Montana Eats Corbans

The new and formidable company, which operates under the moniker Brancott Vineyards, now produces one of every two bottles made in New Zealand. And that's just for starters. It's still too early to assess how the merger will affect the quality of Brancott products, although a company's ability to dominate a market isn't a business strategy normally associated with producing outstanding, handcrafted wines. If there is a good news side to the story, at least the death of Corbans was at the hands of another New Zealand winery (even if it is one owned by an Australian beer company), and not by one of the marauding Euro-drinks giants who seem to be dividing the wine world into a handful of mediocre, global brands. While the notion of Corbans as a stand-alone winery is being dismantled, two of its best-known export labels, Stoneleigh and Longridge, live on within the expanded Brancott portfolio. Stoneleigh Vineyards sits on the banks of the Wairau River, near the northern tip of New Zealand's South Island. Pioneers gave the area the Stoneleigh name because of its soil-less "stony paddocks" that covered the land. The stones provide superior drainage and also collect heat that warms the vineyard long after the sun sets and the typically cool Marlborough evening air blankets the region. Last month I travelled to the South Island, where I caught up with Brancott winemaker Mark Inglis at Marlborough, in the company's impressive new visitor centre. Together we tasted the Stoneleigh and Longridge wines headed for Canada this year. Here's what I found: The 2000 Stoneleigh sauvignon is about to arrive, and despite a small crop that hurt production, the warm summer produced a concentrated, juicy wine with plenty of in-your-face Marlborough aromatics. Look for an enticing mix of melon and stone fruit aromas that give way to more passionfruit and grassy flavours in the mouth. Like so many new Marlborough sauvignons, it is rounder and smoother than previous editions, and much less aggressive at the edges. Pork, chicken or light, spicy Asian dishes would make a fine food match. The sleeper in New Zealand's varietal mix is riesling. Although light in colour, the '99 from Stoneleigh is rich in citrus and floral notes. Expect an off-dry style with crisp green-apple and citrus flavours. Try it with a spicy Thai or Chinese stir-fry at home. You won't be disappointed. Marlborough chardonnay doesn't rank as high as it should on global lists, yet most of them are chock-full of fresh fruit and bright acidity, with less oak -- exactly the kind of wine chefs and sommeliers tell me they are looking to put on their lists. The '99 Stoneleigh chardonnay is predominately fermented in stainless steel, where it undergoes malolactic fermentation and extended lees aging. The result is a soft and creamy-style white that is laced with stone fruit flavours and a touch of nuttiness in the finish. The 1999 Longridge sauvignon is about to be sold out and replaced by 2000 vintage. Both wines exhibit an appealing fresh fruit mix of honeydew melons, passionfruit and pineapple. There is wisp of cooler, herbaceous flavouring in the 2000, while the '99 is a tasty, tropical-fruit version. Both are fine-value sipping wines that you could easily serve before dinner with some fresh goat cheese. Brancott's North Island equivalent to the Stoneleigh range is the Longridge of Hawkes Bay label. Each of the varietals is made from a blend of North Island fruit that is generally richer, softer and a bit more tropical in taste than their cooler Marlborough cousins. The '99 Longridge chardonnay enjoyed a very warm and dry summer. It's barrel fermented in older French and American oak, then left on its lees in barrel for about six months. Look for peach and pear flavours and a creamy texture that is fun to sip. The '98 Longridge Merlot-Cabernet Sauvignon, the only red in today's tasting, comes from one of the warmest Hawkes Bay growing seasons in a decade. The 50/43 blend (there is seven per cent cabernet franc in the mix) was fermented separately and aged in French and American oak, 20 per cent of which was new. This is a ripe, plummy, fruit-driven red with soft, rich, berry fruit flavours. It's a versatile mid-week dinner wine perfect for red fanciers who don't like the big dry tannins of cabernet sauvignon. New Zealand Producer: Stoneleigh 1999/2000 Sauvignon Blanc Price: $15.45 Stock No.: 293043 Score: 16/20 Comments: Classic lifted Marlborough fruit. Producer: Stoneleigh 1999 Riesling, Marlborough Price: $15.45 Stock No.: 527713 Score: 14.5/20 Comments: The perfect stir-fry wine. Producer: Stoneleigh 1999 Chardonnay, Marlborough Price: $15.45 Stock No.: 288795 Score: 14/20 Comments: Crisp, clean, lively. Producer: Longridge 2000 Sauvignon Blanc, Hawkes Bay Price: $14.95 Stock No.: 571943 Score: 14.5/20 Comments: Ripe, tropical, melon flavours. Producer: Longridge 1999 Chardonnay, Hawkes Bay Price: $13.95 Stock No.: 268995 Score: 14/20 Comments: Easy drinking fruity style. Producer: Longridge 1998 Merlot Cabernet Sauvignon, Hawkes Bay Price: $16.95 Stock No.: 269001 Score: 14.5/20 Comments: Soft, round, berry flavours.