{"id":210033,"date":"2025-12-31T13:29:14","date_gmt":"2025-12-31T13:29:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/210033\/"},"modified":"2025-12-31T13:29:14","modified_gmt":"2025-12-31T13:29:14","slug":"viva-wine-awards-nzs-top-50-wineries-for-2025","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/210033\/","title":{"rendered":"Viva Wine Awards: NZ\u2019s Top 50 Wineries For 2025"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nzherald.co.nz\/viva\/\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/XDHORHTSLJDW7MTQCZXG7XVE5I.jpg\" style=\"height:auto; max-width:100%; width:100%;\" alt=\"BEST OF VIVA PREMIUM 2025 BANNER\"\/><\/a><\/p>\n<p data-test-ui=\"viva-article-paragraph\" class=\"tw-mb-4 tw-font-proxima tw-text-lg tw-font-normal tw-leading-6 tw-text-black \">This summer, Viva Premium is revisiting the best and biggest stories of 2025. This article was originally published in March.<\/p>\n<p data-test-ui=\"viva-article-paragraph\" class=\"tw-mb-4 tw-font-proxima tw-text-lg tw-font-normal tw-leading-6 tw-text-black \">Wine editor Dr Jo Burzynska selects New Zealand\u2019s 50 most exciting wineries for 2025, and awards some special categories, including best for sauvignon blanc, best for the budget-conscious and best new winery.<\/p>\n<p data-test-ui=\"viva-article-paragraph\" class=\"tw-mb-4 tw-font-proxima tw-text-lg tw-font-normal tw-leading-6 tw-text-black \">Read on for Jo\u2019s top 50 wineries, and enjoy.<\/p>\n<p>A WORD FROM OUR WINE EDITOR<\/p>\n<p><img  alt=\" Viva wine editor Dr Jo Burzynska. Photo \/ Ashburton Art Gallery\" class=\"responsively-lazy\"\/> Viva wine editor Dr Jo Burzynska. Photo \/ Ashburton Art Gallery<\/p>\n<p data-test-ui=\"viva-article-paragraph\" class=\"tw-mb-4 tw-font-proxima tw-text-lg tw-font-normal tw-leading-6 tw-text-black \">\n         It\u2019s been another thrilling year for wine drinkers in Aotearoa. If anyone thought<br \/>\n         the country was just a producer of generic sauvignon blanc made by big players, this list proves the opposite. Sauvignon blanc has never encompassed so many exciting expressions, while our wineries are also making world-beating pinot noir, as well as distinctive versions of a growing range of other cool climate-suited varieties.\n        <\/p>\n<p data-test-ui=\"viva-article-paragraph\" class=\"tw-mb-4 tw-font-proxima tw-text-lg tw-font-normal tw-leading-6 tw-text-black vUWuwjCGukMuO\">It\u2019s the smaller wineries who are currently driving much of the interest. As some don\u2019t yet export, only lucky us get to drink here in New Zealand. Many of these don\u2019t own their own vineyards. However, an exciting trend evident from this year\u2019s winners is the growing focus of wineries in making distinctive wines from interesting single vineyards. Organic producers again make up the majority of the most thrilling \u2013 a choice many have made as best for quality, as well as for health and the planet.<\/p>\n<p data-test-ui=\"viva-article-paragraph\" class=\"tw-mb-4 tw-font-proxima tw-text-lg tw-font-normal tw-leading-6 tw-text-black vUWuwjCGukMuO\">It\u2019s not been such a thrilling year for our wineries, however. While the last couple of vintages have been far easier than the tough 2023 vintage in many regions, the climate that\u2019s currently hurting our wineries is the economic one. Exports are down, while New Zealanders are drinking less wine year on year. The country\u2019s total wine sales are down by around 8% to the lowest level in the past two decades. Combine this with cost and excise increases that are eroding wineries\u2019 profitability, and New Zealand wineries are having it tough.<\/p>\n<p data-test-ui=\"viva-article-paragraph\" class=\"tw-mb-4 tw-font-proxima tw-text-lg tw-font-normal tw-leading-6 tw-text-black vUWuwjCGukMuO\">We can assist here at home by choosing to drink our excellent homegrown wines. In my second story for this year\u2019s awards, published tomorrow, I\u2019ve recommended one from each of my Top 50 wineries that is representative of what\u2019s so thrilling about that winery, and has particularly impressed.<\/p>\n<p data-test-ui=\"viva-article-paragraph\" class=\"tw-mb-4 tw-font-proxima tw-text-lg tw-font-normal tw-leading-6 tw-text-black vUWuwjCGukMuO\">This year, Viva\u2019s most thrilling 50 wineries is adopting a slightly different format. I have once again selected a supreme winner, whose wines and approach have really stood out to me over the last 12 months. However, the main list is now split into Contemporary Classics (the longer established wineries), and New Wave Winners, comprising more recently launched enterprises. If you like sparkling, sauvignon, chardonnay, pinot noir, structured reds, natural wines or budget buys, the category winners highlight wineries worth exploring. My selection also celebrates longevity in the wine business through the lifetime achievement award, and the most exciting new winery to watch in the year ahead. <\/p>\n<p>SUPREME WINNER<\/p>\n<p>PROPHET&#8217;S ROCK<\/p>\n<p>Central Otago<\/p>\n<p data-test-ui=\"viva-article-paragraph\" class=\"tw-mb-4 tw-font-proxima tw-text-lg tw-font-normal tw-leading-6 tw-text-black vUWuwjCGukMuO\">Deeply interesting and expressive wines, created with a spirit of considered innovation and collaboration, make Prophet\u2019s Rock Viva\u2019s very deserving Winery of the Year. At this Central Otago estate, winemaker Paul Pujol combines the best of Old World nous with New World innovation.<\/p>\n<p data-test-ui=\"viva-article-paragraph\" class=\"tw-mb-4 tw-font-proxima tw-text-lg tw-font-normal tw-leading-6 tw-text-black vUWuwjCGukMuO\">Paul\u2019s approach is rooted in his formative years making wine in France. As well as working in Burgundy and Sancerre, he was the first non-family winemaker at Alsace\u2019s respected Domaine Kuentz-Bas since its founding in 1795. This experience instilled a focus on texture and age-worthiness, principles he now applies when making Prophet\u2019s Rock wines in the distinctive terroir of Central Otago.<\/p>\n<p data-test-ui=\"viva-article-paragraph\" class=\"tw-mb-4 tw-font-proxima tw-text-lg tw-font-normal tw-leading-6 tw-text-black vUWuwjCGukMuO\">\u201cI was enamoured by the texture of Alsace wines,\u201d Paul notes, a preference evident across his range. Unlike many New Zealand aromatic white wines, at Prophet\u2019s Rock these undergo a long, slow fermentation and rest on their yeast lees until the following harvest, with a further year of bottle age before release. This patient process builds complexity and Prophet\u2019s Rock\u2019s hallmark textural richness.<\/p>\n<p data-test-ui=\"viva-article-paragraph\" class=\"tw-mb-4 tw-font-proxima tw-text-lg tw-font-normal tw-leading-6 tw-text-black vUWuwjCGukMuO\">This Alsatian influence is most apparent in his dry Pinot Gris, a contender for the country\u2019s finest. Where many local examples are simple and fruity, Pujol crafts a wine of serious intention and intensity. As he explains, Central Otago\u2019s dry, rain-shadowed climate allows the grapes to achieve full ripeness while retaining crucial acidity, resulting in a wine of impressive structure, freshness and flavour that I wager will convert any gris sceptics.<\/p>\n<p data-test-ui=\"viva-article-paragraph\" class=\"tw-mb-4 tw-font-proxima tw-text-lg tw-font-normal tw-leading-6 tw-text-black vUWuwjCGukMuO\">While Alsace has helped shape Prophet\u2019s Rock\u2019s aromatic white wines, Burgundy has informed its chardonnay and pinot noir. This connection has been deepened through a significant collaboration with Fran\u00e7ois Millet, the respected former winemaker of Burgundy\u2019s Domaine Comte Georges de Vog\u00fc\u00e9. Their partnership has produced the Cuv\u00e9e Aux Antipodes, a chardonnay and pinot noir that merge the philosophies of two hemispheres. The resulting pinot noir is a wine of great elegance and structure, reflecting both its Central Otago origins and its Burgundian inspiration.<\/p>\n<p data-test-ui=\"viva-article-paragraph\" class=\"tw-mb-4 tw-font-proxima tw-text-lg tw-font-normal tw-leading-6 tw-text-black vUWuwjCGukMuO\">Paul\u2019s influences may be European but in his dedication to making wines that express where they\u2019re grown, Prophet\u2019s Rock\u2019s wines are vivid expressions of Central Otago terroir. This terroir is specifically that of the winery\u2019s estate vineyards, farmed organically for the most transparent expression of their three distinct sites. Its first Home vineyard was established between 1999 and 2000, high above the Bendigo Station Homestead on a rare combination of schist, quartz, clay and chalk. In southern Bendigo, its stony Rocky Point Vineyard has some of the steepest slopes in Central, while the Kopuwai Delta Vineyard overlooking the Clutha River adds loess, alluvium and river stones into the mix.<\/p>\n<p data-test-ui=\"viva-article-paragraph\" class=\"tw-mb-4 tw-font-proxima tw-text-lg tw-font-normal tw-leading-6 tw-text-black vUWuwjCGukMuO\">For all its classical foundations, Prophet\u2019s Rock is not afraid to push boundaries. Pujol\u2019s experimental side is visible in Prophet\u2019s Rock\u2019s rare New Zealand Vin de Paille. Describing it as \u201cancient wine style in modern hands\u201d, pinot gris grapes are dried in a barn before being fermented into luscious sweet wine. Pujol has also applied a fine-wine lens to creating vermouths in collaboration with Scapegrace distillers to create stunning aromatised wines with surprising complexity.<\/p>\n<p data-test-ui=\"viva-article-paragraph\" class=\"tw-mb-4 tw-font-proxima tw-text-lg tw-font-normal tw-leading-6 tw-text-black vUWuwjCGukMuO\">It is this combination, knowledge of tradition and a quiet willingness to innovate, of Old World training and a sensitivity to Central Otago\u2019s terrain, that makes Prophet\u2019s Rock so significant. <\/p>\n<p data-test-ui=\"viva-article-paragraph\" class=\"tw-mb-4 tw-font-proxima tw-text-lg tw-font-normal tw-leading-6 tw-text-black vUWuwjCGukMuO\">Prophet\u2019s Rock offers not just exceptional wines, but has a scope and focus that makes it a beacon for the direction of New Zealand wine. <\/p>\n<p data-test-ui=\"viva-article-paragraph\" class=\"tw-mb-4 tw-font-proxima tw-text-lg tw-font-normal tw-leading-6 tw-text-black vUWuwjCGukMuO\">Top drop: Prophet\u2019s Rock Central Otago Pinot Gris 2023, $40<\/p>\n<p data-test-ui=\"viva-article-paragraph\" class=\"tw-mb-4 tw-font-proxima tw-text-lg tw-font-normal tw-leading-6 tw-text-black vUWuwjCGukMuO\">A drier, intense and complex style of pinot gris fermented in old neutral French oak. Its fresh and textural palate of ripe and pure quince, apple and white peach fruit is spiced with cinnamon and perfumed with florals. I was lucky to try the 2009 vintage of this wine recently, which had become delicously spicy and savoury with age, while still retaining its freshness and bright apple fruit. This is a wine that will also age beautifully over 10 or even more years. <\/p>\n<p>Contemporary Classics<\/p>\n<p data-test-ui=\"viva-article-paragraph\" class=\"tw-mb-4 tw-font-proxima tw-text-lg tw-font-normal tw-leading-6 tw-text-black vUWuwjCGukMuO\">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. Listed in alphabetical order.<\/p>\n<p><img  alt=\"Astrolabe winery.\" class=\"responsively-lazy\"\/>Astrolabe winery.<\/p>\n<p>ASTROLABE<\/p>\n<p>Marlborough<\/p>\n<p data-test-ui=\"viva-article-paragraph\" class=\"tw-mb-4 tw-font-proxima tw-text-lg tw-font-normal tw-leading-6 tw-text-black vUWuwjCGukMuO\">Family-run and managed, Astrolabe crafts pure and precise wines from its organic home vineyard and diverse Marlborough grower sites. Under veteran winemaker Simon Waghorn, its commitment to terroir shines through, delivering wines that continue to captivate from across Marlborough. It is a pioneer in its most southerly K\u0113kerengu Coast subregion and I\u2019ve been loving Astrolabe\u2019s distinctive expressions from these limestone soils.<\/p>\n<p><img  alt=\"Ata Rangi, Martinborough\" class=\"responsively-lazy\"\/>Ata Rangi, Martinborough<\/p>\n<p>ATA RANGI<\/p>\n<p>Martinborough<\/p>\n<p data-test-ui=\"viva-article-paragraph\" class=\"tw-mb-4 tw-font-proxima tw-text-lg tw-font-normal tw-leading-6 tw-text-black vUWuwjCGukMuO\">Under the sensitive guidance of winemaker Helen Masters, this historic Martinborough winery continues to craft some of the most compelling wines in the country. These are now made from 14 vineyards, which include its 1980 home block, as well as diverse grower sites, which produce distinctive expressions of pinot noir from across this classic New Zealand region. <\/p>\n<p><img  alt=\"One of Bilancia's vineyards.\" class=\"responsively-lazy\"\/>One of Bilancia&#8217;s vineyards.<\/p>\n<p>CATEGORY WINNER: Best for structured reds<\/p>\n<p>BILANCIA<\/p>\n<p>Hawke\u2019s Bay<\/p>\n<p data-test-ui=\"viva-article-paragraph\" class=\"tw-mb-4 tw-font-proxima tw-text-lg tw-font-normal tw-leading-6 tw-text-black vUWuwjCGukMuO\">Warren Gibson, who\u2019s also chief winemaker at Trinity Hill, and partner Lorraine Leheny have been exploring notable single vineyard sites across Hawke\u2019s Bay. The result is a growing portfolio of distinctive chardonnay and syrah. This year, Viva celebrates their compelling red releases, which include the glorious return of a 2024 La Collina: Bilancia\u2019s, and arguably the country\u2019s, fragrant flagship syrah, absent for the previous two vintages. Made from their steep home vineyard, La Collina now joins other Bilancia syrahs that include the powerful and concentrated Trelinnoe Syrah, sourced from a vineyard across the hill, which spends longer mellowing in oak. Such site-specific syrahs, each with its own character and approach, highlight Bilancia\u2019s dedication to crafting reds of depth and refinement. Their ability to navigate challenging vintages, as seen in previous years, further underscores their commitment to quality.<\/p>\n<p><img  alt=\"Black Estate, North Canterbury.\" class=\"responsively-lazy\"\/>Black Estate, North Canterbury.<\/p>\n<p>BLACK ESTATE<\/p>\n<p>North Canterbury<\/p>\n<p data-test-ui=\"viva-article-paragraph\" class=\"tw-mb-4 tw-font-proxima tw-text-lg tw-font-normal tw-leading-6 tw-text-black vUWuwjCGukMuO\">Since the Naish family purchased their Home Vineyard in 2007, and with Nicolas Brown at the winemaking helm, Black Estate has established itself as one of the most consistently engaging wineries of Waipara, and Aotearoa. The three vineyards that now make up the estate are farmed organically, biodynamically and regeneratively, which, combined with Brown\u2019s sensitive winemaking, result in truly compelling releases. <\/p>\n<p><img  alt=\"Cambridge Road\" class=\"responsively-lazy\"\/>Cambridge Road<\/p>\n<p>CAMBRIDGE ROAD<\/p>\n<p>Martinborough<\/p>\n<p data-test-ui=\"viva-article-paragraph\" class=\"tw-mb-4 tw-font-proxima tw-text-lg tw-font-normal tw-leading-6 tw-text-black vUWuwjCGukMuO\">From its organic and biodynamically managed home vineyard base on the classic Martinborough Terrace, unconventional winemaker Lance Redgwell is always experimenting. This includes making his minimal intervention and additive-free wines using barrels made with native timber rather than just the French oak that dominates New Zealand wine. His intriguing range, made from three sites across Martinborough, includes the addition of new Rh\u00f4ne whites bearing impressive fruits from Cambridge Road\u2019s home vineyard. <\/p>\n<p><img  alt=\"Churton\" class=\"responsively-lazy\"\/>Churton<\/p>\n<p>CHURTON<\/p>\n<p>Marlborough<\/p>\n<p data-test-ui=\"viva-article-paragraph\" class=\"tw-mb-4 tw-font-proxima tw-text-lg tw-font-normal tw-leading-6 tw-text-black vUWuwjCGukMuO\">If New Zealand had Grand Cru vineyards, Churton\u2019s family-owned organic and biodynamically farmed hillside site in the Waihopai Valley would certainly be one of these. With a three-decade history, its wines are now made by a second generation, Ben Weaver, who continues in his father\u2019s footsteps, guiding these grapes into deeply distinctive wines. <\/p>\n<p><img  alt=\"Cloudy Bay, Marlborough\" class=\"responsively-lazy\"\/>Cloudy Bay, Marlborough<\/p>\n<p>CLOUDY BAY<\/p>\n<p>Marlborough\/Central Otago<\/p>\n<p data-test-ui=\"viva-article-paragraph\" class=\"tw-mb-4 tw-font-proxima tw-text-lg tw-font-normal tw-leading-6 tw-text-black vUWuwjCGukMuO\">This year, Cloudy Bay celebrates the 40th anniversary of its first trailblazing sauvignon release. Its elegant flagship is still among the best, joined now by the stylish Pelorus m\u00e9thode traditionnelles, and pinot noirs that include the rising classic Te Wahi from its more recent Central Otago outpost. Its special releases also include a syrah and gamay. <\/p>\n<p><img  alt=\"Coal Pit.\" class=\"responsively-lazy\"\/>Coal Pit.<\/p>\n<p>COAL PIT<\/p>\n<p>Central Otago<\/p>\n<p data-test-ui=\"viva-article-paragraph\" class=\"tw-mb-4 tw-font-proxima tw-text-lg tw-font-normal tw-leading-6 tw-text-black vUWuwjCGukMuO\">Coal Pit has slowly burnt into my consciousness as the maker of consistently elegant and savoury pinot noir, as well as a smart dry ros\u00e9. At this small certified organic family vineyard in the cool Gibbston subregion of Central Otago grapes are grown, handpicked and made into wines on-site by young, internationally experienced winemaker Anika Willner. <\/p>\n<p><img  alt=\"Ben Tombs from Craggy Range winery.\" class=\"responsively-lazy\"\/>Ben Tombs from Craggy Range winery.<\/p>\n<p>CRAGGY RANGE<\/p>\n<p>Hawke\u2019s Bay\/Martinborough<\/p>\n<p data-test-ui=\"viva-article-paragraph\" class=\"tw-mb-4 tw-font-proxima tw-text-lg tw-font-normal tw-leading-6 tw-text-black vUWuwjCGukMuO\">Developments at Craggy Range in recent years include incorporating regenerative practices and a gradual conversion to organics in its vineyards. In the winery, new winemaker Ben Tombs has been building texture into its sauvignon blanc by increased use of barrel fermentation, amphora and extended lees contact. The 2024 releases under his guidance continue to impress. <\/p>\n<p><img  alt=\"Dog Point Section 94 Marlborough 2020.\" class=\"responsively-lazy\"\/>Dog Point Section 94 Marlborough 2020.<\/p>\n<p>DOG POINT<\/p>\n<p>Marlborough<\/p>\n<p data-test-ui=\"viva-article-paragraph\" class=\"tw-mb-4 tw-font-proxima tw-text-lg tw-font-normal tw-leading-6 tw-text-black vUWuwjCGukMuO\">No longer a pup, Dog Point is now 21. Over these quality-filled years making wines from New Zealand\u2019s largest certified organic vineyard, this family-owned establishment, one of the oldest privately established vineyards, is now in the capable hands of the second generation. They continue to craft wines with poise, personality and power. <\/p>\n<p><img  alt=\"Doctor's Flat vineyard\" class=\"responsively-lazy\"\/>Doctor&#8217;s Flat vineyard<\/p>\n<p>DOCTOR\u2019S FLAT<\/p>\n<p>Central Otago<\/p>\n<p data-test-ui=\"viva-article-paragraph\" class=\"tw-mb-4 tw-font-proxima tw-text-lg tw-font-normal tw-leading-6 tw-text-black vUWuwjCGukMuO\">For more than 15 years, Steve Davies has focused on making just one pinot noir from his organic Bannockburn vineyard. This singular vision applied to his tiny elevated site has resulted in a consistently exciting and distinctive expression of pinot. Steve also thinks it is a great place for chardonnay and has just bottled its first small crop. <\/p>\n<p><img  alt=\"Felton Road\" class=\"responsively-lazy\"\/>Felton Road<\/p>\n<p>FELTON ROAD<\/p>\n<p>Central Otago<\/p>\n<p data-test-ui=\"viva-article-paragraph\" class=\"tw-mb-4 tw-font-proxima tw-text-lg tw-font-normal tw-leading-6 tw-text-black vUWuwjCGukMuO\">From the biodynamic and organically farmed Felton Road vineyards, Blair Walter crafts exquisite pinot noir, chardonnay and riesling that encourage contemplation. While expressing classic rich and bright Bannockburn fruit, his eloquent yet quietly spoken wines take time to unfurl their many fascinating layers. They\u2019re also delicious after some years in the cellar. <\/p>\n<p><img  alt=\"Folium Vineyard, Brancott Valley, Marlborough\" class=\"responsively-lazy\"\/>Folium Vineyard, Brancott Valley, Marlborough<\/p>\n<p>CATEGORY WINNER: Best for sauvignon blanc<\/p>\n<p>FOLIUM<\/p>\n<p>Marlborough<\/p>\n<p data-test-ui=\"viva-article-paragraph\" class=\"tw-mb-4 tw-font-proxima tw-text-lg tw-font-normal tw-leading-6 tw-text-black vUWuwjCGukMuO\">At the 8-hectare organic Folium vineyard in the Brancott Valley, Takaki Okada is one of the few Marlborough producers whose sauvignon blanc receives no irrigation. He considers dry farming particularly beneficial to the quality of his white wines, encouraging the vines\u2019 roots to penetrate more deeply into the soil. With incredibly low yields from a vineyard where Okada does almost everything himself, the result is deeply distinctive handcrafted sauvignons. \u201cMost alternative sauvignon styles are made with winemaking techniques such as skin contact. However, I want to create something different in the vineyard,\u201d he states. As a recent tasting of his 2014 Reserve Sauvignon furthermore confirmed, his elegant textural sauvignons also age with grace. <\/p>\n<p><img  alt=\"Framingham\" class=\"responsively-lazy\"\/>Framingham<\/p>\n<p>FRAMINGHAM<\/p>\n<p>Marlborough<\/p>\n<p data-test-ui=\"viva-article-paragraph\" class=\"tw-mb-4 tw-font-proxima tw-text-lg tw-font-normal tw-leading-6 tw-text-black vUWuwjCGukMuO\">Framingham\u2019s first wine released was a 1994 riesling. It has continued its commitment to this fine but underrated variety, making some of our greatest examples in a range of styles. Bought by Mateus owner Sogrape some years back, it\u2019s nevertheless managed to continue to operate outside of the mainstream, notably in its excellent, boundary-pushing F-Series range. <\/p>\n<p><img  alt=\"Greywacke\" class=\"responsively-lazy\"\/>Greywacke<\/p>\n<p>GREYWACKE<\/p>\n<p>Marlborough<\/p>\n<p data-test-ui=\"viva-article-paragraph\" class=\"tw-mb-4 tw-font-proxima tw-text-lg tw-font-normal tw-leading-6 tw-text-black vUWuwjCGukMuO\">A family-run winery founded in 2009 by ex-Cloudy Bay winemaker Kevin Judd, which makes concentrated and harmonious wines from Marlborough\u2019s main varieties. Its winemaking is now in the highly capable hands of Richelle Tyney, who has centuries-old connections to the upper South Island through her Te Tauihu iwi roots. <\/p>\n<p><img  alt=\"The team from Grove Mill\" class=\"responsively-lazy\"\/>The team from Grove Mill<\/p>\n<p>CATEGORY WINNER: Best for the budget conscious<\/p>\n<p>GROVE MILL<\/p>\n<p>Marlborough<\/p>\n<p data-test-ui=\"viva-article-paragraph\" class=\"tw-mb-4 tw-font-proxima tw-text-lg tw-font-normal tw-leading-6 tw-text-black vUWuwjCGukMuO\">Grove Mill has had many iterations since it was founded by a group of local grape growers in the 1980s. Now part of the Foley Family Wines stable, alongside the likes of Martinborough Vineyard and Vavasour, it\u2019s retained many of its sustainable credentials. The winery uses solar power, renewable sugarcane labels, locally sourced lightweight bottles, and has undertaken wetland restoration around the winery. Its wines consistently punch well above their weight in terms of value for money, with an appealing pinot noir, sophisticated chardonnay, fresh pear-fruited pinot gris, and vibrant sauvignon blanc that all retail at $20 or under.<\/p>\n<p><img  alt=\"Isabel winery\" class=\"responsively-lazy\"\/>Isabel winery<\/p>\n<p>ISABEL ESTATE<\/p>\n<p>Marlborough<\/p>\n<p data-test-ui=\"viva-article-paragraph\" class=\"tw-mb-4 tw-font-proxima tw-text-lg tw-font-normal tw-leading-6 tw-text-black vUWuwjCGukMuO\">Chardonnay was the first grape planted at Isabel Estate back in 1980, when it was one of the first wave of vineyards in Marlborough. Chardonnay is certainly having a moment today at Isabel under dynamic winemaker Jeremy Mackenzie, who makes a fine array, alongside a solid selection of other varietals. <\/p>\n<p><img  alt=\"Kumeu River in West Auckland\" class=\"responsively-lazy\"\/>Kumeu River in West Auckland<\/p>\n<p>CATEGORY WINNER: Best for chardonnay<\/p>\n<p>KUMEU RIVER<\/p>\n<p>Auckland<\/p>\n<p data-test-ui=\"viva-article-paragraph\" class=\"tw-mb-4 tw-font-proxima tw-text-lg tw-font-normal tw-leading-6 tw-text-black vUWuwjCGukMuO\">While a relative newcomer in Kumeu River\u2019s 80-year history, chardonnay has become both the winery\u2019s and arguably the country\u2019s flagship example. Kumeu River winemaker, Master of Wine Michael Brajkovich, set out in the 1980s to craft a white Burgundy-style wine with barrel and malolactic fermentation that demonstrated just how seriously good New Zealand chardonnay could be, even when grown in the challenging climes of K\u016bmeu. Kumeu River began by making only their Estate chardonnay, but as time progressed, vineyards that emerged as unique began to be kept separate, starting with Mate\u2019s Vineyard in 1993 and most recently expanding to the Rays Road vineyard in Hawke\u2019s Bay. A recent tasting of older vintages reinforced just how consistently excellent and ageworthy Kumeu River\u2019s chardonnays are. <\/p>\n<p><img  alt=\"Annie Millton from Millton wines. Photo \/ NZWG\" class=\"responsively-lazy\"\/>Annie Millton from Millton wines. Photo \/ NZWG<\/p>\n<p>MILLTON<\/p>\n<p>Gisborne<\/p>\n<p data-test-ui=\"viva-article-paragraph\" class=\"tw-mb-4 tw-font-proxima tw-text-lg tw-font-normal tw-leading-6 tw-text-black vUWuwjCGukMuO\">New Zealand\u2019s first organic and biodynamic wine estate continues to inspire with its pure and expressive wines made from three individual Gisborne vineyards in the ocean-cooled Manutuke subregion. A chenin blanc champion, Millton\u2019s examples just get better and better, along with elegant chardonnays and the eclectic natural Libiamo range. <\/p>\n<p><img  alt=\"Mount Edward winery.\" class=\"responsively-lazy\"\/>Mount Edward winery.<\/p>\n<p>MOUNT EDWARD<\/p>\n<p>Central Otago<\/p>\n<p data-test-ui=\"viva-article-paragraph\" class=\"tw-mb-4 tw-font-proxima tw-text-lg tw-font-normal tw-leading-6 tw-text-black vUWuwjCGukMuO\">From classic to quirky, there\u2019s always plenty of interest to be found in the organic wines of Mount Edward. This year, its pinot noirs have been particularly impressive across the board, from its stellar single-vineyard wines, such as the flagship Muirkirk, to its everyday, ultra-practical Big Ted Bag-in-Box. <\/p>\n<p><img  alt=\"Rosie Finn from Neudorf\" class=\"responsively-lazy\"\/>Rosie Finn from Neudorf<\/p>\n<p>NEUDORF<\/p>\n<p>Nelson<\/p>\n<p data-test-ui=\"viva-article-paragraph\" class=\"tw-mb-4 tw-font-proxima tw-text-lg tw-font-normal tw-leading-6 tw-text-black vUWuwjCGukMuO\">\u201cWe have an exceptional site here at Neudorf and it demands little from us in the winery. If we can guide grapes into wine of integrity, without buggering it up, we are content,\u201d says winemaker Todd Stevens, who should indeed be content in producing some of Aotearoa\u2019s top chardonnay, great pinot and fine albarino in this pioneering Nelson winery. <\/p>\n<p><img  alt=\"The LeBrun family from No 1 Family Estate\" class=\"responsively-lazy\"\/>The LeBrun family from No 1 Family Estate<\/p>\n<p>NO 1 FAMILY ESTATE<\/p>\n<p>Marlborough<\/p>\n<p data-test-ui=\"viva-article-paragraph\" class=\"tw-mb-4 tw-font-proxima tw-text-lg tw-font-normal tw-leading-6 tw-text-black vUWuwjCGukMuO\">After pioneering m\u00e9thode traditionnelle in New Zealand, 12th-generation Champenois Daniel Le Brun has overseen 45 years of fine Marlborough m\u00e9thode traditionnelle. From its great value Assemble NV to top vintage Cuv\u00e9e Ad\u00e8le, every wine\u2019s a winner at this sparkling specialist. <\/p>\n<p><img  alt=\"Pegasus Bay winery.\" class=\"responsively-lazy\"\/>Pegasus Bay winery.<\/p>\n<p>PEGASUS BAY<\/p>\n<p>North Canterbury<\/p>\n<p data-test-ui=\"viva-article-paragraph\" class=\"tw-mb-4 tw-font-proxima tw-text-lg tw-font-normal tw-leading-6 tw-text-black vUWuwjCGukMuO\">Mat Donaldson may have handed over Pegasus Bay\u2019s winemaking reins, but the transition appears seamless by the taste of the flagship Canterbury winery\u2019s latest releases. Under new head winemaker, Marie Dufour \u2013 who worked with Mat for a decade \u2013 these continue to blend power and elegance. This consistency is supported by the winery\u2019s long-serving staff and the active role played by brothers Ed and Paul Donaldson in this family-run enterprise. <\/p>\n<p><img  alt=\"Pyramid Valley in North Canterbury\" class=\"responsively-lazy\"\/>Pyramid Valley in North Canterbury<\/p>\n<p>PYRAMID VALLEY<\/p>\n<p>North Canterbury<\/p>\n<p data-test-ui=\"viva-article-paragraph\" class=\"tw-mb-4 tw-font-proxima tw-text-lg tw-font-normal tw-leading-6 tw-text-black vUWuwjCGukMuO\">Pyramid Valley continues to craft incredibly distinctive wines from its home Waikari vineyard, while expanding its production across the country. From the 2024 vintage, it has five chardonnays, likely becoming the first New Zealand producer to make high-end chardonnay from three regions: Hawke\u2019s Bay, North Canterbury and Central Otago. Look out for the first of these new releases, the 2024 Pyramid Valley Kerer\u016b Road Chardonnay from the Two Terraces Vineyard in Hawke\u2019s Bay.<\/p>\n<p><img  alt=\"Quartz Reef\" class=\"responsively-lazy\"\/>Quartz Reef<\/p>\n<p>CATEGORY WINNER: Lifetime Achievement Award<\/p>\n<p>QUARTZ REEF<\/p>\n<p>Central Otago<\/p>\n<p data-test-ui=\"viva-article-paragraph\" class=\"tw-mb-4 tw-font-proxima tw-text-lg tw-font-normal tw-leading-6 tw-text-black vUWuwjCGukMuO\">Austrian-born Rudi Bauer\u2019s vision to plant the first commercial vines on the terra incognita of Bendigo Station back in 1998 has borne remarkable fruit. Bendigo is now an important Central Otago subregion, where Quartz Reef has its 30 hectares of vines, planted over two certified organic and biodynamic vineyards. From these, it has been consistently producing some of the region\u2019s and country\u2019s finest pinot noir, with Bauer\u2019s astute winemaking ensuring the inherent power of the terroir emerges in elegant form. In recent years its estate pinot has been joined by several exceptional single-ferment wines made from single parcels selected at harvest to best express the vineyard and vintage. Quartz Reef also produces some of Aotearoa\u2019s finest m\u00e9thode traditionnelle sparkling wines, initially developed from a collaboration between Bauer and winemaker Clothilde Chauvet from Champagne. Bauer also crafts an elegant pinot gris, with his Austrian heritage applied to Quartz Reef\u2019s excellent gr\u00fcner veltliner. <\/p>\n<p><img  alt=\"Rippon Vineyard overlooking Lake W\u0101naka. Photo \/ W\u0101naka - NZ\" class=\"responsively-lazy\"\/>Rippon Vineyard overlooking Lake W\u0101naka. Photo \/ W\u0101naka &#8211; NZ<\/p>\n<p>RIPPON<\/p>\n<p>Central Otago<\/p>\n<p data-test-ui=\"viva-article-paragraph\" class=\"tw-mb-4 tw-font-proxima tw-text-lg tw-font-normal tw-leading-6 tw-text-black vUWuwjCGukMuO\">At Rippon, the Mills family have farmed their schist site on the banks of Lake W\u0101naka for four generations. Current generation Nick Mills farms the land biodynamically, making wines that transmit this special place. These span the central Mature Vine Pinot Noir that represents the whole estate, to specific blocks identified as possessing consistent textural markers that are released as individual wines. <\/p>\n<p><img  alt=\"Te Mata Estate in Hawke's Bay\" class=\"responsively-lazy\"\/>Te Mata Estate in Hawke&#8217;s Bay<\/p>\n<p>TE MATA<\/p>\n<p>Hawke\u2019s Bay<\/p>\n<p data-test-ui=\"viva-article-paragraph\" class=\"tw-mb-4 tw-font-proxima tw-text-lg tw-font-normal tw-leading-6 tw-text-black vUWuwjCGukMuO\">It is the mark of a fine winery to make great wines in a difficult year. This was the case in the 2023 vintage for the historic Te Mata winery, owned now for half a century by the Buck family. The 2023 vintage brought the winery\u2019s longest growing season and lowest yields. Despite the challenges, meticulous fruit selection means the estate\u2019s wines are still looking great. <\/p>\n<p><img  alt=\"Jason and Anna Flowerday from Te Whare Ra.\" class=\"responsively-lazy\"\/>Jason and Anna Flowerday from Te Whare Ra.<\/p>\n<p>TE WHARE RA<\/p>\n<p>Marlborough<\/p>\n<p data-test-ui=\"viva-article-paragraph\" class=\"tw-mb-4 tw-font-proxima tw-text-lg tw-font-normal tw-leading-6 tw-text-black vUWuwjCGukMuO\">Husband and wife team, Jason and Anna Flowerday, craft pure and characterful wines in Marlborough from their organic family home vineyard in Renwick and Jason\u2019s parents\u2019 property in the Awatere Valley. Their continued focus on building organic matter levels in their soils meant that, unlike some in Marlborough for the 2024 vintage, they were not impacted by the drought, and their whole range of wines shines. <\/p>\n<p><img  alt=\"Tohu was Aotearoa\u2019s first M\u0101ori-owned wine company.\" class=\"responsively-lazy\"\/>Tohu was Aotearoa\u2019s first M\u0101ori-owned wine company.<\/p>\n<p>TOHU<\/p>\n<p>Nelson\/Marlborough<\/p>\n<p data-test-ui=\"viva-article-paragraph\" class=\"tw-mb-4 tw-font-proxima tw-text-lg tw-font-normal tw-leading-6 tw-text-black vUWuwjCGukMuO\">Aotearoa\u2019s first M\u0101ori-owned wine company was established in 1998 through a partnership between three tribal groups. Making a strong range of wines from its vineyards in Nelson and Marlborough, its Whenua single-vineyard range has been the source of some particularly impressive wines. Guided by a 500-year plan, an intergenerational strategy to leave the land in a better state than inherited, has led Tohu to transition some vineyards to organic, foster biodiversity and certify its carbon reduction. <\/p>\n<p><img  alt=\"Valli winery\"\/><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"This summer, Viva Premium is revisiting the best and biggest stories of 2025. This article was originally published&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":210034,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[836,13212,1763,10779,3390,6326,2082,1535,111,139,69,3272,105531,8780,3227,124705,213,6182,14625,1961,3010,159,1754,70361],"class_list":["post-210033","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-sports","tag-836","tag-13212","tag-article","tag-awards","tag-best","tag-biggest","tag-for","tag-march","tag-new-zealand","tag-newzealand","tag-nz","tag-nzs","tag-originally","tag-premium","tag-published","tag-revisiting","tag-sports","tag-stories","tag-summer","tag-this","tag-top","tag-viva","tag-wine","tag-wineries"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/210033","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=210033"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/210033\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/210034"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=210033"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=210033"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=210033"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}