NOT so long ago rookie winegrowers in New Zealand tried to copy the French when making their Pinot Noir. Nowadays, the French go out to New Zealand to learn from the Kiwis – and the Mount Difficulty Bannockburn version is one reason why.

Central Otago, a mountainous region on the South Island where the soil and climate is a remarkable match for Burgundy and where the sheltered heat ensures a long ripening period, has one of the best reputations for winemaking in New Zealand, indeed the globe, its rise in the Pinot Noir world having been rapid.

Wine has been made here for 150 years but it only took off commercially in the 1980s and '90s. Mt Difficulty Wines in particular was established only in 1992. It is already revered, within a generation.

That is reflected in the price, mind you, with this Mt Diff bottle usually setting you back £25.99 at Waitrose. However, it’s worth treating yourself in the next couple of weeks while it's on discount at £19.99 until July 26.

That price also perhaps reflects the fact the Bannockburn area accounts for only a tiny proportion of New Zealand’s wine production, plus the fact Pinot Noir is a famously fickle grape. It’s like wine gold in more ways than one.

Fresh, perfumed, lush, opulent cherry and dark fruits of the forest – all signature elements of Bannockburn reds - are underpinned by a rare structure, texture, clarity and tangy acidity, and lifted by floral and spicy notes.

It really is a treat, more generous than many French versions yet still sophisticated, with this 2013 vintage seemingly blessed by big berries.

Feeling flush? How about buying another bottle and saving it for a special occasion a few years down the line – plenty experts say it’d get even better with age.

That bottle is a fair 14 per cent, which brings us on to something slightly different – a healthy wine with no per cent (well, 0.05% to be exact).

Eisberg wines - comprising Chardonnay, Rosé, Cabernet Sauvignon and a relatively new Sauvignon Blanc - are made the same way as normal wines but with the alcohol gently removed at the end of the process. This helps to retain natural flavours but means the wines are extremely low in calories.

A 125ml glass of the Sauv Blanc, for example, contains just 28, making it one for the summer diet (for anyone who does such things).

It also makes it an obvious option for pregnant women or designated drivers. It's surprisingly popular with men apparently.

But does it taste like wine? We tried this Sauv Blanc and it's more like wine than grapejuice. There's a sharpness but it's still fresh, and not as sugary as a fruit juice, meaning you sip rather than gulp. For us, though, it needs food to liven it up, such as creamy risotto or a roast chicken dinner.

The jury is therefore out, but we have a cunning way to decide. Next time we have guests, we'll poor them this and see if they spot any difference before noticing they're not getting tipsy.

It's available for £3.50 from Waitrose and the Co-op.