As a form of liquid geography, wine has a magical role. Through the combination of climate, soil and topography, New Zealand’s individual vineyard sites have unique environments, expressed from year to year in the style and quality of their wines.
Compared with wines blended from around the country or a specific region or sub-region, those grown at a single vineyard can carry a particularly strong signature. From vines tied to a particular place, the wines vividly express their origin in their flavour.
Whites
Blackenbrook Nelson Pinot Gris 2023
★★★★½
Drinking well from the start, this estate-grown, hand-picked wine was handled in tanks (96%) and old oak barrels (4%). Mouthfilling and vibrantly fruity, it has strong, ripe stonefruit and spice flavours showing a distinct touch of complexity and a dryish, very harmonious finish. (13.5% alc vol) $23
Blind River Tekau Barrel Fermented Awatere Valley Sauvignon Blanc 2019
★★★★★
A top example of wood-aged Marlborough sauvignon blanc, this generous, single-vineyard wine was fermented and matured for 10 months in French oak barriques (8% new). Light gold, it is mouthfilling and fleshy, with rich tropical-fruit flavours, oak-derived complexity, gentle acidity and a dry, rounded finish. A lovely mouthful, it’s currently in full stride. (13% alc/vol) $30
Clos Henri Waimaunga Single Vineyard Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2022
★★★★★
Refined and savoury, this thought-provoking wine was grown in windblown clay soils and mostly handled in tanks; 15% of the blend was barrel-fermented with indigenous yeasts. Bright, light lemon/green, it is mouthfilling, vibrant and youthful, has concentrated, ripe, tropical-fruit flavours, fresh acidity and a long, dry finish. Very finely poised, it should be at its best for drinking mid-2024+. (13.5% alc/vol) $36
Esk Valley Seabed Hawke’s Bay Chardonnay 2021
★★★★★
Made to celebrate the “unique saline nature of the site”, this classy wine was grown on the edge of the former Ahuriri Estuary, lifted by the 1931 Hawke’s Bay earthquake. Fermented and matured for 13 months in French oak barriques, it is fragrant and full-bodied, with rich, vibrant, peachy, slightly biscuity flavours, fresh acidity, impressive complexity and a long, tightly structured finish. Best drinking 2026+. (13.5% alc/vol) $50
Hopesgrove Single Vineyard Estate Hawke’s Bay Chardonnay 2020
★★★★★
This delicious wine was estate-grown and hand-harvested at Pakipaki, southwest of Hastings and Havelock North. Bright, light lemon/green, it is mouthfilling and vibrant. It has strong stonefruit flavours, gentle biscuity notes that reflect finely integrated oak, and a rich, very harmonious finish. Elegant, complex and finely textured, it’s well worth discovering. (13.7% alc/vol) $37
Hunter’s Offshoot Marlborough Chardonnay 2021
★★★★★
This stylish, finely balanced wine was estate-grown at Rapaura, hand-harvested from mature vines, and fermented with indigenous yeasts in large French oak casks, on the basis that “big barrels show the fruit”. Bright, light yellow/green, it is fragrant and full-bodied, with rich peach and grapefruit flavours gently seasoned with biscuity oak, and a savoury, lingering finish. A weighty, youthful wine, already drinking well, it should be at its best 2025+. (13.5% alc/vol) $35
Nautilus The Paper Nautilus Heritage Block Renwick Estate Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2022
★★★★★
Named after a paper-thin shell, this wine was hand-picked from estate-grown, mature vines in the heart of the Wairau Valley, and fermented and lees-aged for nine months in large French oak vessels. A tightly structured, very ageworthy wine, it is crisp, dry and vigorous, with concentrated tropical-fruit flavours gently seasoned with oak, and a complex, fragrant bouquet. Best drinking 2025+. (13% alc/vol) $35
Palliser Estate Om Santi Vineyard Martinborough Chardonnay 2022
★★★★★
This distinctive, youthful wine is from Palliser’s original vineyard (replanted in 2005). Hand-picked, it was fermented and matured for a year in French oak casks. Mouthfilling and savoury, it has deep, ripe stonefruit flavours, mealy and biscuity notes adding complexity, fresh acidity and a very long, harmonious finish. Best drinking mid-2025+. (13% alc/vol) $85
Pegasus Bay Aria Late Picked Waipara Valley North Canterbury Riesling 2022
★★★★★
Estate-grown at Waipara, this is a lovely mouthful. Harvested very ripe, with a significant infection of botrytis (“noble rot”), it has an invitingly scented, gently honeyed bouquet. Full of personality, it is medium-bodied, with intense, vigorous, peachy, citrusy flavours, a hint of passionfruit, mouth-watering acidity and a crisp, sweet but not cloying, lasting finish. (11% alc/vol) $45
Smith & Sheth Cru Howell Vineyard Chardonnay 2021
★★★★★
From mature vines in the Bridge Pā Triangle, this powerful, generous wine was hand-picked and fermented and matured in French oak barriques (mostly new). Fragrant and full-bodied, it has ripe stonefruit flavours seasoned with toasty oak, fresh acidity keeping things lively, and excellent complexity and richness. Drink now or cellar. (14% alc/vol) $60
Tony Bish Skeetfield Hawke’s Bay Chardonnay 2022
★★★★★
Hand-picked from mature vines at Ohiti, this classy, vigorous wine was fermented and aged for a year in French oak barriques. Fragrant, mouthfilling and savoury, it has concentrated, yet delicate, peachy, citrusy, biscuity flavours, oak-derived complexity, fresh acidity and a lengthy finish. Best drinking mid-2025+. (13.5% alc/vol) $70
Villa Maria Woven Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2021
★★★★★
Marketed as a new “icon” label, this concentrated, savoury wine was grown at Fairhall, in the Wairau Valley, and fermented and matured in French oak puncheons and barriques. Bright, light yellow/green, it has a fragrant, complex bouquet. Full-bodied, with deep, very vigorous flavours of stonefruit, gentle herbal notes, a subtle seasoning of oak and a long, dry finish, it should be at its best mid-2024+. (14% alc/vol) $60
Reds
Alpha Domus Hawke’s Bay Syrah 2020
★★★★
Offering fine value, this quite powerful red was estate-grown in the Bridge Pā Triangle and matured in French oak barriques. Full-coloured, it is mouthfilling, with generous, ripe, berryish, spicy flavours. Fresh and supple, savoury notes add complexity. Has potential for cellaring. (14% alc/vol) $23
Church Road 1 Single Vineyard Malbec 2021
★★★★★
This notably weighty and fleshy red was aged for 18 months in French oak barriques. Robust, dark and dense, it is crammed with very ripe berry, plum and spice flavours. Finely textured, with gentle tannins and a rich finish, it has early drinking appeal, but should break into full stride 2026+. (15% alc vol) $120
Dancing Petrel Paewhenua Island Mangonui Northland Tannat 2021
★★★★★
From a variety that is well known in southwest France and Uruguay, this deeply coloured, sturdy, densely flavoured red is well worth discovering. Dark and purple-flushed, it is an energetic, very ageworthy red with bold, spicy, berryish, plummy flavours, firm but not grippy tannins, and very impressive weight, structure and richness. Best drinking 2026+. (13.5% alc/vol) $50
Dog Point Vineyard Marlborough Pinot Noir 2021
★★★★★
This classy, finely structured red is estate-grown on the south side of the Wairau Valley. Deep ruby, it has a perfumed, inviting bouquet. Mouthfilling, savoury and supple, it has rich, ripe cherry, plum and spice flavours, refined tannins, and lovely depth and harmony. Certified organic. (13.5% alc/vol) $55
Domain Road Vineyard Defiance Central Otago Pinot Noir 2019
★★★★★
Still unfolding, this powerful, very savoury red was estate-grown at Bannockburn and barrel-aged for more than a year. Full, bright ruby, it is mouthfilling, with deep cherry, plum and spice flavours, seasoned with nutty oak, moderately firm tannins and a lengthy finish. Best drinking 2025+. (14% alc vol) $70
Elephant Hill Earth Hawke’s Bay Syrah 2020
★★★★★
Very rich and well rounded, this classy red was estate-grown in the Bridge Pā Triangle and aged for two years in French oak barrels. Almost lush, it is mouthfilling, concentrated and smooth, with well-ripened plum, spice and blackcurrant flavours, a hint of liquorice, and a finely textured, smooth finish. Already delicious, it should break into full stride 2027+. (14% alc/vol) $65
Georges Road L’Etranger Central Otago Pinot Noir 2022
★★★★★
This finely crafted red is another that’s already delicious. It was hand-harvested at Gibbston and matured for 11 months in French oak casks. Full, bright ruby, it is floral and full-bodied, with rich, ripe, cherryish fruit flavours gently seasoned with oak, supple tannins and a very harmonious, youthful finish. Best drinking mid-2025+. (13.5% alc/vol) $45
Greystone Thomas Brothers Pinot Noir 2021
★★★★★
Certified organic, this Waipara, North Canterbury, red was hill-grown in the steep, exposed Brothers Block, hand-harvested, matured in French oak barriques, and bottled unfined and unfiltered. Deep ruby, with a highly fragrant, complex bouquet, it is mouthfilling and very savoury, with deep, ripe cherry and spice flavours, complex, smooth, and already very approachable. Best drinking 2025+. (13.5% alc vol) $135
Lowburn Ferry Homeblock Central Otago Pinot Noir 2021
★★★★★
This youthful red was hand-harvested from the estate’s original plantings in the Cromwell Basin. Full, bright ruby, it is highly fragrant, mouthfilling, sweet-fruited and savoury, with very generous, ripe cherry, plum and spice flavours, complex, finely textured and harmonious. Youthful, with a long life ahead, it’s well worth cellaring to 2026+. (14.5% alc/vol) $115
Luna Blue Rock Martinborough Pinot Noir 2020
★★★★★
From hill-grown vines with an average age of 25 years, this softly mouthfilling red was hand-picked, aged for a year in French oak puncheons, and bottled unfined and unfiltered. Deep, bright ruby, it is fragrant with concentrated, vibrant cherry, plum and spice flavours, a subtle seasoning of oak adding complexity, fresh acidity and a savoury, finely textured finish. A vividly varietal red, likely to be long lived, it should break into full stride 2025+. (14% alc/vol) $60
Māori Point Single Vineyard Central Otago Pinot Noir 2021
★★★★★
This impressive red was hand-harvested at Tarras, in the Cromwell Basin, matured in French oak barrels, and bottled unfined and unfiltered. Deeply coloured, mouthfilling and savoury, it has rich, youthful cherry, plum and spice flavours showing excellent complexity, supple tannins and a very harmonious finish. Still a baby, it’s well worth cellaring. Fine value. (13.9% alc/vol) $42
Nga Waka Lease Block Martinborough Pinot Noir 2021
★★★★★
From vines planted in 1999, this is a deeply coloured, concentrated wine, weighty and sweet-fruited. It has rich, vibrant, youthful cherry, plum and spice flavours. It has finely integrated nutty oak, which adds complexity, fresh acidity and a savoury, lasting finish. Already approachable, it is very ageworthy. (14% alc vol) $55
Passage Rock Reserve Waiheke Island Cabernet Sauvignon 2021
★★★★★
This impressive, very ageworthy wine is “a big style, made to last”. Crafted entirely from cabernet sauvignon, it is a powerful yet approachable red, with deep, bright, youthful colour. Sturdy, it has strong blackcurrant, plum and spice flavours seasoned with nutty oak, and ripe, supple tannins. Fresh, vigorous, savoury and complex, it should break into full stride 2026+. (14% alc/vol) $85
Saint Clair Pioneer Block 17 Plateau Gimblett Gravels Cabernet/Merlot 2020
★★★★½
Showing good cellaring potential, this 2:1 blend of cabernet sauvignon and merlot was aged for nearly a year in French oak casks. Deeply coloured, vibrantly fruity and vigorous, it has strong, ripe, very youthful blackcurrant, plum and spice flavours, oak complexity and fresh acidity. Best drinking 2025+. (13.5% alc/vol) $38
Squawking Magpie Gravels Gimblett Gravels Syrah 2020
★★★★★
Already delicious, this deeply coloured Hawke’s Bay red was French oak-aged for 18 months. It has a fresh, vibrant, spicy bouquet. Mouthfilling and sweet-fruited, it has rich plum and spice flavours, supple tannins and good cellaring potential; best drinking 2025+. (14% alc vol) $35
Te Kairanga WPF Martinborough Pinot Noir 2020
★★★★★
Packaged in a luxury gift box, this very ageworthy red is named in honour of Te Kairanga’s American owner, William (Bill) Patrick Foley II. Hand-picked in the Home Vineyard, it was matured for more than a year in French oak barriques. It has deep, youthful colour. Mouthfilling, complex and very savoury, with concentrated cherry, plum and spice flavours, harmonious and well-structured, it’s built for the long haul and likely to be at its best 2027+. (13.5% alc/vol) $175
The Landing Boathouse Bay of Islands Vino Rosso 2022
★★★★½
This Northland red is typically blended principally from sangiovese and montepulciano, with lesser amounts of cabernet sauvignon, cabernet franc and merlot. Full-coloured and fragrant, it is mouthfilling, with good concentration of vibrant berry, plum and spice flavours, considerable complexity, supple tannins and a lingering finish. (13.5% alc/vol) $30
Villa Maria Single Vineyard Taylors Pass Marlborough Pinot Noir 2021
★★★★★
This stylish red was estate-grown in the upper Awatere Valley and matured in French oak barriques. Deep, bright ruby, it is fragrant, weighty and supple, with concentrated, ripe cherry, plum and spice flavours, finely textured, savoury and very harmonious. Best drinking 2025+. (13.5% alc/vol) $60
