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Buy OnlineThe Vino Fino team were fortunate enough to visit Pyramid Valley recently, and we were reminded just what an extraordinary place it is. Among the wines we tasted was this exceptional Chardonnay, which has an added point of interest for the 2024 vintage. For the first time, it includes a meaningful proportion of fruit from the young vines planted at Pyramid Valley's famous Waikari home vineyard.
And just how good is it? In a recent blind tasting alongside some of Burgundy's finest Chardonnays, the renowned Jancis Robinson mistook this for top-quality white Burgundy, awarding it 17.5/20 (A high score for Jancis!). At $42.99, that's quite an endorsement!
This is a beautifully refined, mineral-driven style of Chardonnay, where elegance and complexity take precedence over overt richness. Subtle citrus, stonefruit, chamomile and delicate herbal notes unfold gradually, supported by a fine, chalky texture and a distinctive saline character. There's real concentration here, but it's the vibrant acidity, precision and long, focused finish that make such an impression. An outstanding expression of North Canterbury Chardonnay that will only get better with a little time in the cellar.
Winery notes (2024 Vintage)
"The 2023/2024 growing season was shaped by El Niño, bringing warm, dry conditions that produced moderate yields and beautifully ripe fruit. An especially dry finish to the season concentrated flavours and contributed to slightly higher acidities.
This is the first vintage of our North Canterbury Chardonnay to include a meaningful contribution from our new plantings at Waikari, bringing added freshness, tension and a more chiseled feel to the wine. A delicious and refined Chardonnay with a distinctive chalky texture and a lovely saline backbone.
The flavours are subtle yet layered, making this a wine that is more about texture and complexity than overt fruitiness. As the wine opens in the glass, its flavours gradually unfold and gain depth with exposure to air. A Chardonnay of understated power, elegance, and poise. Drink 2026–2030.
The fruit was hand-picked and hand-sorted before being crushed as whole bunches and gently pressed in a horizontal bag press. The juice was homogenised in tank before being transferred, without settling into foudre and barrels (23% new). Fermentation proceeded with ambient yeasts followed by full malolactic conversion. No additions were made, and the wine remained on its lees without sulphur for 12 months. It was then blended and sulphured in April 2025. The wine spent a second winter on light lees in small horizontal stainless steel tanks, allowing natural settling to occur. It was bottled unfined and unfiltered in September 2025 and sealed under screwcap.
17.5/20 Jancis Robinson, JancisRobinson.com, September 2026 (2024 Vintage)
"Tasted blind. Mild and possibly stony. High toned with excellent acidity – a really lovely, well-balanced drink with great intensity but fantastic acidity too. [I thought this was burgundy.]"
94/100 Rebecca Gibb MW, Vinous (2024 Vintage)
"Power meets elegance in the 2024 Chardonnay North Canterbury, which hits all the right notes. Unadulterated winemaking doesn't take away from its purity. The palate is focused and firm while maintaining finesse. A line of ripe, tangy acidity cuts through with bright resonance and direction. An intense concentration of intriguing aromas includes chamomile, lemon and herbs. At this stage, the 2024 is young and raw but serious, showing excellent potential for the future."
