A large crop of 28 new Potential Classics, 25 new Classics and 7 new Super Classics are the features of this year’s closely revised list of New Zealand wine classics.
What is a New Zealand wine classic? It is a wine that in quality terms consistently ranks in the very forefront of its class. To qualify for selection, each label must have achieved an outstanding level of quality for at least three vintages; there are no flashes in the pan here.
By identifying New Zealand wine classics, my aim is to transcend the inconsistencies of individual vintages and wine competition results, and highlight consistency of excellence. When introducing the elite category of Super Classics, I restricted entry to wines which have achieved brilliance in at least five vintages (compared to three for Classic status). The Super Classics are all highly prestigious wines, with a proven ability to mature well (even the Sauvignon Blancs, compared to other examples of the variety).
The Potential Classics are the pool from which future Classics will emerge. These are wines of outstanding quality which look likely, if their current standards are maintained or improved, to qualify after another vintage or two for elevation to Classic status. All the additions and elevations on this year’s list are identified by an asterisk.
Note : Some wines on the classics list are not reviewed every year. If a wine is not currently on sale, this generally reflects a lack of favourable weather in recent vintages.
Table of Contents
Super Classics Classics Potential Classics
SUPER CLASSICS
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Review: This memorable wine has richness, complexity and downright drinkability. From a company-owned block of low-yielding Mendoza-clone vines in the ...
Review: One of the greatest of all New Zealand wines, this Martinborough red is powerfully built and concentrated, yet seductively ...
Review: Estate-grown in the foothills of the Pisa Range, in the Cromwell Basin, the powerful, youthful 2017 vintage (5*) was ...
Review: This very classy wine sits above the McDonald Series (but below Tom and 1 Single Vineyard) in the Church ...
Review: This is the pinnacle of Church Road's Hawke's Bay Chardonnays – as its price conveys. The 2019 vintage (5*), ...
Review: Pernod Ricard NZ's top Hawke's Bay red honours pioneer winemaker Tom McDonald, a driving force behind New Zealand's first ...
Review: For his premium Chardonnay label, winemaker Tim Turvey aims for a 'big, grunty, upfront' style – and hits the ...
Review: Once described by co-founder James Millton as 'a stiletto, not a slipper', Millton's Chardonnay is based on ungrafted, unirrigated ...
Review: New Zealand's most internationally acclaimed wine is sought after from Sydney to New York and London. Its irresistibly aromatic ...
Review: Te Koko o Kupe ('The Oyster Dredge of Kupe') is the original name for Cloudy Bay; it is also ...
Review: This famous Syrah impresses with its lovely fragrance and finesse. Estate-grown in the Gimblett Gravels of Hawke's Bay, the ...
Review: New Zealand's most awarded bubbly on the show circuit. This Chardonnay-predominant blend is hand-harvested on the south side of ...
Review: This ranks among the country's greatest oak-aged Sauvignon Blancs. Looking for 'texture, rather than rich aromatics', Dog Point fermented ...
Review: One of the finest Rieslings in the country, this is typically a wine of exceptional purity, delicacy and depth, ...
Review: This consistently classy wine is late-harvested to 'produce a Riesling with low alcohol, high residual sugar and high acidity, ...
Review: From mature vines in Martinborough, the 2019 vintage (5*) is an arresting wine. Powerful and weighty (14.5 per cent ...
Review: Elegance, restraint and subtle power are the key qualities of this classic wine. It's not a bold, upfront style, ...
Review: From the first vintage in 1986, for many years Dry River towered over other New Zealand Pinot Gris, by ...
Review: Dark and densely flavoured, this Martinborough red ranks among New Zealand's greatest Pinot Noirs. It is grown in three ...
Review: Grown on a steep, terraced, north-facing hillside at Bay View, in Hawke's Bay, this is typically a strikingly bold, ...
Review: The bold 2018 vintage (5*) is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (38 per cent), Merlot (28 per cent), Malbec ...
Review: The classy 2016 vintage (5*) was grown in the Cornerstone Vineyard, hand-picked, fermented with indigenous yeasts and matured for ...
Review: Often one of the region's most distinguished Chardonnays. The 2018 vintage (5*) is a single-vineyard wine, hand-picked at Bay ...
Review: The Bannockburn winery's 'standard' Pinot Noir is a distinguished wine, blended from its four sites in the district. Matured ...
Review: Estate-grown in The Elms Vineyard, this gently sweet style has deep flavours woven with fresh acidity. It offers more ...
Review: Grown at Bannockburn, on a north-facing slope 270 metres above sea level, this is a majestic Central Otago wine, ...
Review: This is winemaker Blair Walter's favourite Felton Road red. Grown in a 'special' block of The Elms Vineyard at ...
Review: From the company-owned Cornish Point Vineyard at the eastern end of Bannockburn, 6 kilometres from the winery, this is ...
Review: The 2018 vintage (5*) is a richly botrytised style with a fragrant, honeyed bouquet. Bright, light gold/green, it has ...
Review: The 2017 vintage (5*) is an oily-rich, sweet (176 grams/litre of residual sugar), vibrantly fruity wine, handled in a ...
Review: Fromm's finest Chardonnay is grown on the southern flanks of the Wairau Valley, where the clay soils, says winemaker ...
Review: This acclaimed Marlborough red is grown and hand-harvested on north-facing clay slopes at Clayvin Vineyard, in the Brancott Valley, ...
Review: This beauty ranks among the country's greatest Gewürztraminers. Hand-picked in the Wairau Valley, the bright, light lemon/green 2020 vintage ...
Review: This wine ranks fifth in the company's hierarchy of six Chardonnays, after four single-vineyard labels, but is still outstanding ...
Review: This outstanding single-vineyard wine – my favourite in the Kumeu River range – is grown on slopes above Mate's ...
Review: This extremely classy, single-vineyard wine is Kumeu River's flagship. It is made entirely from the best of the fruit ...
Review: One of the country's most impressive Gewürztraminers. Grown in the Home Block and nearby Woodward Vineyard, at the foot ...
Review: Recent releases of this non-vintage, bottle-fermented sparkling have revealed an intensity and refinement that positions the label among the ...
Review: (Note: up to and including the 2018 vintage, this classic wine was labelled Neudorf Moutere Chardonnay.) Superbly rich but ...
Review: Typically a very classy Nelson red. It is hand-picked from 'older vines' at Upper Moutere, fermented with indigenous yeasts, ...
Review: One of Waiheke's most awarded reds. Estate-grown, the 2019 vintage (5*) was matured for 10 months in "mostly new ...
Review: Strapping yet delicate, richly flavoured yet subtle, this sophisticated North Canterbury wine is one of the country's best Chardonnays ...
Review: This is one of North Canterbury's greatest Pinot Noirs, typically very rich in body and flavour. Many of the ...
Review: For its top Waipara red, Pegasus Bay wants 'a heavenly voice, a shapely body and a velvety nose'. Based ...
Review: Classy stuff. Estate-grown at Waipara, in North Canterbury, in top vintages it is richly fragrant and thrillingly intense, with ...
Review: Formerly called 'Puriri Hills Reserve', this regional classic has been labelled as 'Harmonie Du Soir' since the 2012 vintage ...
Review: Certified organic and biodynamic, the powerful 2018 vintage (5*) is 'a single ferment . . . personally selected by ...
Review: Named after Rippon's co-founder, Rolfe Mills ('Tink' to his friends), this exceptional wine is based on 'the oldest vines ...
Review: Sacred Hill’s flagship Chardonnay is one of New Zealand’s greatest – powerful yet elegant, with striking intensity and outstanding ...
Review: Marlborough's largest family-owned wine producer has an extensive array of Sauvignon Blancs. This is not the region's most complex ...
Review: Finesse is the keynote quality of this organically certified Marlborough wine. Estate-grown in the Raupo Creek Vineyard, in the ...
Review: This is one of the region's most sophisticated, subtle and satisfying Sauvignons. It's also one of the most important, ...
Review: Certified organic, the extremely youthful 2019 vintage (5*) was estate-grown at Roy's Hill, hand-picked and matured for 18 months ...
Review: Typically a stunning Waiheke Island wine. Dark and seductively perfumed, with smashing fruit flavours, at its best it is ...
Review: Positioned below its Coleraine stablemate in Te Mata's hierarchy of Hawke's Bay, claret-style reds, since 1995 Awatea has been ...
Review: This oak-aged Hawke's Bay label is impressive for its ripely herbal, complex, sustained flavours. Most of the grapes are ...
Review: Breed, rather than brute power, is the hallmark of Coleraine (correctly pronounced Cole-raine rather than Coler-aine), which since its ...
Review: One of New Zealand's most illustrious Chardonnays, Elston is a stylish, intense, slowly evolving Hawke's Bay wine. At around ...
Review: Grown traditionally in the Bullnose and Isosceles vineyards, in the Bridge Pa Triangle inland from Hastings, in Hawke's Bay, ...
Review: This estate-grown wine is from Woodthorpe Terraces, on the south side of the Dartmoor Valley. Hand-picked, in 2018 it ...
Review: From one vintage to the next, this is one of the country's leading rosés. The 2020 vintage (5*) was ...
Review: One of the country's most distinguished – and expensive – reds. Still extremely youthful, the 2018 vintage (5*) was ...
Review: The stylish 2019 vintage (5*) was hand-picked, matured in French oak barriques (30 per cent new), and bottled unfined ...
Review: Still extremely youthful, the 2019 vintage (5*) was hand-harvested in the Keltern and Kokako vineyards and fermented and matured ...
Review: Grown at a cool, inland site on the western edge of the Bridge Pa Triangle, this arresting wine is ...
Review: This wine has for many years been acclaimed as one of the region's finest Chardonnays. The 2019 vintage (5*) ...
Review: Deeply coloured, the lovely 2018 vintage (5*) is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (78 per cent), Merlot (14 per ...
Review: This is a consistently outstanding wine. Estate-grown, the 2018 vintage (5*) was matured for 18 months in French oak ...
Review: One of New Zealand's top sweet wines on the show circuit. It is typically stunningly perfumed, weighty and oily, ...
Review: Launched from 2000, this label swiftly won recognition as one of the region's boldest, lushest reds. Grown in the ...
CLASSICS
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Review: Estate-grown, hand-harvested from 23 year-old vines, and matured for 11 months in French oak barriques (27 per cent new), ...
Review: Estate-grown 380 metres above sea level at Mt Barker, in the Wanaka sub-region, the barrel-aged 2018 vintage (5*) is ...
Review: This classy Hawke's Bay wine is blended from classic red Bordeaux varieties, estate-grown in the Bridge Pa Triangle. The ...
Review: Estate-grown and hand-picked from selected blocks in the Rocky Knoll Vineyard at Pisa, in the Cromwell Basin, the 2016 ...
Review: Estate-grown on the south side of the Wairau Valley, on the site where the region's first wines were made ...
Review: Babich's flagship Chardonnay. A stylish wine, Irongate was traditionally markedly leaner and tighter than other top Hawke's Bay Chardonnays, ...
Review: Estate-grown in the Irongate Vineyard and matured in French oak barriques (40 per cent new in 2016), this elegant, ...
Review: This is promoted as Babich's greatest red, regardless of the variety or region of origin, but all vintages have ...
Review: This Bannockburn red is typically outstanding. The 2016 vintage (4.5*) is a refined, youthful wine, ruby-hued, with ripe cherry, ...
Review: This wine is promoted by Pernod Ricard NZ as 'our finest expression of Marlborough's most famous variety' – and ...
Review: This distinguished red is grown on a sheltered, north-facing slope between Maraekakaho and Bridge Pa, in Hawke's Bay (described ...
Review: Brookfields' top red is one of the most powerful, long-lived reds in Hawke's Bay. At its best, it is ...
Review: A regional classic. Certified organic, the 2018 vintage (4.5*) is from the hottest growing season on record. A powerful ...
Review: Full of potential, the 2018 vintage (5*) is a deeply coloured, finely structured red, estate-grown principally in the Redstone ...
Review: The distinguished 2016 vintage (5*) is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (41 per cent), Merlot (39 per cent) and ...
Review: This biodynamically certified Gisborne wine from Millton shows impressive richness and complexity. Hill-grown, it is hand-harvested and fermented with ...
Review: The Clos Henri Vineyard near Renwick is owned by Henri Bourgeois, a leading, family-owned producer in the Loire Valley, ...
Review: A powerful Marlborough wine with impressively concentrated, savoury, lemony, mealy flavours and a proven ability to mature well over ...
Review: 'Designed as an aperitif', Cloudy Bay's non-vintage Marlborough bubbly is a Chardonnay-dominant style, with 30 per cent Pinot Noir, ...
Review: The 2017 vintage (5*) was estate-grown in the Calvert Vineyard at Bannockburn and Northburn Vineyard, on the east bank ...
Review: The delicious 2017 vintage (5*) is a single-vineyard Pinot Noir, estate-grown at Te Muna, on the edge of Martinborough ...
Review: This label is overshadowed by the reputation of its stablemate, Le Sol, but proves the power, structure and finesse ...
Review: This is Craggy Range's premier Merlot-based red. The 2016 vintage (5*) is a Gimblett Gravels, Hawke's Bay blend of ...
Review: Well worth discovering, this is typically a very classy wine, disgorged after three years on its yeast lees. A ...
Review: Delicious now, but also well worth cellaring, the 2017 vintage (5*) is a single-vineyard red, estate-grown at Bannockburn, matured ...
Review: This classy wine is estate-grown and hand-harvested on the south side of the Wairau Valley, fermented and matured for ...
Review: This classy, finely structured red is estate-grown on the south side of the Wairau Valley, hand-picked and matured for ...
Review: This classic wine offers a clear style contrast to Section 94, Dog Point's complex, barrel-aged Sauvignon Blanc (see the ...
Review: An emerging star. The powerful 2018 vintage (5*) was estate-grown and hand-harvested in the Gimblett Gravels (83 per cent) ...
Review: The powerful young 2019 vintage (5*) is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (60 per cent), Cabernet Franc (29 per ...
Review: The classy 2017 vintage (5*) was estate-grown and hand-harvested in the Gimblett Gravels and the Bridge Pa Triangle, and ...
Review: Still very youthful, the 2018 vintage (4.5*) was estate-grown and hand-picked in the Gimblett Gravels (48 per cent), the ...
Review: This classy, distinctive wine is grown at Bannockburn and matured in French oak barriques, with restrained use of new ...
Review: This typically outstanding wine is grown in a 'special part of The Elms Vineyard in front of the winery', ...
Review: Grown in the Calvert Vineyard at Bannockburn – 1 kilometre east of the winery – matured in French oak ...
Review: Estate-grown in schisty soils at Bannockburn, in Central Otago, this wine is hand-picked in The Elms Vineyard and fermented ...
Review: Top vintages of this estate-grown, Wairau Valley wine are strikingly aromatic, richly flavoured and zesty. The classy 2020 vintage ...
Review: Certified organic, the 2018 vintage (5*) is labelled in honour of Hätsch Kalberer, Fromm's winemaker since the first vintage ...
Review: Winemaker Hätsch Kalberer describes this Marlborough red as 'not a typical New World style, but the truest expression of ...
Review: Grown in the Home Block at Gibbston, where the oldest vines were planted in 1983, the 2019 vintage (5*), ...
Review: At its best, this Central Otago red is mouthfilling and savoury, with superb concentration of sweet-tasting, plummy fruit and ...
Review: This rare, estate-grown Matakana red is a blend of Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Malbec, matured in French oak barrels ...
Review: Estate-grown in Alexandra, this is typically a top buy. From vines planted in 2003, the graceful 2018 vintage (4.5*) ...
Review: This consistently impressive wine is estate-grown at Hope, in Nelson, hand-picked, barrel-fermented with indigenous yeasts and matured in French ...
Review: One of Nelson's greatest reds, at its best powerful, rich and long-lived. It is estate-grown and hand-picked on an ...
Review: Greystone views Chardonnay as 'the finest white wine variety'. Grown on steep, north-facing limestone slopes, this wine is hand-harvested, ...
Review: At its best, this is one of the finest Pinot Gris in the country. Full of youthful vigour, the ...
Review: An emerging star. Certified organic, the delicious 2018 vintage (5*) was estate-grown and hand-harvested, and part of the blend ...
Review: The vigorous, youthful 2017 vintage (5*) is bright, light yellow/green, with a fragrant, complex bouquet. Mouthfilling, it has deep, ...
Review: Grown in the Brancott Valley and at Rapaura, the powerful 2018 vintage (4.5*) was handled for five months in ...
Review: Grown at elevated sites in the Southern Valleys, hand-harvested and matured in French oak barriques (partly new), the 2017 ...
Review: Grown in the central Wairau Valley and the Southern Valleys, the 2019 vintage (5*) was handled principally in tanks ...
Review: This is a leading example of Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc from well outside the mainstream. Fermented with indigenous yeasts in ...
Review: The lovely 2015 vintage (5*) was estate-grown in the Wairau Valley, matured for 30 months in French oak barriques, ...
Review: This has long been one of Marlborough's best sparklings, full and lively, with loads of peachy, yeasty, nutty flavour, ...
Review: La Collina ('The Hill') is grown at Bilancia's steep, early-ripening site on the northern slopes of Roys Hill, overlooking ...
Review: One of the region's best, widely available Sauvignon Blancs, this stylish wine is vibrant, intense and finely structured. The ...
Review: Well worth cellaring, the 2020 vintage (5*) is an Alsace-style wine, estate-grown in the Home Block and fermented with ...
Review: Hand-picked in the Twin Valleys Vineyard, at the junction of the Wairau and Waihopai valleys, the refined 2017 vintage ...
Review: Certified organic, this Gisborne wine is one of New Zealand's best-known Chenin Blancs. It's a richly varietal wine with ...
Review: This single-vineyard wine is estate-grown and hand-harvested at Bendigo, in Central Otago. Invitingly scented, the 2019 vintage (5*) is ...
Review: This is the sort of 'dry' Riesling New Zealand needs a lot more of. Estate-grown and hand- harvested at ...
Review: Estate-grown at Bendigo, in the Cromwell Basin, the very youthful, vigorous 2019 vintage (5*) was hand-harvested, fermented with indigenous ...
Review: Named after pioneer winemaker Father Antoine Gavin, the very youthful 2019 vintage (5*) is a distinguished blend of Cabernet ...
Review: Classy stuff. Made in a bolder, more upfront style than some past releases, the 2018 vintage (4.5*) was grown ...
Review: Likely to be long-lived, the classy 2020 vintage (5*) is a single-vineyard red, estate-grown at Mere Road, in the ...
Review: A lovely late-harvest style, the 2019 vintage (5*) was made from Riesling, hand-picked at Bendigo. Bright, light lemon/green, it ...
Review: Already very expressive, the 2020 vintage (5*) was mostly estate-grown and hand-harvested at Renwick, and fermented and matured in ...
Review: The youthful 2019 vintage (4.5*) is an estate-grown Nelson wine, fermented with indigenous yeasts (30 per cent in old ...
Review: Grown in the Cornerstone Vineyard, on the corner of Gimblett Road and State Highway 50 – where the first ...
Review: Still very youthful, the delicious 2020 vintage (5*) is a single-vineyard red, from vines planted in 1999. Matured for ...
Review: This is typically an enticingly perfumed, notably elegant and harmonious red. The 2019 vintage (5*) is deep ruby and ...
Review: Grown at Waipara, in North Canterbury, this beauty is from hand-selected, botrytised bunches and berries, harvested late in the ...
Review: Estate-grown at Waipara, in North Canterbury, the delicious 2018 vintage (5*) was handled for six months in old oak ...
Review: This distinctive Waipara, North Canterbury wine is concentrated and complex, with loads of personality. It is typically a 70:30 ...
Review: Estate-grown at Pisa Flats, north of Cromwell, in Central Otago, this classy, enticingly scented wine is well worth discovering ...
Review: This consistently rewarding red is estate-grown at a high-altitude site at Bendigo. Barrel-aged for 17 months and bottled unfiltered, ...
Review: Named after Ivan Pope, who planted and tended the vines at this Clevedon, South Auckland vineyard. Still on sale, ...
Review: Estate-grown on an east-facing slope at Waikari, in North Canterbury, the 2018 vintage (5*) is a powerful (14.5 per ...
Review: Certified organic and biodynamic, the extremely graceful 2018 vintage (5*) was estate-grown at Bendigo, hand-picked and matured for a ...
Review: Top vintages are outstanding, showing great vigour and complexity in a Champagne-like style, intense and highly refined. The vivacious ...
Review: This Lake Wanaka red has a long, proud history. Estate-grown but not a single-block wine – winemaker Nick Mills ...
Review: This consistently stylish blend of Cromwell Basin (mostly) and Gibbston grapes typically has concentrated cherry, plum and dried-herb flavours, ...
Review: Merlot-based, this is a typically outstanding Hawke's Bay red from the Gimblett Gravels (principally the company's Deerstalkers Vineyard). The ...
Review: The mouthfilling, supple 2016 vintage (5*) is an age-worthy red, hand-harvested in the Gimblett Gravels and matured for 16 ...
Review: This is a classy, single-vineyard Gimblett Gravels red from Hawke's Bay. The highly refined 2017 vintage (5*), blended from ...
Review: Estate-grown in the lower Waihopai Valley, hand-harvested from mature vines and fermented in small oak vessels, the 2018 vintage ...
Review: Estate-grown at Rapaura, on the relatively warm north side of the Wairau Valley, the 2018 vintage (4.5*) was partly ...
Review: The Gewürztraminers from this tiny Hawke's Bay winery are among the finest in the country. This 'Old Vine' wine ...
Review: This distinguished Rhône-style blend is estate-grown at Onetangi and matured for a year in French oak barriques (30 per ...
Review: The fragrant, complex 2017 vintage (5*) was estate-grown at Bendigo. Full-coloured, it is rich and savoury, with deep cherry, ...
Review: For its vintage-to-vintage consistency, this was Te Whau's finest wine, full of personality, but the 2017 vintage (4.5*) is ...
Review: Full of personality, the 2018 vintage (5*) of this estate-grown, single-block red was hand-picked, matured in French oak casks ...
Review: From the oldest vines in Bannockburn, planted in 1991, the 2018 vintage (5*) is a ruby-hued, velvety red. Hand-picked ...
Review: The dark, full-bodied 2019 vintage (5*) is a Hawke's Bay blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (54 per cent), Cabernet Franc ...
Review: The latest vintages are the best yet. Estate-grown at Earnscleugh (51 per cent), Bannockburn (27 per cent) and Gibbston ...
Review: The delicious 2019 vintage (5*) was hand-harvested, matured in French oak barriques (30 per cent new), and bottled unfined ...
Review: The powerful, rich, sweet-fruited 2019 vintage (5*) was hand-picked, matured in French oak barriques (30 per cent new), and ...
Review: The refined 2018 vintage (5*) is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (64 per cent) and Merlot (36 per cent), ...
Review: The estate-grown 2016 vintage (5*) was hand-harvested from 18-year-old vines in the Omahu Gravels and Twyford Gravels vineyards, in ...
Review: Named after Clifford Bay, into which the Awatere River empties, this is typically a very classy Marlborough wine. Grown ...
Review: The 2018 vintage (5*) is a classy red, estate-grown at two sites and matured for a year in French ...
Review: The powerful, stylish 2019 vintage (5*) was fermented with indigenous yeasts in French oak barriques (38 per cent new), ...
Review: This very elegant wine is hand-harvested at warm sites in the Awatere and Wairau valleys, and fermented and matured ...
Review: An authoritative wine, it is typically ripe and zingy, with impressive weight and length of flavour, and tends to ...
Review: Estate-grown and hand-harvested in the Joseph Soler vineyard, and fermented in a concrete, egg-shaped vat, the classy 2020 vintage ...
Review: One of the country's top Pinot Gris, this Awatere Valley wine is estate-grown, hand-picked and barrel-fermented (90 per cent ...
Review: From gentle, north-facing slopes on the south side of the Wairau Valley, the deep ruby 2017 vintage (4.5*) was ...
Review: Grown in the company's Taylors Pass Vineyard in Marlborough's Awatere Valley, this wine is hand-harvested and fermented and matured ...
POTENTIAL CLASSICS
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Review: The 2016 vintage (5*) of Akarua's top Pinot Noir was estate-grown and selected from the best eight barrels out ...
Review: Offering top value, the 2018 vintage (5*) was estate-grown in Martinborough, hand-picked and matured for 11 months in French ...
Review: The powerful, savoury 2016 vintage (5*) was estate-grown in the Bridge Pa Triangle and fermented and matured for a ...
Review: Estate-grown at Pisa, in the Cromwell Basin, the powerful 2017 vintage (5*) was hand-picked, fermented with indigenous yeasts and ...
Review: The deeply coloured, youthful 2016 vintage (5*) is based on the Chave clone of Syrah, estate-grown in the Bridge ...
Review: The 2019 vintage (5*) has a powerful presence. A single-vineyard wine, hand-harvested in the Southern Valleys, it was partly ...
Review: This single 'block' – rather than just single 'vineyard' – wine is estate-grown on the south side of the ...
Review: This consistently rewarding wine is estate-grown on the south side of the Wairau Valley, hand-harvested and fermented and matured ...
Review: Grown on north-facing slopes at Auntsfield, on the south side of the Wairau Valley, the 2019 vintage (5*) is ...
Review: Invitingly perfumed, the 2018 vintage (5*) was estate-grown and hand-harvested at Lowburn, fermented with indigenous yeasts, matured for a ...
Review: The 2016 vintage (5*) is a powerful blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (50 per cent), Merlot (30 per cent) and ...
Review: Unfolding well, the 2018 vintage (4.5*) was estate-grown on the lower terraces and flats of la collina Vineyard, hand-picked ...
Review: Certified organic, the 2017 vintage (4.5*) was estate-grown in the Damsteep Vineyard, planted in 1999 'at the top of ...
Review: An emerging classic from North Canterbury. Full of potential, the distinctive 2019 vintage (5*) was estate-grown, hand-picked from 30 ...
Review: From the company that planted the region's first Sauvignon Blanc vines in 1975, Chosen Rows is promoted as 'the ...
Review: Brookfields' top Chardonnay is named after proprietor Peter Robertson's grandfather's property in Otago. Grown in a vineyard adjacent to ...
Review: The seductive 2018 vintage (5*) was entirely estate-grown at the company's sites at Lowburn and Bannockburn. Fermented with indigenous ...
Review: Since the debut 2014 vintage (5*), Burn Cottage, based in the Cromwell Basin, has drawn grapes from the more ...
Review: Likely to be long-lived, the very classy 2014 vintage (5*) was harvested from mature, estate-grown vines at Bannockburn. A ...
Review: From a region producing increasingly fine, often underrated Chardonnays, this is one of the best. EBM means 'extended barrel ...
Review: Full of personality, the 2019 vintage (5*) of this oak-aged wine is already delicious. Estate-grown mostly in the Redstone ...
Review: This consistently impressive wine is grown principally in the company's Redstone Vineyard, in the Bridge Pa Triangle. The 2017 ...
Review: The 2016 vintage (5*) is a rich, savoury, smooth red, still unfolding. Merlot-based (92 per cent), with a splash ...
Review: Already delicious, the bargain-priced 2019 vintage (5*) is a floral, spicy red, grown in the Gimblett Gravels (principally) and ...
Review: Syrah is the latest addition to Church Road's elite Tom range. Released in late 2019, the third, 2015 vintage ...
Review: This is Churton's 'single block, organic Sauvignon Blanc'. From a north-facing slope, 185 metres above sea level, in the ...
Review: The 2017 vintage (5*) of this traditional variety of Jurancon, in south-west France, was estate-grown in the Waihopai Valley ...
Review: This producer aims for a style that 'combines the renowned flavour and aromatic intensity of Marlborough fruit with the ...
Review: One of New Zealand’s highest-priced Chardonnays, this wine is estate-grown at Te Awanga, hand-picked from (Mendoza-clone) vines planted in ...
Review: Entirely estate-grown at Te Awanga, the lovely 2016 vintage (5*) is a deeply coloured blend of Merlot (70 per ...
Review: This Hawke's Bay red is named after the estate vineyard at Te Awanga, which has an old olive tree ...
Review: Certified biodynamic, the 2018 vintage (4.5*) is from a section of the vineyard 'down there' (La Bas). Grown in ...
Review: The 2015 vintage (5*) is impressive. Grown biodynamically in Millton's elevated Clos de Ste Anne Vineyard in Gisborne, it ...
Review: Estate-grown at Seaview, in the Awatere Valley, this wine is consistently classy. The 2019 vintage (5*) was mostly lees-aged ...
Review: This classy, non-vintage wine is a blend of Pinot Noir (mostly) and Chardonnay, hand-picked in the Wairau Valley, partly ...
Review: The silky-textured 2019 vintage (5*) was estate-grown at Gibbston, hand-picked from vines up to 25 years old, and matured ...
Review: The classy, youthful 2019 vintage (5*) was grown at 'select vineyards' and barrel-fermented. Bright, light lemon/green, it is fragrant ...
Review: The impressive 2016 vintage (5*) was estate-grown, hand-picked and matured for nine months in French oak barriques (23 per ...
Review: Disgorged after at least five years' maturation on its yeast lees, the very classy 2013 vintage (5*) was made ...
Review: The 2010 vintage (5*), currently on sale, is a blend of Marlborough Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, disgorged after six ...
Review: The rich, tightly structured 2017 vintage (5*) was estate-grown at Te Awanga (principally) and in the Bridge Pa Triangle, ...
Review: The powerful, classy 2019 vintage (5*) was estate-grown in the Bridge Pa Triangle (78 per cent) and at Te ...
Review: Hard to resist, the 2018 vintage (5*) is a pale gold wine with an intense, honeyed fragrance. Showing lovely ...
Review: From elevated, north-facing slopes in the Wairau Valley, the 2017 vintage (5*) of this single-vineyard wine was hand-picked and ...
Review: Estate-grown in The Elms Vineyard, from mature vines on a 'steeper slope' which yields 'riper fruit' without noble rot, ...
Review: Highly refined, the youthful 2016 vintage (5*) was hand-harvested, matured for 10 months in French oak barriques (25 per ...
Review: The classy 2017 vintage (5*) of this Brancott Valley red was hand-harvested and matured in French oak casks (33 ...
Review: The impressive 2018 vintage (5*) was hand-picked in the Brancott Valley and handled entirely in tanks. A distinctive wine, ...
Review: Designed as an 'aperitif' style, the vivacious 2020 vintage (5*), estate-grown in the Wairau Valley, was hand-picked from 39 ...
Review: Still on sale, the fragrant, highly concentrated 2014 vintage (5*) is a blend of eight varieties – principally Cabernet ...
Review: Estate-grown in the Wairau Valley, Marlborough, hand-harvested from mature vines, and co-fermented with a splash of Viognier (3 per ...
Review: Full of personality, the 2017 vintage (5*) was estate-grown, hand-picked and fermented with indigenous yeasts in seasoned oak barrels ...
Review: Estate-grown at altitude (320 metres above sea level) in the China Terrace Vineyard, at Bendigo, the graceful 2019 vintage ...
Review: This classy wine, from grapes hand-picked in Central Otago, is disgorged after more than two years on its yeast ...
Review: This consistently classy red is estate-grown in the late-ripening School House Vineyard, at Bendigo, an extremely elevated site (up ...
Review: Certified organic, the classy 2016 vintage (5*) was estate-grown, hand-picked, and fermented and aged for 18 months in seasoned ...
Review: The 2019 vintage (4.5*) of this organically certified wine was hand-picked, barrel-fermented and matured for 10 months in French ...
Review: Powerful but not heavy, the 2019 vintage (5*) was grown in the steep, exposed Brothers Block, hand-harvested, fermented with ...
Review: Finely perfumed, the 2018 vintage (4.5*) is a very graceful, deep ruby red, with ripe cherry, plum and spice ...
Review: Greystone sees this wine as 'the truest expression of the variety for us'. Certified organic, the youthful 2018 vintage ...
Review: The 2018 vintage (5*) is a single-vineyard wine, grown at Fairhall. Hand-harvested, it was 50 per cent fermented in ...
Review: This classy, estate-grown red is typically overflowing with sweet-fruit flavours. The 2015 vintage (4.5*) was hand-picked on the north ...
Review: Prepare for something different! Estate-grown on the northern side of the Wairau Valley, the 2018 vintage (5*) is a ...
Review: Outside the regional mainstream, the 2016 vintage (5*) was estate-grown and hand-picked on the north side of the Wairau ...
Review: Who says you can't make outstanding claret-style reds in the South Island? Estate-grown on the banks of the Wairau ...
Review: Made 'On The Quiet', the 2020 vintage (4.5*) was grown in the Southern Valleys, fermented in old French oak ...
Review: This typically powerful, rich wine is grown in the Coddington Vineyard, between Huapai and Waimauku. The grapes, cultivated on ...
Review: The 2020 vintage (4.5*) was grown in the Awatere and Wairau valleys and partly (10 per cent) fermented in ...
Review: An emerging classic this Central Hawke's Bay wine is estate-grown, hand-picked and typically partly barrel-fermented. The impressive 2019 vintage ...
Review: The powerful 2017 vintage (5*) is a single-vineyard red, hand-harvested in the Cromwell Basin and matured in French oak ...
Review: Offering good value, the 2019 vintage (4.5*) was mostly handled in tanks; the ripest, hand-picked fruit (12 per cent ...
Review: Estate-grown at the eastern end of the island, the 2017 vintage (5*) was hand-harvested from the 'steepest and most ...
Review: The elegant, silky-textured 2017 vintage (5*) was matured for a year in French oak casks (23 per cent new) ...
Review: An extroverted, 'full-on' style, the golden 2018 vintage (5*) was harvested from vines planted in 2013 in the Tietjen ...
Review: From vines planted in 1994 on a steep, north-facing slope at Wanaka, in Central Otago, the 2019 vintage (5*) ...
Review: Hand-harvested from vines planted in Central Otago in 1994, the racy 2019 vintage (5*) is very youthful and intense ...
Review: Fragrant, fresh and full-bodied, the 2016 vintage (4.5*) was hand-picked from mature, 21-year-old vines in the company's Mere Road ...
Review: Grown and hand-picked at the company’s close-planted Mere Road site, this is a consistently impressive wine. The 2016 vintage ...
Review: Past vintages under the top Elspeth label flowed from the Gimblett Gravels, but the stylish 2019 (4.5*) was hand-picked ...
Review: The powerful young 2020 vintage (4.5*) was estate-grown at Bendigo and 23 per cent of the blend was fermented ...
Review: Named in honour of nineteenth-century winemaker Cyprian Huchet, the lovely 2019 vintage (5*) was estate-grown in the Gimblett Gravels ...
Review: The highly impressive 2019 vintage (5*) is a powerful, single-vineyard red, estate-grown and hand-selected from four rows at Bendigo, ...
Review: Likely to be long-lived, the concentrated, very youthful 2019 vintage (5*) was estate-grown and hand-harvested at Bendigo, and matured ...
Review: Certified organic, the 2017 vintage (5*) of this regional blend was fermented with indigenous yeasts, matured for 11 months ...
Review: Certified organic, the classy 2018 vintage (5*) was fermented with indigenous yeasts in stainless steel barrels and tanks, and ...
Review: This is one of the region's highest-profile reds. Matured for a year in French oak casks (25 per cent ...
Review: From vines planted in 1992, the 2017 vintage (5*) is a single-vineyard red, matured for 15 months in French ...
Review: The vivacious 2017 vintage (5*), made from Pinot Noir, was bottle-fermented and disgorged after lengthy maturation (typically well over ...
Review: This consistently classy, single-vineyard wine is handled without oak. Attractively scented, the 2019 vintage (5*) is full-bodied, with strong, ...
Review: Named after a paper-thin shell, the estate-grown 2019 vintage (5*) was hand-harvested from mature vines at Renwick, in the ...
Review: The Obsidian Vineyard at Onetangi produces one of the most stylish Waiheke Island reds. Blended from classic Bordeaux red ...
Review: Delicious now, the 2018 vintage (5*) is part of Ostler's 'Grower Selection'. Full-bodied, it is concentrated, with vibrant, pure, ...
Review: The classy 2019 vintage (5*) is a rare marriage of Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Montepulciano, Merlot and Malbec, grown on ...
Review: This Waiheke Island red is consistently rewarding. The 2017 vintage (4.5*) was matured for a year in small French ...
Review: Estate-grown at Waipara, the delicious 2018 vintage (5*) is packaged in a full-sized (750-ml) bottle. Bright, light yellow/green, it ...
Review: Bel Canto means 'Beautiful Singing'. Based on the estate's mature, ungrafted vines at Waipara, in North Canterbury, late-harvested with ...
Review: A wine with a real 'Wow!' factor, the 2019 vintage (5*) is a light gold, honey-sweet North Canterbury wine, ...
Review: This rare, estate-grown, North Canterbury wine is made in a sturdy Alsace style, hand-picked ultra-ripe at Waipara, tank-fermented and ...
Review: Blended from the 'best barrels', this wine is hand-harvested from the company's mature, Mendoza-clone vines at Waipara. Fermented with ...
Review: Outstanding in top seasons, this classic red is estate-grown mostly in the Cromwell Basin but also at Gibbston. The ...
Review: Estate-grown and hand-picked at Bendigo, in the Cromwell Basin, the 2017 vintage (4.5*) was fermented with indigenous yeasts in ...
Review: Estate-grown and hand-picked at two Bendigo sites, in the Cromwell Basin, the bright, light lemon/green 2018 vintage (5*) is ...
Review: The very youthful 2018 vintage (5*) was estate-grown on an elevated, south-east-facing slope at Waikari, in North Canterbury. Bright, ...
Review: Certified organic and biodynamic, the 2020 vintage (4.5*) was estate-grown at Bendigo, hand-picked, tank-fermented with indigenous yeasts and matured ...
Review: From an east-facing slope, this Lake Wanaka wine has 'animated femininity', according to winemaker Nick Mills. It is typically ...
Review: Tasted together in mid-2019, the 2016 to 2018 vintages were an impressive trio. Estate-grown at Rapaura, the 2018 (5*) ...
Review: The classy, youthful 2016 vintage (5*) was estate-grown, 400 metres above sea level, at Bendigo, in Central Otago, hand-picked ...
Review: Light and lively, the 2018 vintage (4*) was grown in the lower Brancott Valley and stop-fermented to make a ...
Review: Seifried's most celebrated wine. The 2019 vintage (5*) is delicious young. Light yellow/green, it is lively and intense, with ...
Review: The refined, very age-worthy 2018 vintage (5*) was harvested from mature, 20-year-old vines in the Gimblett Gravels and barrique-matured ...
Review: This elegant, tightly structured wine is estate-grown in the Waihopai Valley, hand-harvested, fermented with indigenous yeasts and lees-aged in ...
Review: Estate-grown in the lower Waihopai Valley, the 2017 vintage (4.5*) was harvested from vines planted in 1999 and barrel-aged ...
Review: The 2016 vintage (5*) was estate-grown in the Waihopai Valley, hand-harvested and matured in French oak barrels for 18 ...
Review: The graceful 2019 vintage (4.5*) is a single-vineyard, organically certified wine, matured for 18 months in French oak barrels ...
Review: The impressive 2019 vintage (5*) is a rare wine – only three barrels were made. From vines planted in ...
Review: Promoted as 'like going on an energetic dance with a Cuban beauty queen', this bold, classy red is estate-grown ...
Review: This typically impressive red is based on the 'best vineyard parcels'. The 2017 vintage (4.5*) was matured in French ...
Review: Still unfolding, the pale gold 2018 vintage (5*) is based on mature, Mendoza-clone vines in the Skeetfield Vineyard at ...
Review: The winery's flagship 'black label' Chardonnay from Hawke's Bay is typically intense and finely structured. Grown in the Gimblett ...
Review: The 2018 vintage (4.5*) is a very age-worthy, supple, medium-bodied red, with a floral, peppery bouquet. Estate-grown, hand-harvested and ...
Review: Certified organic, the 2017 vintage (5*) was estate-grown at Bannockburn, hand-picked, fermented with indigenous yeasts and matured for 11 ...
Review: Estate-grown at Alexandra, in 'possibly the world's most southerly vineyard', the classy 2017 vintage (5*) was hand-picked, fermented with ...
Review: Certified organic, the lovely 2017 vintage (5*) was estate-grown in the northern Wairarapa, hand-picked and matured in French oak ...
Review: The 2019 vintage (4.5*) is part of a collaboration between Valli and Burn Cottage, involving access to each other's ...
Review: From a site within the original, terraced vineyard in the lower Awatere Valley, the 2017 vintage (5*) was fermented ...
Review: A consistently impressive wine, bargain-priced. Partly (10 per cent) fermented and matured for four months in seasoned French oak ...
Review: The Soler range is positioned above Reserve and below Legacy in the Vidal range. Grown at three sites, including ...
Review: This highly impressive wine is estate-grown at Mangere, in South Auckland. The 2019 vintage (5*) was hand-picked, fermented with ...
Review: Estate-grown at Mangere, in South Auckland, the 2017 vintage (4.5*) was hand-picked and predominantly (80 per cent) fermented in ...
Review: Already delicious, the 2018 vintage (5*) was estate-grown in the upper Awatere Valley and matured in French oak barriques ...
Review: Taylors Pass Vineyard lies 100 metres above sea level in the Awatere Valley. This is typically a classic example ...
Review: The 2019 vintage (4.5*) is a mouthfilling, punchy, tangy wine, fresh and forthright, with good intensity of ripely herbaceous ...
Review: The classy 2017 vintage (5*) was hand-harvested, matured for 10 months in French oak barrels, and bottled unfined and ...
Review: Estate-grown at Cromwell, this wine is hand-picked from especially low-yielding vines. Matured for a year in French oak casks ...