2014 Escarpment, Kupe, Chardonnay, Martinborough, New Zealand

Chardonnay is often seen as the king of white wine grapes and one of the most widely planted in the world It is suited to a wide variety of soils, though it excels in soils with a high limestone content as found in Champagne, Chablis, and the Côte D`Or. Burgundy is Chardonnay's spiritual home and the best White Burgundies are dry, rich, honeyed wines with marvellous poise, elegance and balance. They are unquestionably the finest dry white wines in the world. Chardonnay plays a crucial role in the Champagne blend, providing structure and finesse, and is the sole grape in Blanc de Blancs.

Close to the southern tip of North Island, some top-class, aromatic Pinot Noir is being made in the town of Martinborough, with the best rivalling good Burgundy. Just as Cloudy Bay launched a hundred wineries in Marlborough, so Dry River Wines and Ata Rangi provided the spark that lit up Martinborough. Economically the region is suited to Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling and Gewürztraminer.