Quality is the absolute focus of Konrad, it starts in the vineyard and continues throughout the vinification. Konrad believes that the best fertilizer is the foot of the farmer. Fruit is harvested from vineyards in the Waihopai and Wairau Valleys, where vines are planted to stoney silt soils with free draining loam topsoil. Formulated to a style which demands the most meticulous attention to detail in the vineyard, only the ripest bunches are hand selected, gently whole bunch pressed and stop fermented at the precise moment when the natural sweetness balances the penetrating acidity.

Originally launched as New Zealand's first virtual winery, the Kim Crawford operations go from strength to strength. A meteoric ride to fame, establishing Crawford's credentials as an immensely gifted recoltant viticole. Honest and exuberant in his appreciation of all things wine, meticulous in the art of vinification, the best grapes are sourced for his eponymous label. Kim Crawford excels at Sauvignon Blanc, having scooped the ANZ Wine Awards and Royal NZ Wine Show, by appointment to Air NZ business class.

An attractively perfumed alternative, Pinot Gris is all about texture and flavour. Characterised by nutty stonefruit characters, medium in body with super balance between fruit sweetness and acidity. Matches well with Asian influenced recipes and will leave a lasting impression. Maestro Crawford never loses a trick, his impressive wines attract show awards like a metal detector. As close to a perfumed palate as one can get without being florid, crunchy pear and honeyed almond flavours persist, viscous and moreish like a peaches & apricot frappé.

Adam Jackson bought the first blocks of land at the heart of Marlborough and took up farming in 1855. His wife planted a gumtree along Jacksons Road, it remains a regional icon and can be seen on the Jackson estate label. It was up to the fifth generation of Jacksons to take an interest in viticulture and establish vines. John Stitchbury released his first vintage in 1991, his love of agriculture and passion for making good wine, earning Jackson Estate the Sauvignon Blanc Trophy at the prestigious London International in 1993.

It is a bit of a tradition at Isabel Estate that just before budburst, all the local sheep are rounded up, and the odd goat as well, to be moved off to holding pastures. This is just before the dear ruminants develop a taste for the succulent new shoots which are sprouting. Exposing the ripening bunches to the sun brings on more tropical flavours for a more complete ripeness, this also serves to tame the chilling acidity which can be at teeth dissolving levels in cooler years.

Pinot Gris really loves Marlborough. The challenge is to achieve complete fruit ripeness without the sugar levels going through the roof, which would result in high alcohol and residual sugar, not the style Isabel aims for. In early summer, serious bunch thinning is required, even after laying down lower bud numbers at pruning time. Too much sun on the ripening bunches can thicken and over colour the skins. The Isabel team take great efforts to ensure that each vine is treated to the right amount of sunshine, for perfect harvests of superbly ripened Pinot Gris.