With many areas of the world hip deep in snow and no power to boot, it's hard to remember that some areas of the world, what is basically on the opposite end of the earth to many of us, is having their summer season, and that includes some summer wine selections.

From Snappy savvies to make your summer:

In the story of New Zealand wine there are winning combinations such as Gisborne and chardonnay, Central Otago and pinot noir, but our international success story is largely due to the magical marriage of Marlborough and sauvignon blanc.

The snappy, powerful mix of gooseberry, lime and passionfruit is the signature of Marlborough savvy, and while Hawke's Bay and Martinborough have their champions such as Te Mata and Palliser respectively, the classics from Marlborough are irresistibly refreshing. The 2006 vintage is now widely available, and the good news is that Marlborough had a huge crop of stellar quality.

Read more to find out some specific wine suggestions. Maybe we can use this info for next summer.