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Producers · 13

Essential references

Kumeu River

Kumeu · Auckland ; Rays Road · Hawke’s Bay

  • The vineyard Maté replanted: In 1990, Maté Brajkovich replanted with chardonnay the vineyard the family had acquired in 1944, but died before the first harvest in 1993. « Maté’s Vineyard Chardonnay » appeared the following year, marking fifty years since the family settled there, and perpetuates his name on the original site.
  • Kumeu and Rays Road, two regions: « Estate Chardonnay » combines six Kumeu sites near Auckland. « Rays Road Chardonnay », meanwhile, comes from a hillside in Hawke’s Bay: the estate’s name brings together two regions and two distinct reference points here.
  • Richness refreshed by acidity: « Estate Chardonnay » 2024: a fragrant, toasty nose and a rich palate with peach flavours, lifted by refreshing acidity. Its concentration thus retains a lively momentum.
Pioneers and renewal

Millton

Te Arai · Manutuke · Gisborne

  • Organic farming they initially dared not mention: After their European experiences, James and Annie Millton chose to move away from systematic treatments in the family vineyard, but initially kept their organic approach quiet for fear of deterring customers. « Te Arai Chenin Blanc » 2020 bears BioGro and Demeter certifications, respectively organic and biodynamic.
  • Four picking passes for chenin: For « Te Arai Chenin Blanc » 2020, four harvest passes preceded fermentation and ageing in stainless-steel tanks and demi-muids, large 600-litre casks. The choice aims to let the delicate fruit aromas express themselves without intrusive oak tannins.
  • Light sweetness, mouth-watering acidity: « Te Arai Chenin Blanc » 2020: mango, lime and green apple, with mouth-watering acidity softened by slight sweetness. The 8 g/L of residual sugar accompanies rather than erases the freshness.
Essential references

Te Mata Estate

Hawke’s Bay

  • A memory of Ireland: Coleraine is the Northern Irish town where John Buck’s grandfather was born. The name passed to the family house, the vineyard, then Te Mata’s emblematic wine.
  • From a parcel to a selection: Born in 1982 as a single-vineyard wine, « Coleraine » became a selection of several parcels from Te Mata’s old vineyards in 1989. In 2023, it combines 80% cabernet sauvignon with merlot and cabernet franc.
  • A great concentrated, fresh red: « Coleraine » 2023: blackcurrant and raspberry, white flowers and espresso; a concentrated palate supported by abundant tannins, with an impression of freshness that gives the whole wine lift.
Essential references

Craggy Range

Gimblett Gravels · Hawke’s Bay ; Te Muna · Martinborough

  • Two varieties, two vineyard settings: Le Sol selects syrah from the stoniest parts of Gimblett Gravels in Hawke’s Bay. Te Muna Sauvignon Blanc comes from the lower terraces of Te Muna Road in Martinborough. Each wine is tied to its own vineyard setting.
  • Te Muna Sauvignon Blanc 2025: White flowers, peach and passion fruit lead into candied lemon and lime. The palate is fresh and textured, ending with a saline sensation.
  • A long family commitment, with land set aside: Terry and Mary Peabody founded Craggy Range in 1998 and established a family trust intended to last a thousand years. At Te Muna, the estate describes more than twenty-five hectares of river terraces unsuitable for vines being restored with native plants to support biodiversity and attract birds that help manage vineyard pests.
Essential references

Ata Rangi

Martinborough Terrace · Martinborough · Wairarapa

  • Cuttings seized at customs: Malcolm Abel, a customs officer and grower, arranged for Burgundian cuttings seized at Auckland airport to be sent to a research station. Clive Paton began planting this pinot noir lineage, called the Abel clone, at Ata Rangi in 1980, and the estate helped propagate it.
  • Six vineyards around the winery: The 2021 « Pinot Noir » blends the oldest plantings from six small vineyards on the Martinborough terrace, all within 500 metres of the winery. The Abel clone grows alongside several other pinot noir lineages.
  • A concentrated pinot with fine tannins: « Pinot Noir » 2021: juniper, rose petal and plum, lifted by cardamom and sumac. A concentrated palate carried by lively acidity and fine tannins that coat the palate at length.
Historic estates and founders

Dry River

Martinborough · Wairarapa

  • A gravel terrace as a starting point: With soil specialist Derek Milne, Neil McCallum identified a low-rainfall terrace of free-draining gravel in Martinborough, then founded Dry River there with Dawn in 1979. The original vineyard remains at the heart of the estate’s pinot noir.
  • A generous, supple pinot: « Pinot Noir » 2019: cherry, blueberry and blackberry, with nuances of dark chocolate, thyme and sage. The generous palate unfolds with supple tannins, then gentle acidity refocuses the fruit on the finish.
Essential references

Cloudy Bay

Marlborough

  • The sauvignon that revealed Marlborough: A Marlborough sauvignon tasted in 1983 convinced David Hohnen to invest in the region; he launched Cloudy Bay with Kevin Judd in 1985. Their wine helped make New Zealand whites known abroad; the 2024 is its fortieth vintage.
  • « Te Koko », sauvignon aged in barrel: James Healy and Kevin Judd explored a sauvignon fermented with naturally occurring yeasts and aged in barrels: it became « Te Koko ». The 2023, from several Wairau Valley vineyards, spends fifteen months in barrel on the lees, the yeast deposits.
  • Two expressions of sauvignon: « Sauvignon Blanc » 2024: citrus, orange blossom and discreet passion fruit, with lemony acidity and a saline finish. « Te Koko » 2023: a concentrated palate, candied lemon, white nectarine, salted almond and a lightly smoky touch.
Essential references

Dog Point Vineyard

Marlborough

  • After Cloudy Bay, back to the vines: Ivan Sutherland and James Healy met at Cloudy Bay. With their wives Margaret and Wendy, they launched Dog Point in 2004 with wines from 2002, to return to more direct, hands-on work as growers.
  • One sauvignon, two ageing approaches: Alongside its tank-vinified sauvignon, Dog Point makes « Section 94 » from a single parcel. The 2021 ferments then matures for eighteen months in mostly old French barrels, producing a creamy, smoky and toasty expression.
  • From liveliness to creamy texture: « Sauvignon Blanc » 2025: elderflower, grapefruit and white peach, with a lively palate and a dry finish. « Section 94 » 2021: grapefruit, smoke and toast; a powerful, creamy palate held by taut structure.
Essential references

Greywacke

Marlborough

  • Twenty-five harvests before Greywacke: Kevin Judd directed Cloudy Bay’s first twenty-five vintages before creating Greywacke with Kimberley in 2009. A photographer as well as a grower, he took the vineyard images on the labels: the bottle also carries his view of Marlborough.
  • The yeasts take their time: « Wild Sauvignon » takes its name from the naturally occurring yeasts that carry out the 2024’s fermentation in French barrels over more than six months. After the wood, the wine stays another six months on the lees, the yeast deposits, to continue maturing.
  • Generous fruit retains its drive: « Sauvignon Blanc » 2025: peach, pear and lime, with a generous palate and a lively, lemony finish. « Wild Sauvignon » 2024: peach, dried mango and shortcrust pastry, followed by candied citrus and a saline touch; the generous texture retains momentum.
Pioneers and renewal

Neudorf Vineyards

Nelson · Upper Moutere

  • The Finns’ return to the land: Tim and Judy Finn planted Neudorf in 1978, inspired by the back-to-the-land movement. They tried many varieties to understand their site; chardonnay became an estate speciality.
  • The chardonnay of Home Block: « Home Block Moutere Chardonnay » 2023 comes exclusively from Home Block in Upper Moutere. Grown without irrigation, this vineyard produces a cuvée tied to a single place in Nelson.
  • A powerful, restrained chardonnay: « Home Block Moutere Chardonnay » 2023: suggestions of oyster shell, cashew and delicate oak. A powerful yet restrained chardonnay whose substance retains finesse and balance.
Pioneers and renewal

Pegasus Bay

Waipara Valley · North Canterbury

  • A gifted book changes a life: Christine gave neurologist Ivan Donaldson Hugh Johnson’s book Wine: he became passionate about wine, travelled in Europe and began making wine in the garage between consultations. The couple founded Pegasus Bay in 1986 and were later joined by their sons.
  • Letting riesling ripen on the vine: At Pegasus Bay, riesling grapes stay on the vine for a long time to gain concentration while retaining acidity. The 2024 also retains a little natural carbon dioxide: this slight spritz adds liveliness to its rich palate, marked by perceptible sweetness.
  • A sweet riesling, a ripe pinot: « Riesling » 2024: mandarin, pineapple and citrus blossom, with a generous texture and acidity that balances the sweetness. « Pinot Noir » 2022: black cherry, cocoa and spice; a ripe, supple palate, fine tannins and a fresh finish.
Essential references

Felton Road

Bannockburn · Central Otago

  • A parcel noticed from its first grapes: From the first vintage, Blair Walter noticed the flavour of Block 3’s grapes and vinified them separately. « Pinot Noir Block 3 » has retained this identity within The Elms vineyard ever since.
  • Three names for three places: « Pinot Noir Block 5 » also comes from The Elms, while « Pinot Noir Cornish Point » is born of another Bannockburn vineyard on the shores of Lake Dunstan. Comparing them reveals several expressions of Felton Road pinot.
  • Three pinots to compare: « Pinot Noir Block 3 » 2024: black cherry, herbs and mocha, with depth and structuring tannins. « Pinot Noir Block 5 » 2023: a precise palate that gradually broadens, with silky tannins. « Pinot Noir Cornish Point » 2024: cherry, plum and spice, a balanced texture and silky tannins.
Pioneers and renewal

Rippon

Wānaka · Central Otago

  • Thirty varieties to find a direction: Returning from the Second World War, a visit to Portugal gave Rolfe Mills the idea of planting vines on his family’s land in Wānaka. He tested thirty varieties in 1975, then planted the vineyard’s first block in 1982 despite specialists’ scepticism.
  • Family names in the vines: « Tinker’s Field » honours Rolfe, nicknamed Tink, and brings together the oldest vines on a north-facing slope. « Emma’s Block », named after a family ancestor, faces east by the lake: two parcel-specific pinots thus carry the Mills family’s memory.
  • Two parcels, two textures: « Emma’s Block Mature Vine Pinot Noir » 2023: spice and herbal freshness, with silky tannins and tension. « Tinker’s Field Mature Vine Pinot Noir » 2021: tart cherry, flowers and herbs; a powerful palate, firm tannins and lively acidity.