KEY POINTS:
A handful of New Zealand wineries are known internationally.
Or, if they're not, they ought to be. Not a bad effort considering as New World producers we have only been making an impact over the past 25 years or so.
I'm loath to mention those who are held in high regard internationally - someone will feel slighted and can probably mount a reasonable case as to why they should have been included.
What the heck. Top of mind are Villa Maria, Te Mata, Dry River, Felton Road, Atarangi, Kumeu River, Vinoptima, Stonyridge, Neudorf, Cloudy Bay and Trinity Hill.
I'm not talking volume or size, rather about reputation. It was only a matter of time, however - they've been hovering under the radar for the past few years.
Lemon-lipped, envious observers will say if they'd been thrown $80 million to start up, they could've achieved the same results. Maybe.
Nobody is denying that sort of seed money gives you a reasonable platform. But the wine industry - this mercurial, bizarre, dangerous but compelling, addictive, glamorous beast - is littered with the corpses of those who promised much and, despite reasonable financial backing, are no longer with us.
Big bucks and good PR spin don't necessarily translate into wines of beauty and promise that have the punters beating a path to your door.
It's not about the dollars, it's about the culture you create. It's about the detail - the right clones, the right grapes in the right place.
And it's about being fastidious in the vineyard.
Passion, obsession, care, consideration and commitment are a given, as are the appropriate winemaking techniques.
Take a bow then, Craggy Range. You've been ticking the right boxes for some time. This is your moment to shine.
From Hawkes Bay to Central Otago come wines crafted with the stamp of excellence.
In a decade, Steve Smith, M.W, has built up an extraordinary team - ultimately it's about the people, not the money.
Recommended
2006 Craggy Range Les Beaux Cailloux
This is a Hawkes Bay prestige wine. Dry chablis style, clean, clear, seamless and serious.
Price: $65
2006 Craggy Range Sophia Gimblett Gravels
A blend of merlot and cabernet franc, this has strength and elegance. It's magnificent and moreish.
Price: $55
