Wine editor Dr Jo Burzynska selects the top wines from NZ’s celebrated wineries, recognised in Viva’s NZ Wine Awards 2025.
White wine lovers, this one is for you – the best bottles to buy from each of our Viva Wine Awards Top 50 most exciting wineries, as chosen by Dr Jo Burzynska.
Wines are listed in alphabetical order within their categories... Cheers!
SUPREME WINNER
1
Prophet’s Rock Central Otago Pinot Gris 2023, $40
A drier, intense and complex style
CONTEMPORARY CLASSICS
These are well-established wineries that have been delighting drinkers for 15 years or more. Rather than resting on their laurels, they have continued to develop and innovate.
2
Astrolabe Kēkerengū Coast Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2024, $25.20
The Astrolabe Kēkerengū Coast sauvignon blanc 2024 offers a delicate, dry style. Its taut, minerally palate reveals savoury asparagus and elderflower notes, with a distinctive saline focus and oyster shell nuance. Good fruit concentration is balanced by a lighter, appealing character, making for a pure and precise Marlborough expression.
3
Black Estate Home Chenin Blanc 2023, $55
Made from 12-year-old vines planted by Brown and the Naish family on the clay slopes of Black Estate’s Home Vineyard, this is a refined dry textural chenin. Meyer lemon, white fruits and the variety’s characteristic waxy note are supported by an electric fusion of citrus and mineral. Unfiltered and unsulphured.
4
Cambridge Road Crystal Veil Martinborough 2023, $45
A “retro-modern” sauvignon from organic older vines that was fermented in old totara casks, with two years on lees for texture. Classic herbal sauvignon notes of dried herb and fennel seed mingle with a floral potpourri character and tropical guava and mango fruit. A pleasing richness is balanced by taut, punchy green acidity and a hint of spice.
5
Cloudy Bay Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2024, $45
Cloudy Bay’s elegant and understated sauvignon is still on point and highly relevant four decades after its first release. Blended from more than 90 batches, its green notes of asparagus, tomato leaf and savoury bouquet garni, meld with fresh lemon and a briny minerality.
6
Craggy Range Te Muna Martinborough Sauvignon Blanc 2024, $29.95
A softly textured Martinborough sauvignon expression, which in this vintage was made in a mixture of stainless steel tanks, French oak barriques and puncheons. It’s lightly herbal, with a hint of fennel, notes of passionfruit, stony mineral and crisp lemon.
7
Dog Point Section 94 Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2020, $60
An unmistakable complex, concentrated and full-bodied expression of sauvignon that’s spent 18 months in older French barrels. Its palate of grapefruit, struck flint and spice is propelled by thrillingly fresh acidity.
8
Felton Road Block 2 Central Otago Chardonnay 2023, $71
Pinot noir may steal the spotlight in Central, but Felton Road’s chardonnays are equally exciting. Grown on schist soil, the taut and fine Block 2 opens up to reveal layers of lemon, apple and white fruits perfumed with a hint of fennel leaf, stony mineral and a subtle umami undercurrent.
9
Folium Reserve Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2023, $42
CATEGORY WINNER: Best for sauvignon lovers
A beautifully textural style of sauvignon with a lovely weight and concentration. Rather than the overt herbaceous character of many Marlborough sauvignons, Folium’s layers notes of green plum, preserved lemon and a savoury, salty mineral dimension.
10
Framingham F Series Old Vine Marlborough Riesling 2024, $60
A notable dry, intense and linear riesling from 43-year-old organically-managed vines, made in a mixture of acacia puncheons, a concrete egg and ceramic jars. From Framingham’s limited-release range, it’s a mouth-watering wine, with pure apple and lemon fruits infused with notes of ginger, lemon blossom and mineral.
11
Greywacke Wild Sauvignon Marlborough 2023, $39.50
One of the country’s top reserve sauvignons, Greywacke’s textural example counterpoises its ripe green plum fruit with vibrant lemon and lime acidity. A savoury herbal character is joined by a touch of smoke, spice and struck flint.
12
Isabel Wild Barrique Wairau Valley Marlborough Chardonnay 2024, $39.99
This single-vineyard chardonnay has garnered awards globally. Wild fermented in a mix of puncheons and barriques, it’s a concentrated and complex style. Ripe peach fruit meets honeysuckle florals, a flinty smoky note, a tangy mineral edge and lingering toasted nut finish.
13
Kumeu River Library Release Mate’s Vineyard Chardonnay 2019, $175
CATEGORY WINNER: Best for chardonnistas
If you missed this elegant and intense chardonnay first time around, it’s currently one of a number of older releases Kumeu River has held back for sale. From an exceptional vintage, it’s rich and textural, with a flinty minerality and savoury nutty edge. Its ripe fruit is reined in by an exhilarating grapefruit freshness. Enjoy now or cellar further.
14
The Millton Vineyard Te Arai Vineyard Gisborne Chenin Blanc 2024, $38
This classic chenin is the product of four selections of hand-harvested grapes, which were fermented and matured in large oak barrels and stainless steel. Layers of lemon curd, stone fruit, beeswax, blossom, zesty citrus and mineral combine in this fresh and beguiling example.
15
Neudorf Home Block Moutere Nelson Chardonnay 2023, $95
Neudorf’s classic Moutere chardonnay made from mature vines is an exercise in elegance and restraint. A seamless wine, it layers lemon and pure white fruits, with a savouriness, notes of cashew and a hint of gingerbread spice.
16
No 1 Family Estate Reine Cuvee Reserve Methode Traditionnelle Marlborough NV, $67
This classic methode traditionnelle blend of chardonnay, pinot noir and meunier was late disgorged after four years. In this ultra-dry extra brut, rich notes of honey cake, almond paste and toasted nut are reined in by its crisp lift of lemony citrus.
17
Pegasus Bay Waipara Valley Riesling 2024, $30
A classic and consistently impressive Waipara riesling. Its palate combines pretty floral notes of lemon blossom and lemon curd fruit, with flint and a powerful grapefruit acidity that perfectly balances its gentle sweetness.
18
Te Whare Ra Single Vineyard Marlborough Gewürztraminer 2024, $40
Made solely from Te Whare Ra’s 1979 plantings, this classically perfumed and pure gewürztraminer is one of New Zealand’s finest. Ripe quince fruit is infused with notes of lychee, jasmine, ginger and clove in a wine that’s intense, but has a freshness that ensures it’s never cloying.
19
Tohu Whenua Matua Single Vineyard Upper Moutere Nelson Albarino 2021, $30.99
An outstanding bone dry albarino with pure notes of stone fruit, grapefruit and lime. It has the variety’s classic briny character, with an attractive crisp and steely minerality.
NEW WAVE WINERIES
Many of these wineries might have been around for less than a decade, but have already impressed with the expressive and exciting nature of their wines.
20
Amoise Amber Hawke’s Bay Albarino 2024, $39
I didn’t know albarino could be this aromatic until I tried Amoise’s. Infused with its skins, it exudes heady perfume of jasmine, rose, grapefruit, cumin and petrichor, in a wine that’s richly textured with a touch of pithy grip.
21
Atipico Blanc Omaka Valley Marlborough 2023, $39
An alternative expression of Marlborough sauvignon that’s both textural and aromatic. Its apple and pear fruit is scented with aromas of fennel, chamomile tea and white flowers, underpinned by a fresh limey acid and a rich savoury finish.
22
Blank Canvas Abstract Three Rows Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2023, $50
Abstract was created as a “savoury blanc” from three rows of a dry-farmed block in the Dillons Point Holdaway Vineyard. A serious, complex and textural sauvignon in which tangy green fruits are counterpoised by some tropical guava, in a palate edged with flint and a subtle cashew note from barrel fermentation.
23
Brood Pollen Nelson Chardonnay Riesling 2023, $36
A pure and textural barrel co-fermented chardonnay and riesling grown on Nelson’s Moutere clay soils. Mouth-watering lime and bright herbs and florals are juxtaposed with richer yeasty and shortbread-like notes from well-managed barrel fermentation.
24
Bryterlater Still Life North Canterbury Sauvignon Blanc 2023, $37.99
Still Life is a salivating and textural style of sauvignon rather than having an overtly aromatic profile. Tart green plum and grapefruit mingle with more tropical nuances, and a saltiness reminiscent of preserved lemon.
25
Corofin Marlborough Chardonnay 2022, $45
A textural chardonnay made with grapes from the Wrekin and Folium organic vineyards. It has a rich, almost Champagne-like yeasty character, counterpoised by crisp apple fruit, citrussy freshness and a chalky minerality.
26
Huntress Waihonga Amber Hawke’s Bay 2024, $42
Another impressive wine from the organic Osawa Vineyard. This nectar (waihonga) is a richly textural orange wine, with lush stone fruit layered with notes of stony mineral, dried herb, ginger and an attractive savoury dimension.
27
Marathon Downs Racecourse Block Awatere Sauvignon Blanc 2023, $29
A tangy and textural sauvignon that was hand-picked, whole bunch pressed, and wild fermented in neutral barrels before extended time on lees for texture. Zesty lime, apple and green plum fruits are overlaid with flinty mineral and hints of dried herb.
28
Moko Hills Central Otago Chardonnay 2023, $59
An elegant chardonnay from this new Bendigo producer, fermented with wild yeasts in larger French barrels and bottled unfined and unfiltered. Silky textured, its fresh pear, white peach and citrus fruit is edged with a briny minerality, over almond nuttiness.
29
Siren Wines Queen of Cups Marlborough Chenin Blanc 2024, $50
This racy, intense, bone-dry chenin was biodynamically grown at the organically certified Wrekin Vineyard. Pure melon and lemon fruit meet layers of stony mineral and hint of the variety’s characteristic lanolin flavour in this stunning unfined and unfiltered example of the variety.
30
Takahiro K Tussock Terrace Waipara Valley Riesling 2025, $37.90
This beautifully fragrant riesling was made from 20-year-old vines on Waipara’s gravels. A gently off-dry expression balanced by crisp lemon, its palate of peach and red apple fruit is threaded with notes of bergamot, honeysuckle, lemon blossom and herb.
31
Three Fates x Gordon Russell Hawke’s Bay Chenin Blanc 2024, $40
A vibrant organic chenin from a collaboration between Three Fates, and ex-Esk Valley winemaker Gordon Russell (who’s Holly of Three Fates’ dad). It’s a full-bodied, dry and textural style with rich lemon curd-like fruit, notes of beeswax, hints of honey and chamomile, lifted by a lovely lemony mineral freshness.
32
A Thousand Gods Giara Marlborough 2023, $40
CATEGORY WINNER: Best for natural wine
A thrilling alternative-style sauvignon in which pure greengage fruit mingles with orange blossom florals, subtle savoury herb and fennel leaf, chamomile and honey. A taut acid and saline mineral line and gentle grip contribute to its complex, fresh and richly textured profile.
33
Vilaura Methode Traditionnelle Blanc de Blanc Extra Brut Hawke’s Bay 2021, $58
CATEGORY WINNER: Best for bubbles
This is Vilaura’s impressive release of a Hawke’s Bay methode traditionnelle. Hand harvested from the Gimblett Gravels, it spends a minimum of 36 months bottle ageing on yeast lees for richness. Bone dry, elegant and racy, with crisp apple fruit and fine minerality, there’s an underlying richness to palate with hints of nut and pastry.
Photography and styling: Babiche Martens
Shoot assistants: Madeleine Crutchley, Nicole Clements
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