Soho's new Marlborough and Waiheke Island Chardonnays
These two new Chardonnays landed on my tasting table this week, highlighting two very different styles from the cool nights and hot days of Marlborough to the moderate maritime climate of Waiheke Island.
Here are my reviews.
2025 Soho Carter Vineyard Waiheke Island Chardonnay RRP $60
Waiheke Island is a subtropical haven in the Hauraki Gulf with a moderate maritime climate and vineyards on which white grapes thrive. It’s also home to the vineyard that delivers the grapes giving concentration, creaminess and breadth to this Chardonnay. The palate full bodied, dry and layered with ripe stone fruit, integrated oak and youthful richness, supported by a rounded structure typical of Waiheke’s capacity for producing powerful polished Chardonnay.
18.5/20
2025 Soho Fleetwood Organic Chardonnay Carter Vineyard Marlborough RRP $35
Made from organically grown vines in Marlborough’s cool, high‑sunshine environment, this Chardonnay has excellent varietal tension and a fresh linearity which cuts through its fleshy mid palate aromas of white peach, citrus pith and dry taste. This wine shows impressive purity with a structure precision and restraint. This is a Chardonnay that balances generosity with clarity, a long finish and freshness in its youth, suggesting it will age and evolve well for the medium term – four to five years.
17.5/20
