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NZ & International Chardonnay

September 3, 2026 (Cuisine magazine Issue 237)

Wine vintage heavily impacts quality, says MARY-THÉRÈSE BLAIR but consumers win with forty top chardonnays.

BEFORE A WINE TASTING STARTS there’s usually a bit of preamble between the judges and topics often include vintages and how they’ve performed and where, how certain vintages are holding up, newer vintages that are coming through and whether it’s too early to see them. It’s probably becoming evident that the importance of vintage cannot be underestimated in the world of wine. Naturally, predictions are made, which is risky behaviour in a blind tasting as nothing will make you a liar quicker than a solid prediction. I’ve seen significantly more predictions miss than hit, but in this case, the judges were right on the money with their thoughts about top performing vintages and regions. Ultimately it doesn’t matter who was right in the judging room, as the real winner is you – the chardonnay adorer – as we have a whopping forty wines scoring four stars or above in a range of styles, from a variety of regions and vintages ready for your selection.

top NZ & International Chardonnay

Tohu Matangi Chardonnay 2024

AS AN IMMIGRANT who found her true passion for wine here in New Zealand, I am constantly amazed by the influence of the land on the wine. Not in terms of soil and growth, but the inspiration that comes from the love of the land and the indigenous knowledge that we do not own the land but we care for it for future generations. These beliefs thrive in New Zealand, far more than I have witnessed in other countries that were colonised, including my home of Ireland.

The Māori beliefs as they connect to the land is one that I find deeply meaningful and incredibly beautiful. This Tohu Matangi (pronounced mar-tar-ngee) Chardonnay pays homage to the wind, the element that moves through the vines shaping their growth and character. The icon on the label represents the circle of life and the one constant: the winds of change. Mother Nature will decide and those of us on earth must be responsible and resilient in the face of the elements, to work with, not against the rhythms of the earth.

If there is one thing that this chardonnay does most definitely, it is that it whispers like the wind – but don’t mistake the hush for a lack of power. There is an immediate vibrance in the glass with a reserved reduction layered over fresh citrus and savoury notes on the nose. The palate is delicate and refined yet energetic and vibrant with the fruit held in a beautiful balance with the vivid chalky acid, lime and mineral palate and a zippy finish. This is a sophisticated wine that doesn’t need to shout loudly when it can say everything that needs to be said in a gentle, lithe whisper.

| $40
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  • Outstanding 3
  • Excellent 6
  • No Award 40
  • Total Entries 49

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