South Island Chardonnay is on a roll as this tasty drop from Mt Maude in Central Otago shows. Winemakers Sarah Kate and Dan Dineen use hand picked grapes from 27 years old vines to make this dry full bodied, creamy smooth wine. 

The grapes are foot stomped, basket pressed, fermented with indigenous yeasts, and the wine is aged in seasoned French oak to produce what they describe as a seamless wine. We agree. 

Try it. 

Barrel fermented Syrah with ripe black fleshy plum flavours, hints of baking spice (notes of cinnamon, ginger and cardamon) and a long, structured but smooth finish with ripe tannins and dry flavours. This wine is the jewel in Mission Estate's Syrah crown and is made from 100% Gimblett Gravels grapes. 

Petit Manseng is a rarely known, refreshing white grape grown in a small appellation in the south of France where it makes outstanding wines such as this fresh, bright and complex sweet white wine. This is one of our absolute faves here at Regional and a wine we admire greatly from one of the smallest wineries in New Zealand's biggest wine region, Marlborough. 

Churton founder and winemaker Sam Weaver cut his teeth on the classic wines of the world while working in fine wine retail in the United Kingdom. His background is in microbiology and he was raised on a farm, so when he and his wife Mandy founded Churton Estate, it combined all of his passions. The couple and their adult sons, have created one of this country's most high quality small wineries, which lives up to the dream of creating 100% estate grown grapes, 100% certified organic production and 100% bottled on site, nearly all of the wines without fining or filtration. All grapes are hand picked and natural yeasts ferment the majority of Churton wines. These incremental qualitative decisions impact at every step of their winemaking provides exceptional quality grapes which in turn express themselves in outstanding wines.

• 5 Stars & 93/100 (Candice Chow),  92/100 (Cam Douglas MS)
• An elegant, dry style with just a kiss of sweetness
• Overseeing the Otu winery team is Jeff Clarke - ex-Penfolds, Montana & Church Road winemaker
• Jeff is a two time International Winemaker of the Year winner and rated as one of the top six winemakers globally by UK journo Tim Atkin MW!
• A fragrant floral palate of rose bud, sweet strawberries and ripe raspberry, is offset by a hint of citrus acidity. Crisp and fullbodied with luscious red berry and pomegranate notes, this wine showcases the delicate fruit subtlety of Marlborough, Awatere Valley Pinot Noir, with outstanding balance and a beautifully dry finish. Suitable for vegans & vegetarians

A really lovely bouquet with enticing scents of pineapple and barrel spices, vanilla and clove then a creamed Brazil-nut and butter quality. A dry wine on the palate, full-bodied with a flinty reductive character then flavours of grapefruit and peach, clove and lots of texture. Fine tannins and medium+ acid line, plush, elegant and delicious. Best drinking from day of purchase through 2029.

95 Points

Oustanding

-Cam Douglas

From the winery...

Crafted from handpicked grapes sourced from the renowned Gimblett Gravels, this Chardonnay showcases both power and elegance. It offers layers of ripe stone fruit, zesty lemon curd, and subtle hints of roasted nuts. The complex palate is complemented by a delicate balance of creamy texture, oak undertones and bright acidity, resulting in a wine of depth, structure, and refined tension. Only four barrels were produced (50% of which were new). 

Region: Hawke’s Bay. 

Vintage: 2021. Percentage Alc: 14%

Bendigo Hills, Central Otago, New Zealand.

The clone 10-5 Pinot Noir from Trig Hill vineyard was hand harvested and whole bunched pressed. The free run juice was then settled for 24 hours before being racked into a mix of seasoned oak barrels and stainless-steel barrels for fermentation. After a short warm fermentation, the wine was left on full lees and underwent indigenous MLF in spring. The wine was then tirage bottled and matured for 3.5 years prior to disgorging.

Shows aromas of wild berry, smoke. biscuit, five spices, and cinnamon on the nose with a complex palate of red berry and toast flavours.  Excellent fruit weight and a long finish. 

The vineyards selected for this wine are Huia Rapaura vineyard and Rose family Kennedy vineyard. 

The grapes were hand-harvested, whole bunch pressed. Juice was racked off to barrels for fermentation  where a warm, fast ferment was encouraged. Base wine underwent full malolactic fermentation. Aged on gross lees in neutral French oak for 14 months. Wine is put on tirage where yeast and sugar is added before bottling. Second fermentation occurred in bottle and the  wine aged on lees for a further 20 months. Hand riddled over 5 weeks and disgorged on 6th December 2021. 

Senses 

Sight: cured salmon pink. 

Smell: Strawberries, cherries and baked bread. 

Taste: Fresh, wild strawberries and strawberry shortcake with a crisp finish. 

Food Matches: Goats cheese platters. Saffron risotto. Proper Crisps with Marlborogh Seasalt

This wine offers a complex aroma of citrus, stonefruit, and spice characteristics. The palate has depth and intensity with mineral notes and a powerful finish with flavours of apricot and vanilla, balanced by a juicy acidity. A Chardonnay that shows richness alongside a tightly structured palate with layers of texture and pairs well with snapper, saffron, shellfish and other delicate flavours.

Made in extremely small quantities, the Land Series wines seek to highlight the very best from each of the unique subregions within our family of vineyards. 

This Chardonnay is a reflection of the unique terroir of our Waitaki site. 

Lifted aromatics with tropical fruit, citrus and white flowers. The palate is chalky, with balanced fresh acidity and concentrated flavours of toasted hazelnut, tropical fruits and toasted oak. 

The Chatterer Merlot Cabernet will definitely get tongues wagging with its depth of blackberry and blueberry fruit flavours, full and rounded body and outstanding character. This wine offers fabulous value for money and beautiful aromas of soft plums and dark berry fruits. 

The 2021 vintage was great in Hawke's Bay and that comes through in every complex sip. 

A classic expression of Gewürztraminer, this wine opens with fragrant notes of lychee, tangerine, maple, spruce tip, and rose petal, lifting effortlessly from the glass. The warm 2024 season imparted a soft, polished texture to its savoury phenolic structure, lending grace and lightness to this opulent variety. Hints of chamomile and cookie dough weave through the palate, enriched by a touch of residual sugar. With pristine fruit and no botrytis influence, this is a pure and elegant example of the style.