It’s nearly 1000 kilometres from Auckland in the north to Dunedin in the south, with the vast majority of wine produced in between these two cities. New Zealand is described as a ‘cool-climate’ winegrowing country, though its climate is sub-tropical in the extreme north. The first vines of the modern era were planted in the North Island in the 1960s, but it was the 1970s which transformed the country’s fortunes when the classic grapes of Burgundy and Bordeaux were planted in well-chosen locations on both islands. And since the 1990s New Zealand’s wine has been a non-stop success story.

Gisborne, on the East Coast, focuses on Chardonnay. Its coastal location provides a temperate climate with plenty of sunshine to ripen the grapes. These are often then blended with Chardonnay grapes from Marlborough. Villa Maria Private Bin Chardonnay is one such example, where the richness of the Gisborne fruit is balanced with the cool, crisp flavours from Marlborough.

Further south, Hawkes Bay has an ideal climate for wine production, with regular sunshine and optimum rainfall. Red grapes grow well here, and production is mainly Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, just like Bordeaux. Montana Cabernet / Merlot is a superb example of this blend, with a style more akin to Bordeaux than New World. It requires no further ageing – simply twist off the screwcap and enjoy it with roast beef or lamb.

Half of the country’s vines are planted in Marlborough at the northern tip of the South Island. It’s home to some of the best Sauvignon Blanc in the world, but it’s also adept at many other varieties, including Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. It’s a small area (just 30 kilometres long) and the first vines were planted as recently as 1973. Its location is perfect for viticulture: Blenheim, the principal town, gets more sunshine than anywhere else in New Zealand, and average daytime temperatures are similar to Burgundy, with slightly cooler nights that help preserve acidity, while the soil is free-draining thanks to the gravelly sub-soils. Surrounding mountains keep rainfall low but irrigation is possible from the Wairau River.

Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc will generally have a powerful aroma of gooseberries and freshly-cut grass, with citrus fruit flavours and a refreshing acidity to make it a perfect apéritif or an accompaniment to fish. A flinty, minerally finish rounds it off. New Zealand Chardonnay is typically crisper and less oaked than those from Australia. The crisp, flinty style is more akin to Chablis, but with New World flavours of ripe melon and nectarine, and a gentle, buttery oak character. Riesling from New Zealand is a superb wine to enjoy with spicy food, particularly Chinese or Thai dishes. It will usually be dry in style, with floral aromas and flavours of grapefruit and lime.

Pinot Noir from New Zealand contrasts with its Burgundian counterparts. The fruit is often a little riper and the early-drinking style means that rich, ripe, red berry fruit flavours dominate, with less of the vegetal character found in Burgundy. The regular sunshine of Hawkes Bay provides its Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot with consistency from year to year. The resulting fruit is ripe, with up-front New World flavours but with Old World structure – the perfect combination for beef or lamb.