Plantings of Chardonnay have outstripped all other varieties in New Zealand with vines throughout all major wine regions, particularly Marlborough, Hawkes Bay and Gisborne. They are known for their delicious varietal intensity, concentrated aromas, flavours, and appetising acidity, and are now becoming world renowned. Chardonnays from Gisborne are lush, fruity, soft wines, good drinking in their youth. Hawkes Bay wines are sturdy, have rich grapefruit flavours, power and longevity. Chardonnays, often called ‘the red wine drinkers white wine”, are bone dry as are most reds, and the better quality wines will reward cellaring.
Food Match: Seafoods, poultry, pork, nutty flavoured dishes

New Zealand’s second most planted variety, with over 70% of vines concentrated in Marlborough, followed by Hawkes Bay and Central Otago. New Zealand Sauvignon Blancs have flavours never created before anywhere in the world of wine (OZ Claret, UK Winewriter). Wonderful flavours of limes and capsicums, gooseberries, passionfruit and herbs abound. Most Sauvignon Blancs are fermented and matured in stainless steel to accentuate their fruit flavours, are irresistibly fresh and tangy and are to drink young. Some wines are wood ferments or wood matured and tend to be softer, lusher and less pungently herbacious.
Food Matches: Vegetarian and herb influenced dishes, salads and also perfect to enjoy without food

A classic cool-climate grape variety, particularly well suited to the cooler growing temperatures and lower humidity of the South Island. Over half the vines are grown in Marlborough with extensive plantings in Nelson, Canterbury and Central Otago. Ravishing perfume, rich lemon/lime flavours and fresh appetising acidity are hallmarks of New Zealand Rieslings. New Zealand wine lovers have been slow to appreciate these delightful wines, but recently they have been ‘discovered’ and are achieving the profile they richly deserve. Most New Zealand Rieslings rely on their garden-fresh scents, exquisite balance of fruit sweetness and acidity for they appear, more like the light, German style wines, but some winemakers are producing more powerful, richer, drier wines.
Food Match: Fish/lemon, poultry/fruit sauce, lightly spiced and citrus flavoured dishes, and light flavoured soup

New Zealand’s sixth most planted variety, but in 1975 was our most widely planted. Mainly grown in Gisborne (over half the plantings), Hawkes Bay and Marlborough. An excellent wine to attract new wine drinkers, it is typically made slightly sweet. It has fruity, citrus flavours, is mild and soft, and low in acidity.
Food Match: Sweeter Asian dishes

This variety is achieving popularity in New Zealand. Marlborough and Central Otago grow over half of the vines planted, but there are significant growth areas in Gisborne, Hawkes Bay, Martinborough and Canterbury. The flavours are citrus, peach and pears, with some of the rich spicyness of Gewurtztraminer, a satisfying weight in the mouth, and fairly low acidity.
Food Match: Spicy Asian dishes

Small quantities of this varietal are made in New Zealand, and recent vintages have yielded some excellent wines. Gewurtztraminer is a high impact wine brimming with aromas and flavours of ginger, black pepper, cinnamon, lychees, mangoes and spice. Many wines are made with a distinctive Late Harvest sweetness, so fit into the medium to medium/dry category. Most of the plantings are in Marlborough and Hawkes Bay, but there are significant pockets in Gisborne and Central Otago.
Food Match: Ideal with spicy Thai and Indian foods

The ravishing beauty of New Zealand’s top sweet wines is starting to win international acclaim. New Zealand’s most luscious, concentrated and honeyish sweet wines are made from grapes which have shrivelled and dehydrated on the vines, many by ‘noble rot’, the dry form of the Botrytis Cinerea mould. Rieslings have been used in the majority of the most opulent sweet wines, but a number of other varieties are also successfully used. Marlborough has yielded most of the finest wines.
Food Match: Cheese (especially blue), pate and desserts

In recent years New Zealand red wines have experienced a dramatic growth in quality, thanks to better selection of sites and improvements in viticulture. Hawkes Bay (two-thirds production) has established itself as the top producer of Cabernet-based reds, rivalled only by the small volumes of splendid reds from Auckland and Waiheke Island. Good Cabernet Sauvignons and blends are substantial and smooth, with sweet oaky characters, impressive blackcurrant, plum and spice flavours and gentle tannins.
Food match: Beef, rich meat casseroles, full flavoured lamb dishes

Merlot based reds are fast catching up on the more high profile Cabernet Sauvignon, and will soon become New Zealands fourth most widely planted grape. Earlier ripening than Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot grapes are lower in tannin, and higher in sugar. They are soft, mouthfilling, with rich plummy fruit flavours. Hawkes Bay has over half of New Zealand’s vines, the rest are from Marlborough, Auckland, Gisborne and Canterbury. Many believe Merlot will become New Zealand’s principal red wine variety.
Food Match: Roast pork, lamb, cold cuts

Many believe the quality of New Zealand Pinot Noir is second only to France. Recent vintages have produced wines that have attracted international plaudits. The variety is well established in Central Otago, Canterbury, Martinborough, Hawkes Bay, Gisborne and Nelson. Cheaper varieties are light, raspberry flavoured and easy to drink. The serious and more expensive wines are velvety rich, and supple, with flavours of cherries, fruit cake and coffee.
Food match: Game dishes, mushroom, pork, lamb

Lindauer Brut Cuveé – Marlborough, Hawkes Bay, Gisborne
An internationally acclaimed New Zealand methode traditionelle.
A dry and versatile wine, light gold in colour with fresh flavours.
A popular choice for all occasions.

Lindauer Special Reserve – Marlborough, Hawkes Bay
A richer and fuller style of Lindauer. An elegant and sophisticated Pinot Noir dominant sparkling wine. Gold in colour with a distinctive pink hue. Displays fresh fruit flavours with a nutty, yeasty character and aromas. Crisp, complex and well-balanced.

Deutz Cuveé – Marlborough
An internationally acclaimed New Zealand methode traditionelle. A dry and versatile wine, light gold in colour with fresh fruit flavours. A popular choice for all occasions.

Mumm Cordon Rouge NV – Champagne, France The flagship of the House of Mumm, this elegant champagne has fresh, lively characteristics and fruity mouth-filling flavours with a long finish.

Moet & Chandon – Champagne, France
A truly elegant wine from Epernay, France

CHARDONNAY

Hawkes Bay Chardonnay 2008
Wonderfully vibrant. Delivers layers of pure fruit power lifted by passionfruit and tropical aromatics that continue through the palate. Richly textures with spicy oak, creamy butterscotch and citrus.

Settlers Hill – Marlborough, Hawkes Bay
This wine really captures the fruit-driven essence of New Zealand Chardonnay - stone fruit characters and a rich, concentrated well of fruit. Soft and creamy with a touch of vanilla and nut-like oak-derived characters.

Montana Classic – Gisborne
Fresh and distinctive Chardonnay aromas of pineapple, passionfruit and grapefruit with a mouth-filling palate of ripe fruit flavours.

Boundary Tuki Tuki Road – Hawkes Bay
The shingly soil and all-day sunshine of the Te Awanga area have produced a distinctive wine with passionfruit and pineapple aromas, a well-balanced palate, and lingering nutty characters on the finish.

Stoneleigh – Marlborough
A rich, full-bodied and elegant Chardonnay which combines subtle nectarine, peach and chesnut flavours with a delicious hint of oaty nuttiness.

Oyster Bay – Marlborough
An elegant Chardonnay with concentrated flavours of ripe citrus and Stone fruit, balanced with a subtle oaky finish.

Huntaway Reserve – Marlborough
A rich, complex, creamy Chardonnay with mouth-watering tropical fruit flavours, Enhanced with soft hints of toasty vanillin oak and a long, lingering finish.

Church Road – Hawkes bay
An elegant, barrique fermented Chardonnay with ripe stone fruit characteristics enhanced by toasty oak sweetness and subtle layers of complexity.

Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2008
This pristine Sauvignon Blanc burst with ripe gooseberry, tropical fruit and capsicum aromas. These characteristics are balanced on the palate by textural elements and a long persistent finish.

Settlers Hill – Marlborough, Hawkes Bay
A classic fresh Sauvignon Blanc – medium-bodied, clean and crisp with fresh primary fruit characters of gooseberry, capsicum and a hint of passionfruit.

Benson Block – Marlborough
Crafted by Mark Hocquard – “This Sauvignon Blanc comes from young vines, and has pungent passionfruit flavours against greener characters. This is a wine I’ll drink by itself for the sheer pleasure.”

Montana Classic – Marlborough
Bursting with rich fruit intensity, this zesty Sauvignon Blanc displays typical Marlborough characters.

Framingham – Marlborough
Powerful, fragrant aromatics reminiscent of sweet passonfruit, grapefruit and thyme with some underlying mineral notes.

Wither Hills – Marlborough
The warm days and cool nights in Marlborough have helped to produce the intensive and aromatic flavours of this classy wine. Robust acid and a soft finish complete the experience.

Tohu – Marlborough
Mugli Reserve, a gold medal winning wine.

VARIETALS

Five Flax Riesling – East Coast
Fresh and crisp with delicate floral characters and zesty citrus flavours.

Framingham Riesling – Marlborough
This acclaimed Riesling is an appealing aromatic off dry style with floral aromas, notes of honeysuckle and citrus and a palate of lemon, lime and stone fruit.

Saints Gewürztraminer – Gisborne
Refreshing and spicy, this mouth-filling, rich Gewürztraminer has exotic flavours of rose petals, lychees and spice perfectly balanced by a touch of natural sweetness.

Danzante Pinot Grigio Gewürztraminer Italy
An exceptional white wine made with grapes from the Alpine foothills, filled with aromas and flavours of citrus, peach and melon.

Huntaway pinot Gris Gewürztraminer Marlborough
A soft, supple and full-bodied wine with attractive ripe pear and quince fruit aromas layered with a floral complexity and a rich, powerful palate of exotic fruit flavours.

RED WINES

Settlers Hill Merlot Cab Sauvignon
– Marlborough, Hawkes Bay
A very approachable, everyday drinking styled red showing a medley of dark-fruit aromas from blackcurrant to black plum.

Montana Merlot Cab Sauvignon – Marlborough
Soft and full flavoured with attractive plum aromas and ripe fruit flavours, enhanced by oak to produce a rich balanced finish.

Huntaway Reserve Merlot Cab Sauvignon – Gisborne
An elegant, full-bodied wine with a soft, sweet palate of lingering dark cherry flavours and supple savoury tannins, subtly integrated with spicy oak.

Deakin Estate Wine – Victoria, Australia
Luscious purple, blackcurrant nose with ripe berry fruit leads to a soft, toasty oak finish.

Church Road Cabernet Merlot – Hawkes Bay
A rich, complex Merlot Cabernet which displays lively berry fruit aromas, complemented by spicy French oak flavours and firm fine-grained tannins.

Hawkes Bay Merlot 2007
Rich and crimson in colour, the nose of this wine displays a bouquet of lifted plums, dark cherry and cedar characters, while the palate is full, rich and soft with excellent length and structure. A wine styled for approachability but will benefit from some bottle age.

Benson Block – Marlborough
Crafted by Iain Boyle – “Using gentle handling, I aimed to produce a soft fleshy wine of immediate appeal. Benson Block Merlot 2005 is a wine for every occasion.”

Oyster Bay – Hawkes Bay
Vibrant and alluring flavours of juicy black plums and sweet berry fruits with a background of subtle oak.

Wyndham Bin 555 – Mudgee Australia
A medium to full-bodied Shiraz with distinct rich plum and pepper characters and a smooth, lasting finish.

Plantagenet Omrah – WA Australia
Full bodied, but elegant this wine delivers aromas of spice and violets, with a touch of vanilla and liquorice.

Lawsons Late Harvest – Marlborough
Ginger and apricot dominate the bouquet. The palate is strongly varietal with concentrated lychee, Turkish elight and ginger flavours. A wonderful balance between sweetness, alcohol and acidity gives the wine a luscious texture.

Dark fleshed fruits, plums and cherries are dominant on the nose, with subtle spices, which will form savoury notes as the wine matures. Gentle supple tannins create a framework for the rich and careful use of oak.

Montana – Marlborough
Seductive aromas of ripe, glossy-red cherries, succulent plums and toasty oak.

Boundary Kings Road – Waipara
Grown on the Omihi vineyard in Waipara where the unique limestone soils and high sunshine intensity have contributed to produce a wine with rich primary cherry and raspberry flavours with underlying savouriness.

Triplebank – Awatere Valley
Presents the bright berry fruit characters so prized in this variety, along with the dried herb, clove and cinnamon aromas and an earthy palate with silky tannins.

Gibbston Valley Gold river – Central Otago
This wine displays an attractive medley of ripe plums, red berries and cherries integrated with fine tannins and toasty French Oak.

Rockburn – Central Otago
A beautifully perfumed wine with black cherry plum aromas and silky plum and liquorice flavours with a touch of spice.