A tasty Kiwi sextet, courtesy of Honest Grapes

New Zealand, ah, New Zealand! I don’t know anyone who has been there who hasn’t been completely bewitched by the country. I’m lucky enough to have gone there many times, though not for ages. I haven’t felt ready to return, being scarred by a night of bad judgment and poor behaviour in Wellington a few years back. Hosted by a group of winemakers, we’d started in Matterhorn, I think it was, moved on to Elixir, Hawthorn Lounge and – here it gets a bit blurry – Dirty Little Secret. Next thing I knew I was waking up in a hotel in Queenstown wondering how the heck I got there and in whose company.

The soil and climate of the Gimblett Gravels is about as close to Bordeaux as you can get

They’re wicked people, these Kiwis, too ready to prey upon naive and unsuspecting British journalists. I forgive them, though, because they make gorgeous wines, as evidenced by this delightfully tasty sextet courtesy of Honest Grapes, whittled down the other evening with the uncomplaining help of Mrs Ray.

The 2022 Moana Park Estate Sauvignon Blanc (1) comes from a single vineyard in the Wairau Valley, Marlborough, although the estate itself is in Hastings, Hawke’s Bay. With fresh citrus and ripe tropical fruit on the nose and decent weight in the mouth thanks to time on the lees, it’s lively and inviting and, although unmistakably New Zealand, doesn’t overwhelm like some Kiwi Savvy Blancs can. £11.40 down from £12.40.

The 2020 Shed 530 Estate Chardonnay (2) is the first of four wines from this Hawke’s Bay estate near the art-deco town of Napier, in the east of the North Island, the name referring to the old wool shed at 530 Puketapu Road. The Honest Grapes team came across the wines a couple of years ago and, rightly, love them.