Hot summer days and flavoursome summer wines. Gewurztraminer is my idea of perfection in the summer sipping department. Problem is there are not many around and some that are available are too sweet for my taste.

So I was indeed surprised when I found the Te Whare Ra Duke of Marlborough Gewurztraminer from the 2001 vintage was still available when I called into the winery in Marlborough on our way back to Auckland from Christchurch.

The reason I was so surprised was because this wine was awarded the title of Champion Gewurztraminer at last year's Air New Zealand wine awards.

I had been very impressed with the wine when I tried it at the Te Whare Ra release tasting in October last year, but we forgot to put our order in.

I was again impressed when I tried it at the Air New Zealand Wine Awards tasting and dinner in November and thought 'Oh no, the wine will sell out quickly now'.

So I had no hesitation in buying a bottle from the cellar door and transporting it back to Auckland to share with my favourite drinking partner, which we did on a hot summer's evening. We found just how enjoyable this richly flavoured gewurztraminer really is - it's no show pony that's for sure. Pale lemon in colour, the wine is richly aromatic with an appealing fragrance of flowers and spice.

It's quite luscious in the mouth with strong flavours of peach, lychee, musk, citrus, a hint of angelica and lifted spice on the aftertaste.

With 14.5% alcohol, it seems quite warming too.

Cost is $25 a bottle and it's available from Te Whare Ra and discerning wine retailers. Check out the website at www.te-whare-ra.co.nz.

Gewurztraminer is fabulous with Thai cuisine, as I found out when visiting the Thai Rain Forest BYO restaurant in Albany - the wine is especially suited to the spring roll, spicy chicken satays and Thai fish cake starters.

Served slightly chilled and enjoy as an aperitif or with mildly spiced foods.