Hail to you, Sir, Marlborough wine prophet

Relevant offers Talking of knighthoods and their reintroduction, I would like to nominate Frank Yukich as No 1 on the list of those who should get one.

However, I suspect the same thought has already occurred to Prime Minister John Key who, helped by Frank, unveiled a striking monument in a sprawling vineyard near Blenheim last week.

On it are the prophetic words: "Wines from here will become world famous," which is what Frank said on August 24, 1973, when Montana planted the first commercial vineyard of the modern era in Marlborough.

Whether or not he was speaking specifically about sauvignon blanc, the relatively unknown grape that was planted there two years later is anybody's guess, but that was the Marlborough wine which grabbed all the attention when it was launched in 1979.

By then Frank and Montana a company based on a vineyard planted near Auckland by his father Ivan in the 1940s and led by him through a through a spectacular period of expansion in the 1960s and early 1970s had long since parted company.

Frank had not endeared himself to the board of Montana, particularly to the representatives from Seagram, the multinational liquor giant and a major shareholder, when, without their knowledge, he paid the deposit on 1620 hectares of Marlborough farmland identified by DSIR scientist Wayne Thomas as ideal for viticultural expansion.

It was only when scientists from the University of California confirmed this view that the board reconsidered and agreed to go ahead with the deal.

Twelve months later Frank was gone but there can be no doubting his vision, his determination and his enormous contribution to this country's wine industry.

As New Zealand Winegrowers CEO Phil Gregan says: "He brought together a place and variety that combined to produce one of the great global wine styles Marlborough sauvignon blanc. It was a decision that forever changed New Zealand wines' place in the world."

Within 10 years, sauvignon blancs from this place where the Doubting Thomases said grapes would never ripen, and from Montana in particular, were wowing the world.

The rest is history. Thirty years later Marlborough is New Zealand's biggest winegrowing region and sauvignon blanc is our most exported wine.

It has also been extraordinary to see how Marlborough sauvignon blanc has evolved from the very earliest vintage to what is arguably New Zealand's signature wine style, which is an evolution that must continue, counselled Frank last week.

He was preaching to the converted of course.

Pernod Ricard (the parent company) now makes at least six Marlborough sauvignon blancs under the Montana label; wines that highlight not only the different characters of the various sub-regions in Marlborough but are also different stylistically.

However, the lynchpin of this expanded range is still the overtly pungent, herbaceous and racy, just plain Montana Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc, a bargain at $18 provided you like the style.

And there are certainly plenty who do. American critics in particular have raved about the 2008 model which was produced in record quantity: more than 1 million bottles.

The Reserve ($24) is similarly crisp, fresh and aromatic but with slightly more weight on the palate and the three wines in the Terroir Series show how the location of the vineyard can influence the wine. Conders Forest, from the northern side of the Wairau Valley is tropical fruited; Festival Block, from the southern side is more herbaceous; Rail Bridge, has the classic Awatere Valley tomato stalk aroma and flavours and the 2008 is the pick of the bunch. All sell at $24.

But the most manipulated, the Montana B Brancott ($34), is clearly the most interesting and many would say the finest of these wines. Partly fermented and lees aged in French oak, it is weighter, richer but still has the distinctive taste of what is clearly Marlborough's and Montana's famous sauvignon blanc.

Than you Frank.