Vavasour were the first to plant vines in Awatere Valley, an area with climes rather different to the rest of Marlborough, yielding a quality of Pinot Noir which offers unique charm. There is only one goal for the team at Vavasour, get the best fruit and make the finest wine for those who appreciate all things Marlborough. Careful land management is essential, leaf plucking and shoot thinning, closely manicured canopies and controlled yields, all ensure the finest harvest of Pinot Noir, exhibiting great concentration of fruit and vibrant varietal character.

Vavasour pioneered viticulture in the Awatere Valley, under the imposing presence of Tapuae-O-Uenuku. Vavasour’s vineyard is noteworthy for its wide diurnal temperature swings, it's the combination of soils and clime which shape the inimitable character of Vavasour wine. The refined elegance of their Pinot Gris shows why many others have followed the lead. Sweetly spiced on the nose and palate, yet pleasingly dry, soft savoury aromas are reflected by intensely concentrated flavours on the palate.

The Vavasours settled New Zealand and established one of the first homesteads in Marlborough circa 1890. Proud of their long association with good wine, the Vavasours were employed by William the Conqueror as tasters. There's a single block of outstanding, fully mature plantings on the Vavasour estate vineyards in Awatere Valley which yields a sensational Chardonnay. Creamily textured and richly proportioned, opulent with juicy white peach characters and redolent of ripe nectarine, a refined, elegant style underpinned by divine flinty minerality.

A generously flavoured Marlborough wine which has claimed highly coveted accolades at the Air New Zealand Wine Awards. Tylers Stream is a boutique operation which continues to grow from strength to strength. Completely unoaked, in easy drinking styling, it sings of kiwifruit and lychee. Many of the contributing vines surround the winery itself, whence the Tyler Stream flows closely by. Kiwifruit, lemongrass and passion throughout, firm but balanced acid backbone, a generous wine of concentration and poise.

The Picnic Point label depicts Sam Neill's grandparents picnicking on Karitane Beach at Otago circa 1919. The jovial chap with a pipe is Sidney Neill, established importer of French wines, among other things. Some friends, a blanket or two, a bit of lunch and a glass of wine, looks like life was good. Picnic Point is made for times like these. Sam Neill's entry level Pinot Noir, though by any measure, a praiseworthy effort. Each year Picnic Point release a limited amount of vintage, so you may find yourself on a journey bound for Central Otago to find it.

Earnscleugh Valley was the site of a gold rush in the 1860s, the industrious miners dug a watercourse through the valley which today serves to nourish the world's southernmost appellation of Pinot Noir. The Last Chance is a small scenic terrace, planted to a special Burgundy clone of Pinot Noir which yields a magnificently structured, generously proportioned wine. Carefully sorted bunches of hand picked fruit, treated to a traditional old world ferment in open vats and term of age in fine French oak. A lifted spice and dried herb nose before a palate of amazing density, length and persistence, elegance and poise.

Sam Neill's father was a major in the Royal Irish Fusiliers, he returned to the family wine and liquor business after retirement and inspired his famous son to take up viticulture. There are six hectares of Fusilier under vine, planted to deep alluvial silty gravels, on a steppe of rolling northerly facing terraces at the western end of Felton Road. A mix of stemmed grapes and whole bunches are filled to 3½ tonne wooden cuvee for several days cold soak and wild yeast ferment, followed by transfer to medium and light toast French oak barriques for eleven months maturation.

Sam Neill's perennial favourite, from the original planting of his homestead vines at the heart of Gibbston Valley. Established 1993 to a unique Burgundian clone of Pinot Noir, meticulously husbanded, First Paddock is one of the eldest blocks of vine in all Central Otago. Vibrant ruby hues, lifted perfumed bouquet of dark cherries and plum, concentrated herbal complexities, depth and persistence before a distinctive lengthy savoury finish. The articulation of Central Otago Pinot Noir complex yet elegant, generously proportioned, brimming with fruit, superbly structured, florals, violets and wild spice.

An assemblage of fruit grown to several elite Central Otago sites, the estate flagship barrel selection, from the Sam Neill family vineyards, normally a selection picked off Gibbston First Paddock, Bannockburn's Fusilier and Earnscleugh's Red Bank. A charming effort in Burgundian styling, unequivocally world class, artisanally crafted Central Otago Pinot Noir. Each block and clone are picked and fermented separately, the final wine is assembled just before bottling. Small batch? You bet, a mere few hundred dozen are made each year.

The idyllic ripening conditions around Marlborough's finest vineyards sprout some of the world's most prized Sauvignon Blanc. Twin Islands creates exceptional Marlborough wines, which are crafted with early and regular enjoyment in mind. Since inaugural release, Twin Islands has represented excellence in winemaking, delivering fully flavoured, benchmark Sauvignon Blanc. Already a highly successful entrant at wine competitions, having claimed significant accolades at the New World Wine Awards, New Zealand International, Air New Zealand and Royal Easter.

Trout Valley wines are sourced and vinified by Kahurangi on the Upper Moutere, very near Nelson at the top northwest corner of New Zealand's South Island. The greater Nelson region is renowned for its vibrant arts scene and stylish, boutique winemakers, also home to some of the finest brown trout fishing water in the world. Trout Valley is a medium to full bodied white with a most welcome, savoury edge to it's fruit dominated structure. A treat of a Sauvignon Blanc with mouthfilling palate and complex aromas for adherents of contemplative and engaging wines.

The Totara tree is endowed with strength and durability, native to New Zealand, it has long been revered by the Maori, as well as early European settlers for its diverse qualities and usefulness. Totara's enthusiastic team are focused towards producing food friendly wines which express their regionality and are a textbook of varietal definition. Totara Pinot Noir is true to it's Rotorua origins, displaying a full bodied, earthy palate with layers of fruit and ripe tannins, just like the eponymous tree, solidly structured and built for longevity.

A pure Marlborough wine, one that encompasses all that is appealing in the clean and fresh expressions of ripe, fruit driven Sauvignon Blanc. Assembling harvests of the best grapes is essential, Totara's meticulous team know all the most dedicated growers and retain access to the finest parcels. A lifted nose of lemons and grapefruit, flinty mineral nuances and hints of soft tropical fruit leads you to a palate showing crisp citrus characters, subtle fresh asparagus, finishing refreshingly dry.

Torrent Bay is for the discerning enthusiast. The Drummond family pioneered horticulture and agriculture on Motueka Hills in the late 1800s. Today they capitalize on their prodigious local knowledge to produce the region's finest Sauvignon Blanc. Crafted from the choicest parcels of fruit with ongoing attention to detail throughout vinification, Torrent Bay stands out from the rest, just like it's scenic namesake on the coast of Abel Tasman National Park. A clean and dry Sauvignon Blanc in new world world styling with true varietal character and regional charm.

The team behind Ned go to great lengths, as they take aim at fashioning the ideal Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc. The emphasis is on balance, as the wine should contribute to the ambience of the place at which it is served.

Marlborough is recognised throughout the world as the source of stunning cool climate wines. From vineyards established in 1990s, The Crossings is one of a small group of pioneering Awatere Valley winegrowers, deriving it's name from a ford used by early settlers to cross the fast flowing river which forms a pristine southern boundary to three vineyards, Medway, Willow Flat and Brackenfield Estate. The low vigour soils and dry climate produce grapes with intense fruit flavours, infused by a delightful minerality for the production of truly stunning wines.

Te Mata are New Zealand's oldest winery, family owned and operated, they produce world class efforts, from fruit exclusively grown to estate vineyards in the Ngatarawa Triangle of Hawkes Bay. Originally planted in 1990, the Bullnose Vineyard's old red iron soils are Sustainable Winegrowing New Zealand accredited, they yield precious harvests of Te Mata's finest Syrah.

You can't get more New Zealand than the Te Kairanga vineyards, nestled at the bottom of North Island, within one of the nation's most exclusive winegrowing precincts, very near the artist's quarter of Martinborough. Each parcel of Sauvignon Blanc is set within it's own mini microclime. The Te Kairanga vines yield richly proportioned white grapes with distinct fruit characters, selectively picked to be woven into an intensely flavoured, full bodied Sauvignon Blanc that's perfect with or without food, very ready for enjoyment any time of day.

Welcome to Te Kairanga, where the soils are rich and endowed with goodness, to yield harvests of the finest fruit. It is here that Pinot Noir has found the perfect home, under the cool maritime climes at the very top of New Zealand's southern isle. Martinborough yields much of New Zealand's most elegantly engaging Pinot Noir, intense lighter bodied wines with graceful cherry palates and winsome floral bouquets. Te Kairanga applies old world pastoral vinification techniques to the pick of Martinborough's fruit, achieving a Pinot Noir of great refinement and exquisite charm.

Ta_Ku is completely Kiwi, filled with pride about the treasures of the land and culture of its habitants, the legend and the lore. Pure waters and ancient soil are natural endowments for its graceful vineyards. Ta_Ku is is the embodiement of Marlborough and all that's special about New Zealand's indigenous charm, the vitality of its people and the pristine splendour of its sun drenched countryside, journeying across the Tasman, for you to enjoy, to savour and to share.

New Zealanders can make other great wines apart from Sauvignon Blanc. Parcels of Pinot Gris collated from some of the finest Marlborough vineyards, trained to yield harvests of intensely flavoured fruit, are at the heart of Ta_Ku. The aim is to construct a fully engaging wine which can deliver a delectable experience in splendid quality Pinot Gris while treating the palate to an intimate taste of Marlborough. A match to mushroom risotto or a gourmande seafood caesar.

There's very little that comes out of Central Otago which isn't thoroughly spectacular. Super Nanny represents the best of the very best, a very limited release edition, vinified from a parcel or two, hand picked and scrupulously sorted off the most splendid rows on Nanny Goat Vineyard. Whole bunches and cold soaks, hand plunges and a gentle press, a luxuriously high proportion of new oak for malolactic and age. A seductively dark brooding bouquet, savouryness and meat, dutch chocolate underbelly, rhubarb and plum, a taut mineral line over toothsome, gummy tannins.