taken unawares behind the camera lens, narrowly avoids a close encounter with an enthusiastic ram while capturing some great shots - one gorgeous macro of bees' wings in motion over the lavender.  

Tasting measures are generous, and the chat is good.  While the Wine Loft is unpretentious, several framed accolades tell us that these wines have made their mark since the vineyard's beginnings in 1991.  We are impressed by the Sauvignon Blancs, which are well recommended by Bob Campbell, MW.  The 2007 has pineapple and passion fruit on the nose, fresh and yet quite ripe and full bodied on the palate.  The 2003 Cabernet Sauvignon has hints of eucalyptus, cedar wood, and is fairly restrained.  Michael Cooper described the 2001 as "perhaps the best Cabernet Sauvigon ever to have come from this region."  We keep returning to the Chardonnays of 2002 and 2004.  The rich, golden 2004 is the favourite with its creamy, caramel flavour, the oak not overpowering the wine but giving a lovely lightly nutty flavour.  Like a good white Burgundy it is smooth and silky in texture.

This is a wine for food.  One taster suggests berries, someone dreams of smoked fish, followed by a barbecued banana split with chocolate. I take a few bottles for the backpack and an email confirms that a case has been consigned to the high seas.  A few months later the wine arrives in Ireland where I am taking a 12 week gastronomic "boot camp" course at Ballymaloe Cookery School in County Cork.   I open a bottle of Beth's 2004 Chardonnay with Colm McCan, sommelier at Ballymaloe House, who lectures us at the School introducing winemakers from all over the new world and old.  We pour a glass for the House's head chef, Jason Fahey.  The robust flavours need a  meaty fish, perhaps lobster, turbot or scallops.  Jason offers wild salmon pan fried and slightly caramelised, a perfect match for the slight buttery caramel of the wine.  The natural richness and oiliness of the salmon perfectly complement the wine's rich, creamy flavour.  A magical night in Ballymaloe House kitchen observing the chefs at work is a fitting way to enjoy the last of the Himmelsfeld.

This wine is not the mass produced bottle that will appear on supermarket shelves across the world.  It is grown on Beth's boutique vineyard with care and is a labour of love.  The Viognier planted in 2006 will be worth seeking out.   For those of you who can visit without the need for a round the world ticket, I envy you.  Anyone who has not had the pleasure of tasting the wines, visiting the vineyard and meeting Beth in person, what are you waiting for?

PANFRIED WILD SALMON WITH SORREL BUTTER

This dish works really well with chard or spinach butter, if you don't have sorrel.

Fresh middle cut of wild salmon (approx 900g will generously serve 4)

A knob of butter

A little flour

Cut the salmon into 4 salmon steaks, about 2.5cm thick.  Leave the backbone to allow the fish to retain its natural oiliness.  Extract any tiny bones from the middle of the flesh with tweezers - you can detect them by running your knife tips against the grain of the fish.  Leave the skin on to give the fish a crisp bite.

Flour and butter the fish and place on very hot grill pan - leave until brown for about 2-3 minutes, turn over to brown the other side and season.  Put into the oven at 160 - 180C  for about 8 minutes.  The natural juices will caramelise and the fish will remain moist.  The fish must remain uncovered to retain a crust.

Green vegetables such as mange tout, sugar snaps, snow peas or French beans work well with this dish.  These are blanched in boiling salted water for 2-3 minutes, then tossed in a small amount of butter, and served with freshly cracked black pepper.

SORREL BUTTER

This freezes beautifully and can be used on many fish dishes.  If you are using spinach or chard instead of sorrel, the method is the same.

450 g sorrel

225g butter (softened)

Squeeze lemon juice

Chop the sorrel finely and blanch in salted boiling water for 2-3 minutes (use 1.5 teaspoons of salt for each 600 ml water).   Strain and press and very carefully remove all water.  Press the sorrel into the softened butter with a squeeze of lemon and mix thoroughly.  Roll the butter into a long roll about 2.5 cm wide in cling film or greaseproof  paper.  Refrigerate to harden the butter.

Cut one cylindrical piece to put on each salmon steak just before serving, with a wedge of lemon.