Brancott Vineyard Reserve Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough 1999
Price $25
Rating 93
Rich aromas of grapefruit, gooseberry and cilantro, followed by flavors of orange rind, pimento and grapefruit within the long, spicy finish.

Read these interesting tasting notes from the InterVin International Wine Competition 2000, where it took a Gold Medal. The food pairing was with Dunkin' Donuts Lemon filled: "The fantastic acidity from the wine cuts through the lemon filling and challenges it for dominance; it is a tie. The grapefruit comes out big time in the wine and the powdered sugar covering the donut was very nice with the crispness in the juice. My favorite combo of the morning. A match made in heaven, enough with the fresh brewed coffee, lets break out the Brancott from now on." This wine will pair flawlessly with a range of more serious foods, especially if there's an influence of heat or spice.

Note that Montana Wines uses the branding "Brancott" in USA and Canada and uses "Montana" elsewhere in the world. For more information, go to www.montanawines.com.

Brancott Vineyards Reserve Chardonnay, Gisborne 1999
Price $25
Rating 90
Imagine aromas of lime citrus bacon and toast, followed by flavors of delicate, toasted oak and subtle tropical oak. A very tasty white wine, with the only downside being the lack of balance between the fruit and the oak.

Located on the east coast of the North Island, the Gisborne grape growing region is regarded as the chardonnay capital of New Zealand. The opulent fruit flavors are the most distinctive of any of the regions. Though Gisborne has a warmer climate than the South Island's Marlborough, with temperatures of about 68ºF during the warmer months, ironically Gisborne's sunshine hours are lower than in Marlborough. The wines are distinctive.

Cloudy Bay Chardonnay, Marlborough 2000
Price $35
Rating 90
A sniff reveals aromas of yeast, butter and toast, followed by rich flavors of ripe melon, and toasted hazelnut. Note that the oak flavors are delicate with some butter and white fruit/pear through the finish.

This winery was the "shot heard 'round the world" for the New Zealand wine industry. All eyes remained focused on the almost impossible to obtain sauvignon blanc, while this delightful chardonnay is sometimes over-looked. Says Australian wine guru James Halliday, "The palate is rich, with melon, nectarine and white peach offset by...cashew characters."

Daniel Schuster Chardonnay "Petrie Vineyard" Selection, Canterbury 2000
Price $35
Rating 94
Aromas of delicate lime in the nose, Burgundy-like, followed by complex flavors of lime, pear, and cashew/hazelnut, This crisp white has great length.

Says Daniel Schuster, "Made in only the best vintages, this complex and classically structured wine displays rich fruit flavors, intense aromas and depth of barrel fermented flavors. At its best after 3-5 years from vintage date." Schuster has consulted in the finest of winemaking in Italy, France and California, and should be considered as one of the top ten winemakers in the world. The wines are difficult to find, but well worth the effort. For details, visit www.danielschusterwines.com.

Daniel Schuster Pinot Noir Omihi Hills Vineyard, Canterbury 2001
Price $80
Rating 94
Complex aromas of black cherry, earth, mushroom, raspberry/blackberry are followed by chewy flavors like Camembert cheese with raspberry, spice, cedar, leather, amd gamy elements. Very Burgundian in nature.

Says Daniel Schuster, "Each vintage has its own distinctive character displaying a deep color, intense bouquet, typically of black cherries and coffee beans, with an earthy complexity and possessing a rich weighty mouth feel with firm tannic structure. It will continue to develop for 5-7 years after harvest and will hold for several years more." For details, visit www.danielschusterwines.com.

Lake Chalice Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough 2002
Price $15.99
Rating 88
There are strong bell pepper and gooseberry aromas, with flavors of the same plus limestone/mineral and citrus. The profile reverts back to bell pepper in the lilting finish. Though a tad too much salad bowl in the flavor profile for this reviewer, this is a winery to watch and taste regularly, for sure.

Lake Chalice Wines are based in the Marlborough province at the top of the South Island. Their emblem, proudly displayed on every bottle, is the New Zealand Falcon also known as the Karearea. In a country which had no land based mammals prior to the arrival of man the Karearea was the top predator of the sky. Fearless and flying above the rest the, Karearea signifies the winery's mission statement. For more information, visit www.lakechalice.com.