Mark Rattray Les Pierres Chardonnay

Mark Rattray’s spent 40 years in the wine industry. He’s plied his trade in Germany, France and Canada and worked for some of the big boys like Montana and Pernod. He felt a bit funny about naming the wine after himself but in his own words "I think I’ve earned it".

Mark’s a big believer in letting the grapes do their thing and let the wine do the talking, not a fancy label or team of marketing whizz kids. "Obsessing about ‘terroir’ is not mad-eyed mumbling hocus-pocus…Quite simply it is the main reason why things naturally taste differently. Ultimately, I want my wine to taste of the place it came from."

Hawke’s Bay is the place (Gimblett Gravels in case you were wondering), Chardonnay is the wine. And the taste? Well, we’ve always been a big fan of the wines Mark’s been banging out. This 2014 is the best yet we reckon – the buttery, creamy style that’ll melt your heart for the money if that’s your digs!

Food matching? It’s gotta be lobster or scallops!