‘From the edge of a country on the edge of the earth’ is their tagline, and here is a beacon to stop you in your wine-loving tracks and make you look twice. From vines on the edge of the small island in the South Pacific, silhouetted by the Southern Alps, comes wine on the cutting edge. And if I was a lighthouse keeper, I’d want something good in my glass on dark and stormy nights, so lucky these guys have come to the rescue.

Kiwi pinot at this price is worth stopping for alone. With a solid score from Wine Orbit and a package this good, send a message in a bottle home to the folks. With all the spiced dark cherry and slightly herbal earthiness you might look for, along with silkiness and approachability, you’ll be thankful you saw the light.