Each year, I select ten standout Chardonnays from the wines I’ve tasted and rated over the past 12 months — a celebration of the best expressions of this remarkable variety across Aotearoa.

The challenging climate events of 2022 and 2023 have certainly left their mark, impacting both production and quality. Many top producers chose not to release their flagship Chardonnays from these vintages, resulting in fewer wines to select from. Yet, the resilience and skill of our winemakers shine through — there are still plenty of outstanding Chardonnays in the market. Thanks to Chardonnay’s early budding and ripening nature, some producers were able to avoid the worst weather events through dedicated viticulture and precise harvest timing.

Chardonnay is one of the most adaptable grape varieties in the world, capable of thriving in almost any vineyard soil. Combined with New Zealand’s diverse climates and winemaking philosophies, these elements shape an extraordinary range of styles — from mineral-driven and elegant to rich and full-bodied.

This year’s Top 10 Chardonnay lineup beautifully reflects that diversity, featuring wines from every major region: one from Gisborne, three from Hawke’s Bay, two from Marlborough, one from North Canterbury, two from Central Otago, and one from the Waitaki Valley. It’s clear that Chardonnay truly thrives across all corners of New Zealand.

Join me to taste the Top 10!

If you’d like to taste them for yourself, join me at one of the upcoming Top 10 Chardonnay Tasting Events:

🥂 Wellington: 6th November – Get Tickets
🥂 Auckland: 8th November – Get Tickets

🥂 Queenstown: 13th November – Get Tickets

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The Top 10 Chardonnay of 2025

I’m proud to present in no particular order:

 

Takapoto Estate Reserve Chardonnay 2021, Hawke’s Bay

Handpicked from a renowned Gimblett Road vineyard, this four-barrel, four-clone blend (UCD 15, 95, 548 & Mendoza) was whole-bunch pressed, wild fermented in French oak (50% new), and aged 12 months on lees with gentle stirring.

This Chardonnay brims with aromas of lemon, citrus zest, brioche, delicate spice and stony minerals. The palate is creamy and layered, with bright lemon tones, subtle toast, and a long, refined finish. Only four barrels made, crafted by Alex Coldicutt, who lets the vineyard’s natural character shine through minimalist winemaking.

• Read the full review here
• Shop Takapoto Wines

 

Saint Clair Omaka Reserve Chardonnay 2024, Marlborough

Crafted by Stewart Maclennan, this Chardonnay was whole-bunch pressed and fermented in American oak, with nine months on lees for richness and texture. The fruit hails from the Omaka Valley, where warm days, cool nights, and clay soils bring depth and vibrant flavour.

Expect lemon curd, grapefruit, peach, almond and vanilla, layered with flinty minerality and creamy detail. A beautiful harmony of fruit and oak, finishing long and refined.

• Read the full review here
• Shop Saint Clair Wines

 

Pegasus Bay Reserve Virtuoso Chardonnay 2021, North Canterbury

Sourced from 30+ year-old vines in the Waipara Valley, this Chardonnay grows on the free-draining Glasnevin Gravels — greywacke-rich soils that produce low yields and intensely flavoured fruit. Warm days and cool nights extend the ripening period, delivering remarkable depth and freshness.

Crafted only in exceptional vintages, Virtuoso is a reserve selection of the finest barrels, fermented naturally in large French oak puncheons (40% new) and matured for 10 months on lees.

Expect lemon sherbet, peach, buttered popcorn, roasted almond, spice and flinty minerality — rich yet refined, with a creamy, elegant finish.

• Read the full review here
• Shop Pegasus Bay Wines

 

Q Wine Chardonnay 2024, Waitaki Valley

The 2024 season blessed Waitaki with warm, dry conditions and gentle breezes, allowing fruit to ripen perfectly on the limestone-rich soils of North Otago.

Handpicked and whole-bunch pressed, then fermented and aged for nine months in French oak barriques (25% new).

In the glass, it’s pure elegance — peach, lemon curd, pink grapefruit, vanilla, and delicate spice, with that signature chalky minerality and bright acidity Waitaki is known for. A beautifully balanced, creamy and expressive Chardonnay.

• Read the full review here
• Ship Q Wines 

 

Tony Bish Two Terraces Chardonnay 2023, Hawke’s Bay

Handpicked and whole-bunch pressed, only the free-run juice was used, naturally fermented and matured in French oak barriques for 11 months before a meticulous barrel selection. Unfined, unfiltered, and rested six months in bottle.

Expect grapefruit, lemon, starfruit, hazelnut, flint, minerals, and spice, carried by beautiful tension and finesse. A pure, flinty, and elegant Chardonnay that marks a stunning debut.

• Read the full review here
• Shop Tony Bish Wines

 

Mora Eden Pisa Chardonnay 2022, Central Otago

Sourced from Mora’s Eden Vineyard in Pisa, the 2022 season brought warm, calm conditions and perfectly even ripening. Handcrafted with wild fermentation, full malolactic, and 10 months in French oak (20% new), this Chardonnay shines with both richness and finesse.

Discover gunflint, peach, apricot, brown butter, and cashew, wrapped in a creamy mouthfeel and lifted by a fine acid backbone. Sophisticated, layered, and utterly charming.

• Read the full review here
• Shop Mora Wines

 

Matawhero Irwin Chardonnay 2021, Gisborne

A flagship Chardonnay honouring Bill and Denis Irwin, pioneers of modern New Zealand viticulture and founders of Matawhero. Crafted from 100% Mendoza Chardonnay grown on the famous Tietjen Vineyard in Gisborne’s Golden Slopes, this limited-release wine captures both heritage and precision.

Hand-harvested and wild fermented in American and Hungarian oak, then aged on lees for 9 months, the result is a Chardonnay of power and grace.

Expect aromas of melon, grilled peach, toasted coconut, burnt butter, hazelnut, and spice — creamy, layered, and beautifully balanced with lively acidity and long, refined tension.

• Read the full review here
• Shop Matawhero Wines

 

Folding Hill Bendigo Chardonnay 2023, Central Otago

From the Kerruish family’s Biogro certified organic vineyard in Bendigo. Planted with clones Mendoza/ 95/ 548 on sandy loam over free draining gravel with some clay patches. Destemmed fruit, fermented in barrels with indigenous yeast, 10% new oak.

Elegant aromas of lemon, grapefruit, peach, pineapple, floral notes, and stony minerals. Delicate, layered fruit flows over a creamy, silky texture, with enticing acidity and a savoury, mineral finish. Barrel fermented with 10% new oak, lightly filtered, unfined — pure expression of Bendigo terroir.

• Read the full review here
• Shop Folding Hill Wines

 

No.1 Family Estate Reserve Méthode Traditionnelle NV, Marlborough

Crafted by the legendary Daniel Le Brun, this prestige Blanc de Blancs (91% Chardonnay, 9% Pinot Noir) is a masterpiece of patience and precision. Aged over 6.5 years on lees, only 1,680 bottles are hand-numbered and released.

Layers of baked apple, poached pear, citrus peel, and toasted brioche unfold in a luxurious, fine-bubbled texture — complex, elegant, and endlessly long.

• Read the full review here
• Shop No.1 Family Wines

 

Bilancia Kaikora Vineyard Chardonnay 2023, Hawke’s Bay 

This single-vineyard gem from Kaikora Vineyard in Ōtāne captures the beauty of Central Hawke’s Bay’s ancient pakohe (argillite) soils. Hand-picked, whole-bunch pressed, and wild fermented in French oak, it’s unfiltered and naturally expressive.

Struck match, roasted cashew, lemon zest and apricot stone weave into a seamless, mineral and finely toasty Chardonnay — elegant, pure, and beautifully balanced.

• Read the full review here
• Shop Bilancia Wines