Champion Chardonnay at the New World Wine Awards

We are over the moon to announce that our cult-favourite te Pā 2024 Chardonnay has been awarded a gold medal, a spot in the New World Wine Awards Top 30... and, it's also taken out the top spot as the Champion Chardonnay of the whole show! 

Our te Pā Chardonnay has received top honours in this highly competitive wine show numerous times over the years, including previously as Champion White Wine of the Show, demonstrating the quality of this wine is consistently at the top of its game, year after year. 

The major trophy win in a fierce competition comes at a time when New Zealand wine is showing off how good we are at making other wine varietals, as well as the unique style of Sauvignon Blanc that made the country famous for its wine production. Chardonnay is one of the strongest performing wines outside Sauvignon Blanc, showing off an impressive 13% growth in export volumes in the last 12 months. 

Tasting note

Our Champion Chardonnay is described by New World as "An elegant Chardonnay for someone who enjoys richer whites."

Our chief winemaker Sam Bennett described the wine as; 

"This elegant Chardonnay has enticing undertones of smoky driftwood, almond pastry, and a hint of oatmeal which weaves in and around the vibrant citrus blossom aromatics.

Limey acidity, paired with a nougat and mineral inspired palate sits perfectly alongside the finest oak layers. A graceful, refined and stylish chardonnay."

Winemaking

The fruit for this stunning single vineyard Chardonnay was handpicked then whole bunch pressed directly to barrel, 35% of which were new barrels, selected from our most trusted French coopers. 

These barrels tend to have long, light toasting profiles, which integrate respectfully with the fruit. The wine was left on fermentation lees for maturation, with a complete malo-lactic fermentation kicking off in spring. This Chardonnay was then blended and filtered, prior to bottling on February 26th, 2025.

Food pairing ideas

Chardonnay is one of the most versatile wines out there, when it comes to pairing it with food. 

We love Chardonnay served with fresh crayfish, with some herby garlic butter and a simple squeeze of lemon. Can't find crayfish? Prawns will make a great pairing as well. 

If a classic roast chicken is on the menu, Chardonnay is a classic wine option. For something a little more naughty, we love this wine with a creamy pasta dish (and if you want to add a decadent touch of shaved truffle or truffle oil, go right ahead). 

Stockist info

This Champion Chardonnay will be available in New World supermarkets and online, from October 5th. We have priced it sharply at under NZD$20 so that you can enjoy this Champion drop without breaking the bank. But keep in mind, this wine is here for a good time, not a long time, and with limited volumes available, we recommend you grab a bottle (or two) before it all sells out!

For any trade inquiries, please talk to our friends at Beverage Brothers for all New Zealand distribution. For any international stockists queries please get in touch directly via mikela@tepawines.com. 

Huge thanks to the team at the New World Wine Awards for the aroha, and congratulations to all of the other winning wines in the competition.