From North & South Magazine

October 2006
by Stephen Bennett MW
5 stars Wine of The Month Staete Landt Marlborough Chardonnay 2004

Unusual name but excellent wine and owners Ruud Maasdam and Dorien Vermaas are two of the industry's loveliest people and deserve every success. Staete Landt is the old Dutch name Abel Tasman first gave New Zealand in 1642. It's rough translation is " land discovered in honour of the governors [staete] of the Dutch Republic". More importantly this is one of Marlborough's best Chardonnays - a fine, dry, concentrated food- friendly wine with integrated butterscotch flavours leaning towards Burgundy in style. Well worth $29.