KEY POINTS:
Prudent times call for skilful purchasing. At a price point of $25 and under it's a crowded field, but there are great value for money wines out there. You may need to ferret them out, however. Avoid liquor stores that sell only beer, alco-pops and those grim looking
Southern cheap whiskeys much loved by aging Harley Davidson bikers and toothless back-up singers from Memphis bands with names like Splutter, Howling Coyotes and Lock Up Your Daughters.
Best bubbles
Nobilo Methode Traditionelle 2005
Good quality bubbles will probably never be cheaper, especially at the low end and middle of the market. Don't hold your breath for the French Champagne houses to bow to international monetary mayhem and start discounting. It's not the French way. This New Zealand bubbly is a beauty. Light salmon colour, brilliant clarity, fine persistent bead, soft and creamy, crisp and dry. $23
Best pinot noir
Margrain River'S Edge 2007
Very tough finding a genuine, quality pinot under $30. Some cynics would say it's also tough finding one over $60. I have chosen to ignore such snobbery. Martinborough still delivers some of our greatest pinots and often manages a level of complexity that other regions struggle with. Margrain River's Edge combines tangy fruit with hints of toasted marshmallow, custard pie, cinnamon sticks and musky black roses. $25
Best red blend
Mills Reef Reserve Merlot Malbec 2007
Unbelievable value. Fruit-driven aromas and flavours with a medley of black doris plums, boysenberries and blackcurrant. Medium weight and silky texture with a dash of spicy savoury oak. For the purist, the blend is 55 per cent merlot and 45 per cent malbec. Mills Reef seems determined to provide quality, medium-priced reds that would not be out of place in the $40-$50 price category. Good on them. $25
Best pinot gris
Wild Rock Sur Lie 2008
The Craggy Range team from Hawkes Bay are flexing their considerable collective muscles and producing a new strata of wines from the best grape growing regions around the country. Rich, ripe and eloquent is the catch cry and with panache matching price there's bound to be a ready market. This wine reflects their home base and has a sophisticated edge. Tending dry, it pays homage to the classics rather than sweet teenage pop. $22
Best gewurztraminer
Clayridge 2008
If ever a varietal suited our Asian-inspired summer cuisine, it's gewurztraminer. When done correctly it can transport you to places beyond your wildest imagination with flavours such as lychee, rose petal, turkish delight, bees wax, lavender, clove, cinnamon, spice. Highly perfumed on the nose yet subtle on the palate. Versatility and verve - must I go to my grave screaming "try the gewurzt"? Thank you Mike Just of Clayridge for getting it right. $24
Best sauvignon blanc
Allan Scott 2008
Whenever people talk sauvignon, inevitably Allan Scott's name comes up. He's canny, creative and has seen more than his fair share of vintages to know what really works. This one runs the gamut of Marlborough's herbaceousness to super-ripe tropical flavours of pineapples, passionfruit and a zesty citrus essence of orange and lime. Charming. $21
Best rose
Neudorf Pinot Kina 2008
This Nelson (Upper Moutere) Vineyard is one of the country's most picturesque and also one of our finest consistent producers of top quality wines. Tim and Judy Finn have a gentle holistic approach to everything they do and somehow it shows in all their wines. They also manage to attract excellent people who share their vision. The pale apricot colour belies the lavish structure of this truly sensational rose. $22
Best syrah
Stonecroft Serine 2006
Dr Alan Limmer deserves the title of syrah Godfather. His Stonecroft label also puts out a gewurztraminer of astonishing flavour and structure. There's a hint of eccentricity about this Hawkes Bay character. You'll never see his wines entered in competitions and against the tsunami to screwcaps he remains firmly committed to cork. This is not his premier syrah, but it gives enough hints of the levels of greatness we've come to expect from an obsessive wine grower. The Serine is mellow and marvellous. $25
Best riesling
Fromm 2007
Fromm is a revered Marlborough producer with wines of astonishing complexity and style which are fast headed towards cult status. Top-end wines command high prices and fly out the door. Maybe this beauty slipped past the accountant? If you can't love this you'll never understand riesling. Fresh, vibrant, finely textured and bone-dry. Not for those who like sugar bombs. $23
Best chardonnay
Hunter'S 2007
The first lady of New Zealand wine, Jane Hunter, specialises in great quality at a very reasonable price. An early Marlborough pioneer, Hunter's continues to jostle for position at the front of a large skilful pack. This has a lovely balance between oak, fruit and acid, with peach, stonefruit and a whisper of light toasty oak. Chardonnay with chutzpah. Perfect summer sipper. $20
