Tony Bish Heartwood Hawkes Bay Chardonnay 2025
Case Buys Only | 6 x 750ml
Tony Bish Heartwood Hawkes Bay Chardonnay is a rich, poised Hawke's Bay Chardonnay that brings ripe nectarine and citrus together with cashew, brioche, gentle spice and a subtle briny edge. The palate is full-bodied and creamy, yet driven by fresh acidity, fine chalky tannins and a long, focused finish. Hand-picked fruit from the Two Terraces and Kokako Farms vineyards gives the wine both depth and lift, while careful French oak fermentation adds texture without overwhelming the fruit. It is polished enough to enjoy now, but has the structure to reward cellaring. Serve it with roast chicken, grilled crayfish or firm white fish in a buttery sauce.
What the winery says:
The Chardonnay was hand-harvested from Mendoza and Clone 548 vines grown at Kokako Farms in the Ohiti Valley and Two Terraces Vineyard in Mangatahi. The fruit was gently whole-bunch pressed, with only the free-run juice fermented in new and seasoned Taransaud French oak barriques. No additions were made before fermentation, and the wine matured in barrel for 11 months before minimal handling for bottling. Lemon zest, grapefruit and citrus blossom meet nutmeg, cinnamon and hints of oyster shell, followed by roasted nectarine, creamy cashew and a fine acid line. The vineyards are managed under the Sustainable Winegrowing New Zealand programme. The wine has an alcohol level of 13.5% and can be cellared for 8 to 10 years.
What the experts say:
Cameron Douglas MS, 94/100 and Excellent (2025)
“A delicious wine with a complex and impactful bouquet of just ripe peach and red apple, a layer of sweet grapefruit and pith then gentle wood spice and baking spices. A dry wine with a definitively textured mouthfeel driven by fine grained tannins, lots of polish emphasised the acid line. Delicious, salivating and ready to drink from day of purchase through 2031.”
Candice Chow, Candice Wine Chat, 94/100 (2025)
“Barrel fermented in Taransaud oak. Well-balanced toasty elements and ripe phenolics enrich the pristine fruit, enlivening acidity provides fluidity and drives an enticing, lifted finish.”
Jacobo García Andrade, JamesSuckling.com, 93/100 (2025)
“This shows aromas of crushed stones, tea, apricots, peaches, white pears and touches of cooked apples, lemon rind and cedar. Medium- to full-bodied and juicy yet creamy in texture, supported by fresh acidity. Well crafted. Drink now. Screw cap.”
