Nga Waka Wines, Martinborough, New Zealand

Nga Waka (named after 3 hills which overlook Martinborough) is a small family owned winery, founded in 1988 by former diplomat Gordon Parkinson and his son, Roger, producing wine from just 10 hectares of vineyard. Martinborough sits at the very south of the North Island and has been made famous by one of Nga Waka's neighbours, Ata Rangi.

Roger now runs the estate with his wife, Carol, and is a Roseworthy oenology graduate with winemaking experience in France, which shapes much of the style here. Martinborough was one of the earliest planted regions in New Zealand, and produces some of her most elegant wines. Nga Waka is an accredited member of Sustainable Winegrowing New Zealand.

As i trained in Burgundy (yes, I might have mentioned this before!!) these wines are absolutely my taste. Not the usual big, hot, buttery Chardonnay styles that the new World producers, but elegant, restrained and textured. These are definitely worth the money!