As befitting the company that was the pioneer of Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 30 years ago, Montana is inspiring new horizons in wine with the recent launch of the first Marlborough Sauvignon Gris wine in New Zealand.

The innovative Montana Showcase Series is a range of limited release wines that highlight Montana's new varieties, unique vineyards and winemaking expertise.

"We are privileged to have access to the most diverse range of quality vineyards in the country, whereby we can trial and plant new and promising varieties in small numbers leading to new discoveries," says chief winemaker Jeff Clarke.

"These wines are a showcase of the skills and experience of our viticulture and winemaking teams."

The three wines to be first released initially are the Montana Showcase Series Sauvignon Gris 2009, New Zealand's first Marlborough Sauvignon Gris, Montana Showcase Series Gisborne Arneis 2008 and Montana Showcase Series Gisborne Viognier 2008.

Sauvignon Gris is a largely unknown, ancient grape variety native to the Bordeaux region of France, not a blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Gris as might be expected.

"The flavour profile of a Sauvignon Gris wine is very different to that of Sauvignon Blanc," says Philip Bothwell, national wine ambassador.

"While its bouquet shows its Sauvignon Blanc heritage it is usually more in the tropical fruit spectrum with less of the overt pungency that is the hallmark of Sauvignon Blanc.

"Once sipped, the wine displays its richness with a textural weightiness reminiscent of Pinot Gris and flavours of pear and quince underlying a ripe herbal note."

Arneis is a rare, though highly-prized variety originally from the Piedmont region of North Italy, a late ripener that demands time in the vineyard, and the Viognier is a heat-hungry variety that revels in the generous warmth of our Ormond vineyard.

The Montana Showcase Series range of wines is the evolution of the Montana Terroir Series and will be available from fine wine retailers (RRP $23.95) and selected restaurants.