I was in Nashville Tennessee a few years ago. The wine was rubbish, but the honky tonk music was great! And in Ernest Tubb's Record Store I bought this remarkable LP:

I was reminded of it again this evening, in a rather surprising way. As I sniffed and swirled and sniffed again a glass of Seresin's delicious 'Marama' Sauvignon Blanc, I thought to myself, 'Whatever they drink in paradise, I bet it smells like this...' And suddenly the Little Jimmy Dickens song was going round and round in my head...

May the bird of paradise fly up your nose
May an elephant caress you with his toes
May your wife be plagued with runners in her hose
May the bird of paradise fly up your nose

If ever a wine could be described as having aromas like the glorious plumage of a bird of paradise, it's New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc. There are lots of great wines in the world; there and many bottles to sip and savour and think deeply about; there are all kinds of pleasures from all kinds of grapes from many different countries. But none of them is as immediately appealing - seductive, even - as a good Kiwi Sauv Blanc.

So to mark the end of our month-long celebration and exploration of this marvellous wine style, we will leave you with a snapshot of our NZ Sauv Blanc shelf, in a picture and in words...

HAWKES BAY: Trinity Hill, Sauvignon Blanc

WAIRARAPA/WELLINGTON WINE COUNTRY: Ata Rangi, 'Raranga' Sauvignon Blanc, Gladstone Vineyards, 'Jealous Sisters' Sauvignon Blanc

CANTERBURY: Waipara Springs, Sauvignon Blanc

OTAGO: Amisfield, Sauvignon Blanc

MALBOROUGH: Fromm, La Strada Sauvignon Blanc; Greywacke, Sauvignon Blanc; Greywacke, Wild Sauvignon; Seresin, Marama; Tinpot Hut, Sauvignon Blanc; Herringbone Hills, Sauvignon Blanc; Framingham, Sauvignon Blanc; Framingham, F-Series Sauvignon Blanc; Ribbonwood, Sauvignon Blanc; Crowded House, Sauvignon Blanc; Kim Crawford, Sauvignon Blanc; and of course not forgetting Cloudy Bay, Sauvignon Blanc.

Thanks to all our customers who supported our various events all month (and took many bottles home with them!) and thanks to the producers the length of New Zealand who make such great and varied wines, and bring us so much pleasure. Cheers!