One of Hawke's Bay's newest wines has won three awards and been named Hawkes Bay’s Top Wine of the Year at the Bayley’s Hawke’s Bay Wine Awards.
The wine is the 2021 Čuvar Guardians Chardonnay, which won Best Chardonnay, Best Single Vineyard Wine, and the ultimate title, Champion Wine of the Show. Čuvar Winery is the vision of legendary wine entrepreneur Sir George Fistonich, founder of Villa Maria, who launched the brand in late 2023. The winning wine was made from grapes grown on the Rivermere Vineyard on the Ngaruroro River.
"This award-winning wine is an early indication of more fine Chardonnays to come. It was made from Clone 15 Chardonnay, 100% hand-picked, fermented with natural yeast and matured for 10 months on yeast lees, with a partial natural malolactic fermentation to enhance texture," says Karen Fistonich, Čuvar Winery Executive Director.
"Sir George founded Čuvar Winery to help preserve and nurture the essence of New Zealand fine wine. These awards mark an incredible milestone for the Fistonich family, which inspires them to keep building Hawke’s Bays fine wine story."
My review
18.520
2021 Čuvar Guardians Collection Chardonnay RRP $44.99
This Chardonnay is a winning wine from a winning vintage; 2021 was one of the best in the past decade in Hawke's Bay and a fittingly great one in which to launch a new brand. Čuvar is pronounced choo-var and is the brainchild of Sir George Fistonich, a Chardonnay devotee and pioneer of the modern New Zealand wine industry.
Full bodied, smooth and dry with nutty, creamy nuances balanced by ripe notes of white peach, which are balanced beautifully by citrus notes of lemon and grapefruit.
Available from www.cuvarwinery.com and specialist wine stores.
