New Zealand's Rugby World Cup minister Murray McCully has come under fire after taking the country's record for the most expensive wine bought at the expense of the taxpayer.

While hosting a dinner for the International Rugby Board, Mr McCully ordered four bottles of Ata Rangi Pinot Noir 2006 at NZ $185 (£85) each, in a meal for 14 that came to a grand total of $2,855 (£1,308), the New Zealand Herald repots.

This eclipses the NZ $150 (£68) he paid for two bottles of Cloudy Bay chardonnay in a meal with Tongan prime minister Feleti Sevele at Auckland's Soul Bar earlier this year.

As in the UK, the finances of New Zealand's ministers have come under close public scrutiny in recent months.

The value of the UK's Government Hospitality cellar is currently estimated at £864,000 and includes examples of chateaux Latour, Lafite, Margaux and Mouton-Rothschild.