90 Points - A perfumed white with lots of gooseberry, fresh fennel and passionfruit flavours, as well as come sage and mint undertones. Light bodied and tangy with a crisp acidity and refreshing finish.

This ticks all the Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc boxes: cut grass, snow pea, nectarine and citrus, all bundled into a medium-bodied wine that comes across as dry, silky and refreshing.

This medium-bodied wine has a pleasant, silky texture, understated graphite and citrus aromas and flavours, and a long, mouthwatering finish.

90 Points - A zesty, mouth-watering New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc with classic aromas of gooseberry, nettle and guava, with some herbal notes on the finish. Medium-bodied with terrific acidity for a wide range of dishes, from fresh seafood to spinach quiche.

The latest vintage of one of Canada’s bestselling white wines. Crisp and elegant; a great kiwi buy. Pale, straw green in colour and highly aromatic, with lots of lively fruit characters. Concentrated lemon citrus, passion fruit and tropical fruit flavours, with a vibrant lingering finish. Great sipper, and excellent with oysters and fish.

A perennial favorite, this pale-straw coloured wine has concentrated aromas of citrus, gooseberry and tropical fruits. Tangy and refreshing, the aromas replay on the palate underlain with soft vegetal and mineral notes. Light-medium bodied, the flavours are very consistent delivering a bright long-lasting finish. It’s a wonderful match with sole, halibut or your favorite goat cheese recipe.

The young New Zealand Sauvignon Blancs are more lemon-lime grapefruit than green pepper. This is a particularly vibrant example. It tastes like very ripe grapes, filled with sunshine. Dottie immediately thought of oysters on the half-shell and added “Every seafood restaurant in the world should have this on the wine list.

New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc is a go-to summer wine, especially to pair with green vegetables. This balanced bottling ‚Äì a midpoint between the grassy, pungent style and a more fruit-driven approach holds it’s own with pricier wines.

Always a bit racy, with added complexity from tropical nuances. Classic gooseberry, lime juice and lemongrass aromas with a hint of guava. The flavours show citrus peel, with hints of grapefruit, mango and gooseberry. Zesty stuff. Food suggestion: Oysters rockefeller, shellfish.

Plenty of grass, gooseberries and passion fruit on the nose and palate. Crisp and refreshing it would make a zesty aperitif or partner to warm king prawn salad.

There you go. Australia’s most popular white wine stood out in the blind tastings I conducted for this issue thanks to its perfumed, almost viognier-like floral lift and ripe, attractive gooseberry fruit flavours. Easy to see why it’s become such a hit.

Fresh, fragrant and mixes biting tropical flavour with a grassy softness. It makes your mouth feel alive the moment it hits. It’s part of a NZ charge; sales of their sav blanc jumped a whopping 30 per cent last year. Top up, anyone

The legions of fans who have made Oyster Bay one of the leading Kiwi brands on the Australian market will be delighted with the latest release. It’s a genuine crowd-pleaser, a bold expression of Marlborough sauvignon boasting fresh passion fruit and tropical fruit flavours with hints of cut grass and citrus.

This wine from Marlborough in New Zealand seems obvious in its oyster-mating abilities. In fact, this latest vintage has green vegetal, herbal overtones that remind me of raw peas or even seaweed. Forward in personality, it’s crisp with lots of tangy herbaceous lime flavour. If you’re a timid eater of oysters, this is your salvation as it will blanket but not clash with their taste.

If you want to taste the prototypical New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, visit your local Vintages outlet and pick up a bottle of Oyster Bay Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc, 2007. The wine is quite pale in colour, but don’t be fooled by its pallor. It has an intense gooseberry, green leaf and asparagus nose that leaps out of the glass and grabs you by the… nostrils. I had it with blackened scallops and it was delicious or it’ll work well with goat’s cheese.

If you want to buy branded wines, two countries’ products stand out: Chile and New Zealand. From NZ, is 2006 Oyster Bay Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc which is a textbook Sauvignon Blanc.

Top Value from New Zealand. Bright and zingy, with lime, lime peel, green apple and a whiff of herbs as the tart finish sails on and on.

Here comes another of those zany, zesty Sauv Blancs from the most famous winemaking area in Kiwiland. This attractively-priced Oyster Bay wine is loaded with lots of lively, penetrating fruit characters, a rich concentration of tropical and gooseberry flavors, and an abundant New Zealand bouquet. As these guys say: ‘Sometimes the world really is your oyster,’… and we believe em.

91 Points - Oyster Bay Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc, 2004 ($19): …This is such a fabulously enjoyable drink. Packed to the gills with passionfruit and lychee flavours with wrings of lemon and lime keeping it tight, it is a drink I could tuck into all summer long. Drink now.

90 Points - The Oyster Bay Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2004 from Marlborough, New Zealand (90 points $19) is a harbinger of much more to come from this region and may cause nervousness among Australian sauvignon winemakers who charge rather more for their wines. It has fragrant crystal-clear passionfruit and lemon blossom aromas, delicate but intense fruit flavours and excellent overall balance.

5 Stars

5 Stars - This bright and bouncy young NZ dry white is a delightful expression of its grape variety with vibrant passionfruit, nectarine and lychee characters infused with fresh acidity. For serious dining, one might opt for a complex chardonnay but for casual meals, most Asian cuisines and all manner of seafoods, the Kiwis have the ideal wine: Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc, Enjoy.

90 Points - The Oyster Bay Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2004 from Marlborough, New Zealand (90 points $19) is a harbinger of much more to come from this region and may cause nervousness among Australian sauvignon winemakers who charge rather more for their wines. It has fragrant crystal-clear passionfruit and lemon blossom aromas, delicate but intense fruit flavours and excellent overall balance.

A lovely, balanced New Zealand Chardonnay with attractive aromas of green apple and smoke. Medium- to almost full-bodied with nice acidity for roast chicken or turkey.

This expressive white from New Zealand has an attractive toasty oak bouquet from seasoned French barriques. On the palate, the oak is balanced nicely with tangy fruit and just the right amount of acidity. Medium bodied and fruit forward with a creamy texture; it’s distinctive and elegant — good with poultry, cheesy pastas, black cod.

This medium-bodied white is deftly balanced. The texture is silky-creamy, supporting fresh peach, subtle oak and zippy green-apple acidity. It’s versatile and could span the gamut from shellfish to salmon to roast chicken to grilled pork chops.

Ripe, clean and vibrant. Lime and peach, medium bodied with passionfruit palate.

88 Points - Editors Choice.

Stylish, full-bodied wine with vibrant, citrusy, peachy flavours, a subtle seasoning of biscuity oak and excellent harmony and richness.

A fruit-driven Marlborough of real charm and drink-now appeal. It has stone-fruit aromas with a touch of gooseberry and a hint of butter. The palate is crisp and tangy, with lively Chablis-like structure and fresh acidity. Drink soon. BEST IMPORTED WINE 91/100

Elegant lemon citrus with overtones of hazelnut, delicate toasty butter and vanilla on the nose. Lively crisp green fruit, fresh citrus and a hint of tropical fruit in the mouth, with tart acidic grip and light nutty butter tones on the finish. Stylish cool-climate New World Chardonnay

92 Points. There’s a lot of rubbish coming from Marlborough now, as the crasser Kiwis milk it for all it’s worth. Oyster Bay seems to remain reliable and inexpensive. This is creamy, delicate Chardonnay, modestly oaked, nicely chubby with puppy fat, but dry and velvety in the finish, and fine and fairly elegant overall.

5 stars.

90 Points - This wine has a pretty nose with some strawberries and cranberries, Floral and toffee notes, too. Medium bodied with a vibrant sour-cherry character on the palate. Light Tannins. Tangy Acidity. Clean and refreshing finish

Fresh and vibrant, with licorice-scented plum and blackberry flavours, and a velvety core that firms up on the finish. Details of sage and loam add extra dimension.

A lovely, velvet-smooth pinot noir with classic notes of ripe cherries. Closed with a screwcap. Pair with: chicken, pork, salmon, paté.

91 Points - Toasty oak on the nose wraps around fleshy ripe black cherry aromas that become lusciously mouth-filling in flavour on the palate. Full-bodied, mouth-watering juicy and smooth with a great finish. New Zealand Pinot Noir offers that unique combination of fleshy fruit and zingy juiciness. Smoky and black cherry notes with some dark spice on the finish. Terrific with a wide range of dishes, especially grilled chicken. Pinot Noir food pairings: planked salmon, barbecued duck, veggie mushroom burger, frittata.

At 50,000 cases imported, this must be one of the most ubiquitous New Zealand Pinots in the United States. It’s medium bodied and tightly wound, with a crisp core of mouth-watering acidity that adds zest to the flavors of dark cherry, earth and leather. Drink now.

A classic red with plenty of depth. Rich and Fruity but not too heavy for summer. Great with spicy pasta dishes.

Oyster Bay Pinot Noir from Marlborough New Zealand, is a sophisticated red, gently fruity – plums and cherry to the fore – and pleasant tannins. Smooth and smoky too.

The palate is silky smooth and packed full of sweet, round, plummy fruit that slides down easily. The finish is equally supple with dry savoury, earthy red fruit notes. Serve with duck or chicken.

A good pinot, fragrant, with attractive redcurrant and dark-cherry flavours that linger, and a velvety texture.

Bright, pure, fresh aromas of flowers and red fruit

Medium-bodied, rich, concentrated and quite oaky, with red currant and dark-cherry flavours.

Just as New Zealand sauvignon blanc burst onto the scene a decade ago and brought new enthusiasm (and higher prices) to the grape, New Zealand pinots may be ready to do the same. Oyster Bay hand-harvests all the grapes and even uses 40 percent new French oak barrels to season the wines. The winery’s 2006 pinot noir is fresh and cheerful with hints of spicy black pepper and a whiff of red cherry and raspberry fruit. It is medium in weight and elegant.

90 Points - Dark cherry and strawberry fruit dominate the nose and palate of this Kiwi Red, with some savoury characters, a touch of oak and silky tannins. Try it with duck, game or pan-fried Atlantic salmon.

This was a wine of considerable weight and texture, with sweet macerated fruit richness and alcohol warmth, plus some toasty oak. Included in the top 20 Pinot Noir in Australia under $30

92 Points - This is more elegant wine than the lassie job and another step up the ladder. There’s a neat leafy whiff adding to the smoky raspberry and wild cherry fruit. The palate’s lush and juicy with that soft viscosity hiding the mild but persistent natural acidity- it’s cheeky and it gives the wine its cutting edge. The closure guarantees its lovely lingering freshness. Try steamed Chinese lupchun pork sausages.

The sublime Oyster Bay Marlborough Pinot Noir 2001 is a study in voluptuous elegance. As well as being the perfect Sunday lunch wine it also comes pretty close to being the elusive stuff of dreams.

Deliciously plump, ripe and almost juicy merlot with black currant, plum, black cherry and mocha/coffee flavours. Quite concentrated. Very tasty wine offering great value.

90 Points - Round, smooth, supple Merlot with enticing aromas and flavours of fleshy black plum and blackberry on the nose and palate. Medium- to almost full-bodied. This would be a great match for grilled pork chops.

90 Points - Gorgeously balanced merlot with attractive black plum notes. Smooth and full-bodied with a long finish. Great price. Try this with grilled pork chops. Food matches: rare roast beef.

This Merlot may be the pearl in the oyster. Black spice-laden plum, wisps of wood smoke and espresso roast aromas provide segue to an über smooth and mellow mouthful of dark, juicy berry fruit, plumy tones and sweet, ripe black cherry. It’s medium bodied with creamy texture and a balanced fruit-forward aftertaste. Versatile at the table, it pairs well with roast chicken, leg of lamb or roast pork.

Ruby red with a light violet hue, this well-balanced red has a subtle nose of earthiness, spice and black currant. Silky textured and wonderfully balanced, it delivers a wash of persistent vibrant flavour-racy pomegranate, red cherry and raspberry-adorned with hints of spice, soft fine-grained tannin and good moderating acidity. It finishes mid length with spice-infused black raspberry.

New Zealand does produce a few rich, even massive reds. Hawke’s Bay is a stoney hothouse and this merlot is brimming with full-bodied blackberry, blueberry, vanilla and cedar aromas and flavours.

Perfectly varietal aroma of olive, tea and red fruit. A well-balanced wine to drink soon.

Crowd-pleasing Oyster Bay Merlot 2008 from New Zealand is medium-bodied and smooth, with pronounced berries, a hint of spice and juicy acidity.

This juicy, ripe blackcurrant-rich screw capped red from the Delegat brother and sister team offers a glimpse of the smooth, medium-bodied Bordeaux-style red that’s the hallmark of the Hawke’s Bay region of New Zealand.

This juicy, ripe blackcurrant-rich screw capped red from the Delegat brother and sister team offers a glimpse of the smooth, medium-bodied Bordeaux-style red that’s the hallmark of the Hawke’s Bay region of New Zealand.

Take gravelly, free-draining sub-soils and a maritime climate (warm days, cool evenings) and you have the underpinning for an exciting red wine region. Plum, raisin and strawberry compote aromas lead the taster to this medium-bodied, silky smooth offering. The fruit (red currant and cherry) mingles beautifully with the fine-grained tannin and hardly perceptible tang on the finish. This is finely balanced with no rough edges.

There’s plum and fruitcake and an intriguing savoury touch in this tasty Kiwi red which shows fine tannins and a good finish.

A delicious New Zealand red with bold, forthright flavours and the added attraction of a screwcap.

Toasty and vibrant New Zealand sparkling wine with green apple. Zesty refreshment. Pair with fried chicken. Sparkling Wine food pairings: grilled calamari, oysters, pan-seared scallops, squash soup, pork spare ribs. A splendid salad wine.

4.5 out of 5. Oyster Bay’s Brut Sparkling Cuvée is made 100% from the Chardonnay grape using the Charmat Method. On colour, this sparkling holds a golden hue that houses a fantastic bed of bubbles. On the palate, you’ll be impressed by the frizzante citrus, peach and creamy notes. It is a robust and lively sparkling, with well balanced sugar and acidity, making it a palate friendly sparkling that will more than please your guests.

Oyster Bay’s well-priced Brut plays on the tangy side, with lots of tropical and citrus fruit in the foreground and whispers of bread dough and mineral in the background.

One of those it’s so good it could be Champagne’ sparkling whites, it was a delight. Citrus, biscuit and cream tastes to the fore, it was smooth and very more-ish.

Made from 100 per cent Chardonnay, this is a moderately complex, creamy wine with a strong citrus and ripe stonefruit flavour. Dry and savoury with plenty of character.

Pale straw colour. Spicy yellow grapefruit peel nose. Fairly dry, slightly spicy, light to medium-light bodied, very zesty, lemony, yellow grapefruit flavours with a lingering, crisp finish and fairly good effervescence.

For dinner, with shrimp in cream sauce with rice, a bottle of Oyster Bay Sparkling Cuvée Brut (vibrant apple, white peach and citrus flavours; well balanced with good length).

New from New Zealand Oyster Bay Sparkling Cuvée is 100 per cent Hawke’s Bay Chardonnay and managed to lay a medley of trendy tropical melon, green apple and fresh peach flavours over a classic base of soft chalk and wet slate minerality.

I would be very happy combining this with Bluff oysters served over ice with a squeeze of lemon juice and a good grind of black pepper, perfect! Oyster Bay sparkling Cuvée brut made from 100 percent chardonnay grapes has an elegant finesse. It has lovely lime flavours, citrus and white peach, accentuated by a finely bubbled palate with a crisp refreshing finish. Enjoy! To see my interview with Stewart Stephen visit www.sunlive.co.nz

Very chic with its toasty apple, citrus and slightly sweet mouth feel.

It was only a matter of time before this winery, known for its well-priced Sauvignon Blanc, took advantage of New Zealand’s cool, temperate, maritime-influenced climate to make a refreshing sparkler. Here it is, a 100-per-cent Chardonnay cuvée with elegance, finesse and lively bubbles. The wine has hints of peach and minerals and a crisp finish.

90 points - a lovely persistence of tiny bubbles beading along the sides of the glass in this toasty New Zealand sparkling wine. Aromas of citrus spice and strawberry flan. The chardonnay grapes in this blend come from Hawkes Bay region, while pinot noir grapes hail from Marlborough. Lovely persistence of flavours and bubbles. Crisp, clean finish. Crisp, clean and fresh. Try with fried fish, potato chips, roast turkey and New Year's resolutions. Stock up now for the holidays!

Opens with desirable onion skin hues and a nose of honey, warm earth and meat that is replicated on the light weight palate. Thins out ever so slightly on the end palate.A refreshing style.

It’s the palest of Rosés, with a brisk lemon crunch.

Lots of bubbles and a nice blend of tangy Chardonnay and red berry flavours from the Pinot Noir grapes.