Gisborne wines make a splash

Hey, it's good to know that Gisborne wines travel well. The following except is from a newpaper article published recently in the UK:

"Gisborne is another formidable wine producing region and lies on the north eastern tip of north island. The region is sheltered by high country to the west and has a dry, sunny climate with long sunshine hours, perfect for grape growing.

Montana is a name well known by wine buffs, the company having started production of wine during the 1970s boom in Marlborough. It produces a Gisborne Chardonnay and the unoaked 2007/08 is presently available at Waitrose for £5.59, a 20 per cent saving on the normal retail price of £6.99.

Gisborne is noted for its fine chardonnays and gewurztraminer - it also has the world’s most easerly vineyard. The deep gravelly soils and long sunshine hours result in healthy ripe grapes with good flavour. There are tones of ripe citrus fruit and a nice round texture and body.