GREYSTONE CHARDONNAY 2025

Greystone Chardonnay has firmly established itself among North Canterbury's finest, and indeed among the best in New Zealand. With an extraordinary run of success at the New Zealand Organic Wine Awards, including Champion Wine of the Show for the 2021, 2022 and 2023 vintages, followed by Gold for the 2024, Greystone has built an enviable reputation for producing world class Chardonnay. The arrival of the new 2025 vintage is always something to look forward to.

Grown on the north facing slopes of the Waipara Hills, where limestone and clay soils bear more than a passing resemblance to Burgundy's famous Côte d'Or, Greystone's Chardonnay beautifully combines richness and texture with freshness, finesse and mineral precision. These are wines of wonderful balance and complexity, with the depth to reward cellaring while remaining utterly delicious in their youth. A benchmark North Canterbury Chardonnay that continues to punch well above its weight.

Winery notes (2025 Vintage)
"A wine that beautifully showcases the limestone and clay soils of Greystone Vineyard, showing poise, length and texture through the palate. Subtle complexity from barrel ageing makes this an enticing wine to watch as it evolves over time.

This Chardonnay is the culmination of two distinct vineyard blocks – one rooted in limestone, the other in clay. Each block contributes its own unique character: clay from the lower slopes contributes richness and fruit weight, while limestone from the higher elevations delivers vibrant freshness and length. The result is a wine of depth, balance, and unmistakable character.

We hand-pick our Chardonnay blocks and process them without additives. The Limestone block was whole-bunch pressed, preserving its delicate minerality, while the Clay block was foot-crushed before pressing to enhance texture. Each block was fermented naturally in French oak barriques, guided by wild yeasts through primary fermentation. The wine was then left undisturbed over the winter months, with natural malolactic fermentation beginning in early spring, adding layers of complexity and texture. After ten months of aging, the wine was estate-bottled without fining."

Reviews for the 2024 vintage below…

95/100 Susie Barrie MW & Peter Richards MW (UK), Susie & Peter New Zealand Wines of the Year 2026 (2024 Vintage)
"Where the Erin’s Chardonnay (see above) is a richer, bolder, mature style, this straight Chardonnay from Greystone is altogether fresher and lither. The vineyards lie in the Omihi Hills of Waipara and this wine is a blend of two distinct vineyard blocks – one rooted in limestone, the other in clay. The clay from the lower slopes gives richness and fruit intensity while the limestone from higher elevations delivers vibrancy and length. Each block was made slightly differently (the clay block was foot-crushed, for what it’s worth), before the wine was aged in French oak barrels (22% new) for 10 months. The 2024 vintage was naturally low yielding and intense, and this wine definitely has a mouthwatering acidity and lip-smacking finish, with elegant mealy toasty nutty complexity as well as orange rind hints to boot. A refreshing, elegant, mineral style with a touch of salinity on the finish."

17/20 Julia Harding MW, JancisRobinson.com, May 2026 (2024 Vintage)
"The most aromatic of the Chardonnays in this line-up so far: riper-fruited – lime and peach – and subtle oak. Less subtle on the palate, though the orange-tinged citrus is deep and rich enough to balance the oak flavours. With air, spicier. Chewy, generous and well balanced between fruit and structure. Long, refreshing finish."