Chardonnay may have shrunk (just a tad, I might add) across New Zealand over the past year from 2,879 hectares planted nationwide in 2026 compared to 2,932 last year and 3,114 a decade ago, but winemakers' devotion to making great examples is far from cooling, If anything a slight retreat in plantings in this country has coincided with a sharpened focus to make great Chardonnays everywhere from Auckland to Central Otago. And in Nelson, which ranks seventh out of the 11 wine regions in this country (with 950 hectares of vines), Chardonnay continues to make a statement.
The winery making the biggest statement with Chardonnay is Neudorf. Owned and founded by the Finn family, Neudorf Vineyards continues to prove that when it comes to Chardonnay, quality - rather than quantity - is what counts. These three new release Chardonnays highlight a producer that's doing more than holding its ground when it comes to Chardonnay. As it has done for decades, Neudorf Vineyards continues to raise the bar of quality.
Owned and founded by the Finn family, Neudorf has spent decades championing Chardonnay and the Moutere clay gravels on which its best continue to grow. Those soils, the region's cool maritime climate and high sunshine hours - and the winemaking focus on top quality - all highlight natural concentration and a delectable stone fruit generosity in the wines. What’s striking in 2025 is how clearly each wine expresses its own personality while carrying Neudorf signature of purity, texture and great balance.
New release Neudorf Chardonnays
2025 Neudorf Vineyards Home Block Moutere Chardonnay RRP $95
This is classic Neudorf Moutere Chardonnay with flesh and ripe stone fruit tempered with textural creamy notes and great acid balance bringing length to the smooth mid palate and a long rewarding finish. Layers of citrus, warm freshly picked white peach aromas sit in subtle harmony with suggestions of toasted hazelnuts, almonds and vibrant citrus zest. The 2025 Neudorf Vineyards Home Block Moutere Chardonnay is classic, generous and weighty with delicious freshness and a long life ahead.
2025 Neudorf Vineyards Rosie’s Block Amphora Chardonnay RRP $55
Amphora brings a raw, tactile edge to grapes grown on Rosie's Block with a citrus aroma and notes of nectarine supported by a brisk line of acidity that keeps the wine energetic. There’s a gentle grip and a sense of texture that brings savoury aromas to this Chardonnay and a reminder that Neudorf’s innovation is grounded in curiosity as well as great classics.
2025 Neudorf Vineyards Rosie’s Block Moutere Chardonnay RRP $55
Rosie's Block returns to viewing Chardonnay through a classic frame. Rounded and fleshy, it carries medium body with ease, offering white peach, ripe citrus and a smooth flow on the palate, bearing a clear family resemblance to Home Block Moutere with open, balanced, quietly layered complexity.
These three wines come from one of New Zealand's most Chardonnay-dedicated wineries in Nelson. Neudorf Vineyards has forged a niche for great whites and thoughtful Pinot Noirs and this trio carry that legacy forward.
