Be transported by a single sip of wine. Photo / Getty Images
What is the appeal of wine from a single vineyard? Most New Zealand wines are blended from several sites and labelled by their region of origin, such as Hawke’s Bay or Marlborough. By tightening the focus to a single vineyard, simply by sipping a glass of its wine, you can
be transported to a shingly, arid plot of vines in the Gimblett Gravels or a steep clay hillside in the upper Brancott Valley.
Whites
Alpha Domus The Batten Bridge Pā Triangle Hawke’s Bay Chardonnay 2024
★★★★★
Certified organic, this refined wine was hand-picked and fermented and matured in French oak barrels. Highly fragrant, it is mouthfilling, with lovely depth of vibrant peach, grapefruit and biscuity oak flavours, fresh acidity and a lasting finish. $43
Bilancia Kaikora Vineyard Hawke’s Bay Chardonnay 2023
★★★★★
Grown in Central Hawke’s Bay, this hand-picked wine was fermented and aged in French oak barriques. An elegant, youthful wine, it is complex, savoury and tightly structured, with strong yet delicate, citrusy, peachy, mealy flavours, gently seasoned with oak, and a persistent finish. $55
Blackenbrook Nelson Pinot Gris 2024
★★★★½
Estate-grown and hand-harvested, this weighty, vibrantly fruity wine is strongly varietal, with deep, peachy, spicy flavours, hints of pears and lychees, balanced acidity and a dryish finish. $24
Church Road McDonald Series Hawke’s Bay Pinot Gris 2024
★★★★★
Estate-grown inland at Matapiro, this wine is full of personality and a top buy. Crafted with use of indigenous yeasts and ageing in French oak, it is a full-bodied wine. Made in a distinctly Alsace style, it has concentrated, peachy, gently spicy, slightly honeyed flavours, a distinct splash of sweetness, an oily texture and lovely vigour, richness and harmony. $25
Elephant Hill Sea Hawke’s Bay Viognier 2024
★★★★★
This classy wine was hand-picked at Te Awanga and fermented and matured for 10 months in seasoned French oak casks. Fresh, vibrant and full-bodied, it has generous, ripe, peachy, slightly spicy flavours, a subtle seasoning of oak, good acidity and a long, dry finish. (14.5% alc/vol) $34
Folding Hill Bendigo Central Otago Chardonnay 2023
★★★★½
Estate-grown at Bendigo, this youthful, barrel-fermented wine is mouthfilling, sweet-fruited and very savoury, with fresh, citrusy, peachy, mealy, biscuity flavours, balanced acidity and excellent vigour and harmony. $38
Georges Road Selection Waipara Pinot Gris 2024
★★★★★
Full of personality, this barrel-fermented wine is attractively scented, fleshy and concentrated. It has ripe, peachy, well-spiced, slightly gingery flavours showing good complexity, fresh acidity and an off-dry finish. A distinctly Alsace style of pinot gris. $30
Greystone Waipara Valley North Canterbury Pinot Gris 2024
★★★★★
This distinctive wine is fleshy and dry, with substantial body, fresh acidity and deep, pure peach, lychee and spice flavours. Richly varietal and finely textured, it should be at its best 2027+. Certified organic. $32
Greywacke Marlborough Riesling 2023
★★★★★
This invitingly scented wine is grown at Fairhall, in the Wairau Valley. Handled in tanks and old French oak barriques, it is a full-bodied style of riesling, fresh and vigorous, with concentrated peach, lemon and apple flavours, gentle sweetness and appetising acidity. Rich and seamless, it’s already delicious. (12% alc/vol) $31
Lake Chalice Plume Marlborough Chardonnay 2022
★★★★★
Full of personality, this barrel-fermented wine was grown in the lower Waihopai Valley. Weighty and rich, it has deep, ripe, peachy flavours showing excellent complexity, balanced acidity, and a smooth, dry, harmonious finish. Drink now or cellar. $45
A harmonious finish: Lake Chalice’s Plume Marlborough Chardonnay 2022. Image / Supplied
Misha’s Vineyard The Gallery Central Otago Gewürztraminer 2024
★★★★★
This refined, delicious wine was estate-grown at Bendigo and fermented in old French oak barrels. A subtle, rather than pungent, style of gewürztraminer, it is mouthfilling and fleshy, with peach, pear, lychee and spice flavours showing excellent delicacy and complexity, gentle acidity and an off-dry, very harmonious finish. $35
Pask Small Batch Gimblett Gravels Hawke’s Bay Sauvignon Blanc 2024
★★★★★
Savoury and vigorous, this is a leading example of the region’s sauvignon blanc, harvested from mature vines and barrel-fermented. Ripely scented, mouthfilling and dry, it has rich, vibrant, tropical-fruit flavours to the fore, a gentle seasoning of toasty oak adding complexity, fresh acidity and a well-structured, lasting finish. $32
Pegasus Bay North Canterbury Riesling 2024
★★★★★
From a low-yielding vintage, this gently sweet wine is already highly drinkable. It has lovely freshness and poise, with well-ripened, peachy, lemony flavours, a faint suggestion of honey and excellent delicacy, vigour and richness. (12.5% alc/vol) $30
Rapaura Springs Bouldevines Vineyard Omaka Valley Marlborough Chardonnay 2024
★★★★★
Already delicious but ageworthy too, this barrel-fermented wine was grown in stony soils at the entrance to the Omaka Valley. Mouthfilling and sweet-fruited, it has strong, peachy, citrusy flavours to the fore, gentle mealy and biscuity characters adding complexity, balanced acidity and a lengthy finish. $37
Redmetal Vineyards Sur Lie Bridge Pā Triangle Hawke’s Bay Albariño 2024
★★★★★
Is this New Zealand’s best albariño? Fragrant, weighty and fleshy, it is powerful, with lively acidity and fresh, ripe stonefruit and spice flavours, concentrated, vigorous, dry and youthful. Already delicious. $32
Dry and youthful: Redmetal Vineyards Sur Lie Bridge Pā Triangle Hawke’s Bay Albariño 2024. Image / Supplied
Villa Maria Single Vineyard McDiarmid Hill Gisborne Chardonnay 2024
★★★★★
Hand-picked from mature vines on a north-facing hill, this weighty, rich wine is full of personality. Fermented and matured in French oak barriques, it has lovely depth of ripe stonefruit flavours, finely balanced acidity and a savoury, lasting finish. Well worth cellaring. (14.5% alc/vol) $50
Rosés
Paddy Borthwick Wairarapa Pinot Rosé 2025
★★★★★
Estate-grown at Gladstone, this is a fragrant, full-bodied wine offering unusual complexity for a rosé. Gently pink, it has a lovely spread of peach, strawberry and spice flavours showing excellent delicacy, vigour, harmony and length. (Available online from the winery.) $25
Delicate spice: Paddy Borthwick Wairarapa Pinot Rosé 2025. Image / Supplied
Riverby Estate Single Vineyard Marlborough Rosé 2024
This lively wine was made predominantly from pinot noir, grown in the Wairau Valley. Pink-hued, it is full-bodied, with very satisfying depth of watermelon, peach, strawberry and spice flavours, a hint of apricot, fresh acidity and a dryish finish. $24
★★★★
Zaria Hawke’s Bay Rosé 2024
Drinking well now, this blend of malbec and merlot was grown in the Bridge Pā Triangle. Bright pink, it is fresh and lively, with strong, ripe, berryish flavours, vibrant, dry and smooth. (12% alc/vol) $25
★★★★½
Reds
Black Barn Vineyards Havelock Hills Hawke’s Bay Sangiovese 2024
★★★★★
This red has a lightness of touch, but no shortage of flavour or personality. Full, bright ruby, it is a vigorous young wine, invitingly scented and mouthfilling, with strong, vibrant cherry, red berry, spice and nut flavours that build well to a lingering finish. $70
Black Canvas Settlement Vineyard Marlborough Pinot Noir 2021
★★★★★
This powerful, very harmonious wine was hand-picked from mature vines in the Omaka Valley and barrel-aged. Full-coloured, it is a weighty, very savoury and complex red, with dense cherry, spice and nut flavours and good tannin backbone. It’s set for a long life. $60
Black Estate Home North Canterbury Cabernet Franc 2023
★★★★★
Certified organic, this compelling red was matured for eight months in clay amphorae and bottled unfined and unfiltered. Deeply coloured, it is mouthfilling and vibrant, with concentrated blackcurrant, red berry and spice flavours, a hint of dark chocolate, supple tannins, and a finely structured finish. Personality plus. $55
Felton Road Cornish Point Central Otago Pinot Noir 2023
★★★★★
From Cornish Point Vineyard, at the eastern end of Bannockburn, this is always one of my favourite Felton Road reds. Full, bright ruby, it is invitingly scented, mouthfilling and very supple, with fresh acidity, generous, ripe, cherryish flavours and hints of herbs and nuts. $90
Folding Hill Orchard Block Bendigo Central Otago Pinot Noir 2022
★★★★★
This highly refined, attractively perfumed red was grown in “the most sheltered part of the vineyard” and barrel-aged for 20 months. Mouthfilling and sweet-fruited, it is very savoury and supple, with concentrated cherry and spice flavours, harmonious and lasting. $70
Hawkshead Gibbston First Vines Central Otago Pinot Noir 2024
★★★★★
Estate-grown at Gibbston, this beautiful red was hand-picked from mature vines and barrel-aged for nine months. Full, bright ruby, it is mouthfilling, vibrant and complex, with concentrated cherryish, plummy flavours, a subtle seasoning of oak, and lovely harmony and length. $65
Home Fields Single Vineyard Wairarapa Pinot Noir 2024
★★★★★
This classy wine is the mid-tier pinot noir from this producer at Ōpaki, in northern Wairarapa. Deeply coloured, it is weighty, with highly concentrated, well-ripened cherry, plum, spice and nut flavours, excellent complexity and a finely balanced, lengthy finish. $54
Mahi The Wrekin Single Vineyard Marlborough Pinot Noir 2023
★★★★★
Set for a long life, this distinguished red was grown in the Wrekin Vineyard, at the head of the Brancott Valley. Full, bright ruby, it is a weighty, savoury, well-structured wine, with ripe cherry, plum and spice flavours revealing excellent density and complexity, and refined tannins.
(14.6% alc/vol) $74
Māori Point Grand Reserve Professors’ Block Central Otago Pinot Noir 2021
★★★★★
This distinguished red was harvested at Tarras from mature vines and matured for two years in French oak barrels (half new). Deep, bright ruby, it is a multi-faceted wine, weighty, sweet-fruited and concentrated, with rich cherry, plum and spice flavours, hints of dark chocolate and nuts, balanced acidity and a good tannin backbone. A lovely mouthful. $80
Misty Cove Landmark Series Marlborough Pinot Noir 2024
★★★★½
If you like a powerful, bold style of pinot noir, this is for you. Grown in the Fareham Lane Vineyard, inland from Renwick, it is sturdy and fruit-packed, with deep, vibrant, plummy, spicy flavours, a firm foundation of tannin, and obvious potential for cellaring. $35
Mondillo Bendigo Central Otago Pinot Noir 2024
★★★★★
This impressive, very youthful red was estate-grown at Bendigo. Full, bright ruby, it is mouthfilling, sweet-fruited and savoury, with very good density of vibrant cherry, plum and spice flavours, finely integrated oak, fresh acidity and the structure to age well for many years. $49
Sweet and savoury: Mondillo Bendigo Central Otago Pinot Noir 2024. Image / Supplied
Paritua Single Vineyard Hawke’s Bay Cabernet Sauvignon 2021
★★★★★
This notably ageworthy red was estate-grown in the Bridge Pā Triangle. Made entirely from cabernet sauvignon, it is dark and full-bodied, with well-ripened blackcurrant, plum and spice flavours seasoned with nutty oak. Distinctly Bordeaux-like, it should break into full stride 2028+. $50
Rockburn Eleven Barrels Parkburn Vineyard Central Otago Pinot Noir 2023
★★★★★
This fragrant, weighty and supple red was grown in the Parkburn Vineyard in the Cromwell Basin. Deep ruby, it is full-bodied, with rich, ripe flavours of cherries, spices and nuts, gentle acidity and a very finely textured, lingering finish. Lovely depth and harmony. $99
Terra Sancta Mysterious Diggings Bannockburn Central Otago Pinot Noir
2024
★★★★½
Crafted for early enjoyment, this ruby-hued red offers fine value. Medium to full-bodied, it is savoury and supple, with an attractive array of cherry, plum, spice and nut flavours, lively acidity and excellent vibrancy, delicacy, complexity and harmony. $29
Valli Pisa Central Otago Pinot Noir 2023
★★★★★
Already delicious, this fleshy, supple red was grown in the elevated Highgrange Vineyard at Pisa. Deep, bright ruby, it is mouthfilling, rich and sweet-fruited, with vibrant, ripe cherry, plum, spice and nut flavours, generous and well-rounded. $85
Whitehaven Greg Southern Valleys Single Vineyard Marlborough Pinot Noir 2021
★★★★★
This classy, very ageworthy red was hand-picked in the Wrekin Vineyard. A top example of the region’s pinot noir, it is deep ruby, mouthfilling, concentrated and savoury, with rich cherry, plum and spice flavours showing impressive complexity, and good tannin backbone. Certified organic. $60
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