Ever since establishment in 1851, it has been central to Mission Estate's philosophy, that managing vineyards to holistic old world practices affords the greatest opportunity to yield truly splendid Rhône Valley styled Syrah. A great vineyard remains essential but the health of soil and sanctity of local fauna are integral to harvests of the most exquisite fruit. A beautifully redolent Syrah, perfumed of blackberry, violets and dark plum, tastefully framed by creamy wafers of toasted nutty oak, delicately seasoned by a twist of piquant white pepper and savoury sasafras curl.

From a single elite parcel in the Cromwell basin of Central Otago, a challenging site of gravel clays which encourage the vines to struggle for their nourishment, yielding limited harvests of intensely flavoured Pinot Noir. Grapes are all hand picked and completely destemmed for several days of ferment and a fortnight on skins, followed by a year's age in exclusively French oak. Richly perfumed of cherries and dark festive fruits, its ripe, full bodied palate of forest floor, licorice and stalk, undulates over a lingering length of delicious, gummy tannins.

Mission Estate are New Zealand's oldest winery, they continue to employ traditional winemaking techniques handed down from their French missionary founders. Mission Estate have always managed their vineyards in a biodynamically responsible way, the philosophy is to protect the land so that their wines can remain articulate of a wonderful environment. Treated to an extended term of age in the finest French oak barriques, this opulent Chardonnay exudes lifted perfumes of grapefruit, mandarin and creamy nougat, underpinned by the crystal saline freshness of a truly splendid mesoclime.

From a superior site, identified for its magnificent Pinot Gris mesoclimes, a propitious place of optimal sunlight exposure, refreshed by cooling summer sea breezes. Pinot Gris grown here develop intense varietal flavours of great vigor and vitality on the palate. Grapes are lightly pressed at vinified at lower temperatures to capture and preserve the urgency of fruit, followed by a term on sedimentery lees for exquisite textural richness and complexity. Perfumed pear, fruits of the orchard and tropical characters, a finely structured style and a long, clean, off dry finish.

From fruit picked off the middle and upper terraces of Marlborough's Blind River vineyard, the higher the blocks, the deeper the slope, as poorer soils toward the summit yield thinner crops for a Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc of amazing minerality. The flavours are consequently very intense, a revitalizing nose of grapefruits and herb, florals and passionfruit aromas. A palate of exceptional weight and wonderful textures before a long, lingering finish of mouthwatering juicy fruit and suave savouryness, all supported by refined mineral acidity.

From the Mission’s Cable Station Road block in Awatere Valley, a gently sloping, free draining site with dry climate, yielding a low crop of small bunches and tiny berries of intense flavour. Fruit is cold soaked for three days and pumped over throughout a fortnight of ferments, pressed and treated to an extended maceration, followed by a judicious term of maturation to achieve a forward drinking, fruit driven Marlborough Pinot Noir style. An abundance of sweet fruit and ripe silky tannins, sound structure and a long, fruit filled finish.

Mission Estate's Greenmeadows was planted to vine in 1910, there's relatively little difference between day and night temperatures, perfect conditions for ripening an elite parcel of Hawke's Bay's most exceptional Chardonnay. Hand picked bunches off a single block of Mendoza and Clone 15, are lightly pressed and barrel fermented in a selection of new and seasoned French oak, followed by ten months of age on sedimentery yeast lees. A fully engaging style of intense stonefruit richness, marzipan and toastyness, the essence of boulangerie and struck flint.

Real new world Syrah, crafted to the old world style of French Trapis pioneers who founded Mission Estate in 1851. Fruit is sourced from the Bridge Pa triangle and warm inland sites, fortuitously sheltered from the prevailing sea breezes, perfect for the Syrah to ripen superbly, infusing fine aromatics and building ripe, supple tannins. A soft, fruit driven palate of superb persistence, fashioned to a medium bodied style of freshness and seamlessness, expressing fully the magnificence of Hawkes Bay Syrah, a profound depth of flavour and generous length.

Marlborough is one of the world's most distinctive winegrowing regions, a source of the highest quality fruit, identifiably New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc. The growing seasons here deliver idyllic ripening conditions, whilst the extensive leaf removal regimens expose the fruit to sunlight, providing excellent flavour development. Matua Valley's winemaking team place considerable time and effort into achieving a Sauvignon Blanc that's fully expressive of Marlborough, showing consistent quality from vintage to vintage, setting the standard for others to follow.

A plump Merlot with plummy fruit, delicately wooded, and amicably food oriented, the grapes for this wine are sourced from around the premiere Hawkes Bay region, so well recognised for the production of satisfying reds due to the favourably warm and dry climate. Vines here yield crops of the best Merlot due in part to the conditions during flowering and fruit set. Smooth drinking, softly tannined, fruit driven and approachable, Matua Merlot is very pleasant in it's youth, develops exquisite harmonies with ageing, and is excellent with all good faire.

Grown in New Zealand's North Island region of Hawkes Bay, New Zealand's warmest grape growing region. The 2003 vintage was a small harvest of very mature and ripe fruit that exhibited good varietal flavours. The vines had extensive leaf removal in the fruit zone to expose the grapes to sunlight, assisting in developing colour and flavour. A well balanced finish with firm and chewy weight and a medium tannin finish, completes this fine accord of noble red wine grapes.

Marlborough is the heartland of New Zealand viticulture and Whitehaven are situated amongst the very best vineyards on Marlborough's golden mile. They source Sauvignon Blanc from over thirty well established and proven sites, to craft a consistent performer on the cross Tasman wine show circuit. Every vintage is a special batch of the very best Sauvignon Blanc, made from the pick of Marlborough's finest fruit. A magnificent match alongside grilled snapper or asparagus recipes.

Main Divide is the mighty range of Southern Alps which form the backbone of Te Wai Pounamu. The highly accomplished Pegasus Bay team work with good local growers to realize harvests of the finest fruit. Pinot Noir is assembled from a handful of choice vineyards planted to unique terroirs, which can speak of the world's most challenging mesoclimes. An artisanal Burgundy style vinification achieves a rich and seductive Pinot wine, endowed with savoury meat and trade spice characters, integrated oak and harmonious tannins.

The winemaking at Mahi is deeply focused on expression of individual terroir, regional blends in the traditional Marlborough style are simply not an option. The Mahi team take aim at a wine that satisfies across the palate, Sauvignon Blanc which offers texture and depth, rather than displaying basic varietal fruit. Selection of site is the key, looking for grapes with layers of flavour, to craft a wine with a sense of time and of place, a wine which challenges you to listen and to contemplate, to comprehend that Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc are not all created equal.

Brian Bicknell had been making wine around the world for many years. He returned to Marlborough on a mission to isolate vineyards of unique and individual expression, to construct a range of wines which can articulate the wealth of terroir and microclime clime to be found across greater Marlborough. The rose tinged Pinot Gris grape holds a fair amount of tannin, Mahi endeavour to minimize skin contact for a gentler palate. Being a fruit of low acidity, Mahi ferment the juices right through to dryness in a measure of oak, building structure while preserving eloquence.

An exciting innovation in a Methode traditionnelle, enriched by strawberry. A component of Pinot Noir is treated to extended time on skins for perfect uptake of charming rose colour, to be blended back with Chardonnay after primary ferments. The Cuvee stays on lees an average of fifteen months, sediments are removed and the natural strawberry richness is infused. Gold pink salmon hues, her subtle strawberry bouquet is complexed by underlying yeasty toast notes, a decadent palate of moreish red fruits, elegance, stylishness and finesse.

A prominent NZ dry style sparkling wine which can be served as aperitif or alongside cuisine, Lindauer is not completely dry, but close enough to be refreshing. It offers aromas of hot baked brioche and light fresh fruit to lay aside its brightly foaming texture. Full on the palate with a pleasant, steady mousse and elegant aroma, yeasty and toasty from prolonged bottle maturation on lees, crisp, complex and well balanced, with a full flavour and lasting finish, cool and delicious, this is the epitome of celebratory wine.

Fruit from an array of Marlborough vineyards representing a broad cross section of soil types and microclimes, contribute a diverse range of aromas, flavours and textures to Lawson's Dry Hills. The time of picking is crucial to Sauvignon Blanc and the closer a winemaker scrutinizes his fruit, the more optimal will be the decision to harvest. Each site is harvested at optimal ripeness and some are picked in several passes. Rich oak ferments contribute subtle mealy characters and added palate weight.

A Riesling of refined character and exquisite charm, superb, stylish integration and clearly discernible regional varietal eloquence, sourced from the best blocks on the Lawson's Dry Hills Waihopai Valley vineyard. Moderate crop yields and cool ripening mean that the Riesling grapes are first class, harvested only as they develop a concentration of natural fruit sugars and reach optimal flavour development. The perfect match to shellfish, green lipped mussels or freshly shucked oysters.

Sourced from low yielding sites which are managed to yield an exceptional quality of Pinot Gris. Slow ripening mesoclimes and a wonderful level of flavour development, extensive leaf plucking and crop thinning, produce a wine with great complexity and a lovely texture that can only be realized from harvests of the most concentrated fruit, subtle oak treatments, a judicious amount of malolactic influence and extravagant lees stirring regimens.

Spencer Hill make wine because they enjoy the life, the viticulture and the art of winemaking itself. There is no reward like personal fulfillment and Spencer Hill are all about sharing the smile. The limited release Latitude 41 is fashioned from a collation of Nelson River and Marlborough Valley fruit. By combining the best from both districts, the Spencer Hill team have assembled a South Island Sauvignon Blanc of exquisite charm and generous palate weight. A crisp, mouthfilling wine brimming with luscious south sea fruit characters, citrus and vanilla.

Crafted from a collation of Marlborough and Nelson River fruit, a full bodied Pinot Noir offering layers of ripe berry characters, reflecting the unique microclimes of exceptional vineyards. The secret to Latitude 41 lies within the extended New Zealand growing seasons and high solar intensity. Low yields and slow ripening conditions yield harvests of richly flavoured Pinot Noir, parcels exhibiting velvety, showroom tannins and vibrant dark cherry flavours. Exquisite length and crisp fruit character, Latitude 41 has the basics of balance, flavour and finesse, completely right.

Marlborough based Spencer Hill have lead the new wave of New Zealand Chardonnay, claiming multi trophys at the International Chardonnay Challenge, Liquorland Top 1OO, London International and Air NZ Wine Awards. Latitude 41 is assembled from parcels grown to good vineyards in Marlborough and along Nelson River, a full bodied Chardonnay with layers of fruit and bold expression of terroir that speaks of it's origin. A course of ferments in highly vanilla spiced French oak and course of lees exposure, builds structure and adds superb mouthfeel.

Internationally lauded and perennially feted as one of North Island's leading marques, the inception of Kumeu River was at the very genesis of New Zealand's fledgling wine industry. Kumeu River are one of the North Island's most artisanal, premiere winemaking estates, with a reputation for the finest Chardonnay. Village offers real purity and finesse, supple, refreshing and beautifully concentrated. Vinified purely from the free run juices of the first press, achieving a particularly supple wine with very fine textures, simply delicious to drink.

Kumeu River winery was established during the war years by European migrants and has developed a repute for producing delicious wines in Burgundian styling. Winemaker Michael Brajkovich Master of Wine, is most famous for his internationally renowned Chardys, he has endeavoured to produce a distinct and refined Sauvignon Blanc that also displays stylistic charm. The resulting wine is just that. The aroma is a pungent and zingy expression of fruit, with a palate of concentrated flavours, a rich texture and balanced acidity.

Kumeu River was a pioneer of the New Zealand winemaking industry, established in 1944 when the Brajkovich family settled at Kumeu just outside of Auckland. The estate makes some of New Zealand's finest Chardonnay and is equally adept at some of the more esoteric varietals. All their offerings have shown well at competitions and they excel at Pinot Gris. The estate's Auckland vineyards enjoy beautiful ripening conditions, encouraging the fruit to achieve a level of rich concentration and luscious textures, a very layered and complex Pinot Gris wine.

The terroir and microclimes of Marlborough yield a tremendous quality of Sauvignon Blanc, fruit which ripens to perfection, translating into wines of intense regional character. Konrad Hengstler delights in formulating a slightly more herbaceous nose than most efforts from Marlborough, in total harmony against a backdrop of unctuous lemongrass and lime characters, persimmons and citrus/ lychee fruits. Bright and zingy, a lively mouthful of pineapples and passionfruit before a lingering, mineral finish. Clean fresh and bright, with a quenching underlying citrus character, finely balanced acid and ripe fruit structure.

Konrad Hengstler discovered Marlborough while traveling through New Zealand in 1987 and was immediately attracted to the generosity of the wines. Today Konrad excels at viticuture and loves everything about the land, his estate wineworks are located in Waihopai Valley at the very heart of Marlborough, it enjoys magnificent views of the surrounding mountain ranges. Treated to a course of wild indigenous yeast ferments, hand plunged and pressed into seasoned French oak barriques for ten months maturation, a delicious single vineyard Marlborough Pinot Noir in full bloom.