Church Road is one of the oldest wineries in New Zealand. Led by legendary winemaker Tom McDonald, they were one of the first to craft exceptional Bordeaux-style red wine in Hawkes Bay. Today, they still maintain Toms vision of quality and craft in all the wines they make. Church Roads commitment to centuries-old winemaking techniques using French oak wine vats and French oak barriques remains undiminished. The winery is celebrating Tom McDonalds vision and legacy with the Church Road McDonald Series, complex, textural wines that are a fitting tribute to a legend whose influence is still felt today. This is a serious, multidimensional Merlot. The heart of this wine is its dense, brooding plum and dark berry fruit. This is complimented by lifted aromas reminiscent of roses, cedar, sandalwood and warm spice, while the oak delivers underlying dark chocolate and savoury notes. The palate is rich, weighty and long driven by a firm yet fine-grained tannin structure.

Church Road is one of Hawke's Bay's pioneering wineries, and its McDonald Series wines celebrate one of its original owners from the early 1900s, Tom McDonald, and his entrepreneurial spirit. New for Vintage Cellars, Church Road McDonald Series Pinot Gris is a hedonistic style with its rich perfume and texture and a seductive natural sweetness balanced by a touch of spice on the finish. Appealing ripe pear, peach, rose petal, ginger and warm spice aromas are evident on the nose, complimented by subtle creamy complexity. On the palate the wine is lush and full bodied with a moderate level of sweetness balanced by gentle acidity and a touch of ginger spice on the finish.

Each vintage we select small batches of exceptional grapes which we craft into our Small Parcels range. This Chardonnay reflects the elegant landscape surrounding our Hawke’s Bay vineyards as well as the complexity of the wild fermentation method. Stone fruit and citrus aromas are enhanced by baking spice and brioche from regular battonage in fine French oak barriques. Concentrated, taut and mineral with a silken texture. Honeysuckle blossoms and vanilla with toasted hazelnuts and a hint of butter. This wine has well balanced acidity which leaves the palate refreshed.

Dont miss this rare chance to secure a magnificent wine from a top producer thats in seriously short supply. Made by an acclaimed winemaker at the top of their game, this is a slice of wine history you dont want to miss. Add it to your collection while you can.

Rich, creamy and quite concentrated chardonnay with peach, hazelnut, bran biscuit and savoury, nutty yeast lees flavours. A seamless and satisfying wine that is deliciously approachable now but promises to age well. Alcohol: 13%. Closure: screwcap. Drink: 2019-2024. Rating: 95/100.

Tasting Note: Deep garnet with crimson edges. Aromatically, blueberry, lavender, aniseed, and a flicker of black pepper. The palate is vivid and finely structured: lush fruit threaded with tannin and tension.

Te Kahu is a wine of richness, with lovely black fruit flavours, hints of spice and long, fine graceful finish. From gravelly soil, it is made very much in the image of good Bordeaux.

Te Mata make some sublime Bordeaux style red wines and we've been blessed in recent years with some outstanding vintages. This years release has wonderful floral aromas with intense blackberry, currant and dark plum flavours lead to a rich supple palate with a sustained finish.

Trinity Hill Gimblett Gravels Chardonnay, Hawkes Bay The lions share of Trinity Hills grapes comes from the Gimblett Gravels region, in the lee of Roys Hill. The gravelly soils were left behind by the Ngaruroro River as it changed course over time. The low fertility soils offer little kindness to the vines, forcing them to work and work to produce small crops of great flavour and aromatic concentration. The low fertility soils offer little kindness to the vines, forcing them to work and work to produce small crops of great flavour and aromatic concentration. The Trinity Hill Gimblett Gravels Chardonnay shows a tight structure and shape, intensity and finesse.