The Tauranga-based director of Lake Chalice winery is going into business with three other New Zealand wineries to export their products to the lucrative US market.

Chris Gambitsis says Lake Chalice has formed a financial joint venture which will import and distribute New Zealand wines in the US.

'It's unique to New Zealand, it's never been done before,” says Chris.

The other wineries involved in the venture are Seifried of Nelson, Forrest of Marlborough and Carrick of Otago.

Chris says the idea was brainstormed by three vineyard and wine consultants based in Auckland who then went on to recruit the four wineries.

'We complement each other because we work out of different regions in New Zealand,” says Chris.

'Because of the strength of all the wineries, there's not this conflict of working against each other.”

The first of the wines are due to be exported in June under the Pacific Prime Wines group which is marketing the New Zealand wines and will initially be aimed at the eastern seaboard.

'The concept we feel is an absolute winner,” says Chris.

'None of the wineries that are in our company cut corners. We're passionate about wine and we're striving to achieve.”

Chris says marketing in the US is 'bloody hard” but a good challenge.