95 Points | Andrew Caillard MW"Deep crimson. Beautiful pure blackberry, graphite aromas with hints of black pepper and spice. Smooth and buoyant with fresh blackberry, mulberry fruits, fine slinky tannins and underlying roasted chestnut notes. Finishes chocolaty and minerally. Superb fruit definition and flow."99 Points | Ken Gargett"Right from the very beginning of the Craggy Range adventure, this wine has been my favourite of their range. I know others disagree and look to other options (plenty of late-night discussions have failed to resolve this, so I urge you to make up your own mind), but for me, this stands up, year after year after year. That said, I'm not sure if it has ever stood taller than in the wonderful 2024 vintage. This is a brilliant wine and if it is not on your bucketlist then it should be. The name reflects the soil. The fruit comes from the stoniest areas of their Gimblett Gravels vineyard, which was planted to what they term a ‘heritage clone’, which came to New Zealand back in the 1840s. Maturation was for a year and a half in a mix of French and Austrian oak, 29% of which was new. An opaque yet vibrant purple/maroon hue with a dark magenta edge. Beautifully refined, this is all class. Imagine if you could take what's best about New World Shiraz and Old World Syrah and blend them into something even more special. The wine has exquisite balance and aromas of chocolate, mocha, leather, cloves, cassis, animal flesh, truffles, violets, licorice, bergamot and coffee beans. Well focused with great length, we see hints of bacon fat and cocoa powder emerging on the palate. Despite this cornucopia of flavours, the wine is at all times regally elegant and yet the intensity never wavers for a moment. Such length. Finishing with silky tannins, the seductive texture runs throughout, and the wine should drink magnificently over the next fifteen to twenty-five years. A stunning Syrah and time might just get it over the hump to that perfect score, although it does seem a little churlish not to award it now. Wonderful stuff."97 Points | Stephen Wong MW, The Real Review"Deep violet. Decadent clouds of cedar, vanilla and whipped cream surround the dense, sweet core of violet, plum and blackberry with inchoate notes of molasses and cinnamon lurking in the wings. This is on another level of concentration, exploding across the palate with waves of black fruit, olive, spice and creamy wood and hiding an impressive amount of structured, grippy tannin under the sweetness and plush velvet. Entirely primary at this stage, this can develop over the long termbut could equally be enjoyed for its exuberance in its youth due to the puppy fat."

97 Points | Andrew Caillard MW"Medium deep crimson. Pure black cherry, raspberry, strawberry aromas with vanilla notes. Supple and silky textured with ample black cherry pastille, raspberry, strawberry fruits, loose knit lacy textures and well-balanced vanilla, marzipan notes. Finishes with a light tannin plume. Superb fragrance, fruit definition and oak integration, while showing lovely gentle vigour and impact."97 Points | Ken Gargett"From the Martinborough region in New Zealand, which makes some of the world’s best Pinot Noir, the fruit here hails from the wonderful Te Muna vineyard, which is now twenty-five years of age. The name, ‘Aroha’ is Maori for love. And it is simply impossible not to love this wine. From the brilliant 2024 vintage, fermentation was with wild yeasts. The team fermented 85% whole clusters in French oak, while the component which was from clone 114 was fermented in a combination of French oak and sandstone amphorae. Maturation was for a further fourteen months. I can't remember a better example of this wine from any past vintage. A purple/blue hue, the nose offers a wonderful array of aromas, weaving through cherries, truffles, violets, wild raspberries, leaf litter and notes of freshly baked blackberry pie, just emerging from the oven. We are already seeing some early complexity and, no doubt, that will increase enormously over the coming years. The structure is seamless, the balance impeccable, and the concentration beautifully defined. A wine of focus and energy with great length through to satiny tannins on a lingering finish. Stunning stuff and for me the finest Aroha I can recall. A fifteen-year proposition." 97 Points | Stephen Wong MW, The Real Review"Deep ruby with a hint of purple. Concentrated yet defined aromas of black raspberry, cherry and violet with an undercoat of cinnamon oak. There is a strictness here which comes from youth. The palate is densely concentrated and firmly structured but already displays a cornucopia of fruit and spice. Very long with a melting mouthfeel and great intensity,this impressive, modern expression of pinot noir is going to go the distance, richly rewarding those with the willpower to wait. Grand vin."

95 Points | Andrew Caillard MW"Medium deep crimson. Classical blackcurrant pastille, dark plum aromas with mocha/ vanilla notes. Beautifully balanced wine with inky smooth cassis, black cherry pastille fruits, fine grainy tannins and well-balanced mocha vanilla notes. Finishes cedar firm and long with plentiful mineral notes. A singular claret style with lovely depth, richness and vigour."95 Points | Ken Gargett"From the Gimblett Gravels sub-region in Hawkes Bay, Merlot (79%) is always dominant in this wine, supported by Cabernet Franc (14%) and Cabernet Sauvignon (7%). Each block of fruit used was matured separately in French oak before blending took place and the final wine then spent a further six months in oak. Another in the brilliant assembly of Craggy Range wines from the 2024 vintage, for me, the best collection they have ever released. Deep blood red with a dark crimson edge, the nose exhibits aromas of plums, tobacco leaves, chocolate, cedar, warm earth, mushrooms, coffee grinds, aniseed, leather, animal skins and blackberries. There is savouriness here, but everything is kept well in check. A wine of power and focus with great intensity and direction, there is a line of bright acidity running the full journey through to the sleek tannins on a lingering and persistent finish. Enjoy over the next twenty years."96 Points | Stephen Wong MW, The Real Review"Packed with dense layers of blackberry, blackcurrant, truffle, leather and smoky oak, this brooding and backward red is seriously concentrated and structured. Very submerged yet firm, structural tannins provide a framework for the intense and long flavours of black fruit, olive, cocoa and warm earth to unfold over the impressive finish. A seam of vibrant acidity runs right through the wine, carrying more vital elements of redcurrant, floral and tangy freshness to balance the power and densityon display. One for the long haul, yet it should be approachable on the earlier side, if desired, especially if oak doesn't bother you. Serious stuff."

2024 Les Beaux Cailloux

97 Points | Andrew Caillard MW"Pale colour. Expressive flinty grapefruit, tonic water aromas with sea breezy notes. Well concentrated and creamy textured with fresh grapefruit, bitter lemon flavours, fine loose knit silky tannins, underlying crème brulée, vanilla notes and fresh crisp acidity. Finishes long and supple with flinty/ minerally notes. Very stylish and classic. Drink now – keep for a while."96 Points | Ken Gargett"Granted there is a price dip discrepancy between top Chardonnays like this and Sauvignon Blanc, but it seems so harsh to think that whenever New Zealand wine is mentioned around the globe, first thoughts always turn to Sauvignon Blanc. And yet here we have an absolutely brilliant Chardonnay, and there are others, which should surely take centre stage. The lesson? Never neglect the great Chardonnays from New Zealand. For me, I can't recall a better LBC than this one. I'm not sure why it needs a French name, but that apparently means ‘beautiful pebbles’. 2024 is simply a brilliant vintage. The best parcels in the vineyard were selected and whole bunch pressed to stainless steel before racking to French oak for fermentation with wild yeasts. Maturation was for eleven months in oak on full lees. The wine was then racked into stainless steel for a further four months. The Gimblett Gravels sub-region in Hawkes Bay may be seen as a special red district, but it can also produce some glorious Chardonnays, and this wine surely sits alongside the better Premier Cru Chardonnays from Burgundy, and a few Grand Cru as well. The big difference between those wines and this one is that they are normally two or three times, at least, more expensive. A shimmering pale lemon/gold, this is a Chardonnay of serious class. The nose reveals notes of lemon curd, citrus, a flick of grapefruit, jasmine, ginger, nectarines, peach pits and cashews. Exquisitely balanced, touches of gunflint and matchstick emerge with time in the glass. Put simply, as good an LBC as I can ever recall. Seamless in structure, with great length and a line of fine acidity, this will provide pleasure for the next ten to fifteen years. Love it."95 Points | Stephen Wong MW, The Real Review"Flinty with lemon pith and grapefruit aromas, this is a modern, reductive chardonnay which manages to avoid the archetype's harder edges and excesses. The fruit is creamy and round under the chalkiness, even suggesting a note of mirabelle and apricot on the finish before submerging under the phenolics and smoke. At an awkward stage presently, it will needanother couple of years to resolve and come out the other side but there is enough material and length here to justify the wait."

WINE & VINEYARD

2024 Prestige Collection

Our Prestige wines represent the pinnacle of our terroir and winemaking, meticulously crafted from select blocks of our single vineyard estates.

The 2024 release marks our 25th harvest, and the first vintage guided by Chief Winemaker Ben Tombs.

Our single vineyard estates of the Gimblett Gravels in Hawke’s Bay and Te Muna in Martinborough produce wines of profound character and have a depth of identity that are unique to where they are grown. Safeguarded by a 1,000 year family trust, that ambition continues to guide us today.

"With vine age across both sites now surpassing 25-years, I feel the 2024 Prestige Release brings a deeper sense of understanding to these sites " - Chief Winemaker Ben Tombs

Vintage 2024

Following two weather-challenged vintages for the North Island, a welcome shift to El Niño for New Zealand in early summer brought consistently dry conditions and high diurnal temperature swings. Bunch and berry sizes were significantly reduced, leading to very low yields across all parcels.

While yields across our sites were exceptionally small, the fruit produced in the 2024 season carried remarkable concentration and presence. These near-perfect conditions allowed a true and raw expression with minimal intervention in the winery, and the detail of provenance in these wines, is well defined.

"This outstanding collection highlights the significance of custodianship, investment and succession, while showing the fidelity of vineyard sites in the Gimblett Gravels and Martinborough." - Andrew Caillard MW

Reviews & Accolades

95 Points | Andrew Caillard MW
"Deep crimson. Beautiful pure blackberry, graphite aromas with hints of black pepper and spice. Smooth and buoyant with fresh blackberry, mulberry fruits, fine slinky tannins and underlying roasted chestnut notes. Finishes chocolaty and minerally. Superb fruit definition and flow."

99 Points | Ken Gargett
"Right from the very beginning of the Craggy Range adventure, this wine has been my favourite of their range. I know others disagree and look to other options (plenty of late-night discussions have failed to resolve this, so I urge you to make up your own mind), but for me, this stands up, year after year after year. That said, I'm not sure if it has ever stood taller than in the wonderful 2024 vintage. This is a brilliant wine and if it is not on your bucketlist then it should be. The name reflects the soil. The fruit comes from the stoniest areas of their Gimblett Gravels vineyard, which was planted to what they term a ‘heritage clone’, which came to New Zealand back in the 1840s. Maturation was for a year and a half in a mix of French and Austrian oak, 29% of which was new.
An opaque yet vibrant purple/maroon hue with a dark magenta edge. Beautifully refined, this is all class. Imagine if you could take what's best about New World Shiraz and Old World Syrah and blend them into something even more special. The wine has exquisite balance and aromas of chocolate, mocha, leather, cloves, cassis, animal flesh, truffles, violets, licorice, bergamot and coffee beans. Well focused with great length, we see hints of bacon fat and cocoa powder emerging on the palate. Despite this cornucopia of flavours, the wine is at all times regally elegant and yet the intensity never wavers for a moment. Such length. Finishing with silky tannins, the seductive texture runs throughout, and the wine should drink magnificently over the next fifteen to twenty-five years. A stunning Syrah and time might just get it over the hump to that perfect score, although it does seem a little churlish not to award it now. Wonderful stuff."
97 Points | Stephen Wong MW, The Real Review
"Deep violet. Decadent clouds of cedar, vanilla and whipped cream surround the dense, sweet core of violet, plum and blackberry with inchoate notes of molasses and cinnamon lurking in the wings. This is on another level of concentration, exploding across the palate with waves of black fruit, olive, spice and creamy wood and hiding an impressive amount of structured, grippy tannin under the sweetness and plush velvet. Entirely primary at this stage, this can develop over the long termbut could equally be enjoyed for its exuberance in its youth due to the puppy fat."

97 Points | Andrew Caillard MW
"Medium deep crimson. Pure black cherry, raspberry, strawberry aromas with vanilla notes. Supple and silky textured with ample black cherry pastille, raspberry, strawberry fruits, loose knit lacy textures and well-balanced vanilla, marzipan notes. Finishes with a light tannin plume. Superb fragrance, fruit definition and oak integration, while showing lovely gentle vigour and impact."

97 Points | Ken Gargett
"From the Martinborough region in New Zealand, which makes some of the world’s best Pinot Noir, the fruit here hails from the wonderful Te Muna vineyard, which is now twenty-five years of age. The name, ‘Aroha’ is Maori for love. And it is simply impossible not to love this wine. From the brilliant 2024 vintage, fermentation was with wild yeasts. The team fermented 85% whole clusters in French oak, while the component which was from clone 114 was fermented in a combination of French oak and sandstone amphorae. Maturation was for a further fourteen months. I can't remember a better example of this wine from any past vintage.
A purple/blue hue, the nose offers a wonderful array of aromas, weaving through cherries, truffles, violets, wild raspberries, leaf litter and notes of freshly baked blackberry pie, just emerging from the oven. We are already seeing some early complexity and, no doubt, that will increase enormously over the coming years. The structure is seamless, the balance impeccable, and the concentration beautifully defined. A wine of focus and energy with great length through to satiny tannins on a lingering finish. Stunning stuff and for me the finest Aroha I can recall. A fifteen-year proposition."

97 Points | Stephen Wong MW, The Real Review
"Deep ruby with a hint of purple. Concentrated yet defined aromas of black raspberry, cherry and violet with an undercoat of cinnamon oak. There is a strictness here which comes from youth. The palate is densely concentrated and firmly structured but already displays a cornucopia of fruit and spice. Very long with a melting mouthfeel and great intensity,this impressive, modern expression of pinot noir is going to go the distance, richly rewarding those with the willpower to wait. Grand vin."

95 Points | Andrew Caillard MW
"Medium deep crimson. Classical blackcurrant pastille, dark plum aromas with mocha/ vanilla notes. Beautifully balanced wine with inky smooth cassis, black cherry pastille fruits, fine grainy tannins and well-balanced mocha vanilla notes. Finishes cedar firm and long with plentiful mineral notes. A singular claret style with lovely depth, richness and vigour."

95 Points | Ken Gargett
"From the Gimblett Gravels sub-region in Hawkes Bay, Merlot (79%) is always dominant in this wine, supported by Cabernet Franc (14%) and Cabernet Sauvignon (7%). Each block of fruit used was matured separately in French oak before blending took place and the final wine then spent a further six months in oak. Another in the brilliant assembly of Craggy Range wines from the 2024 vintage, for me, the best collection they have ever released.
Deep blood red with a dark crimson edge, the nose exhibits aromas of plums, tobacco leaves, chocolate, cedar, warm earth, mushrooms, coffee grinds, aniseed, leather, animal skins and blackberries. There is savouriness here, but everything is kept well in check. A wine of power and focus with great intensity and direction, there is a line of bright acidity running the full journey through to the sleek tannins on a lingering and persistent finish. Enjoy over the next twenty years."

96 Points | Stephen Wong MW, The Real Review
"Packed with dense layers of blackberry, blackcurrant, truffle, leather and smoky oak, this brooding and backward red is seriously concentrated and structured. Very submerged yet firm, structural tannins provide a framework for the intense and long flavours of black fruit, olive, cocoa and warm earth to unfold over the impressive finish. A seam of vibrant acidity runs right through the wine, carrying more vital elements of redcurrant, floral and tangy freshness to balance the power and densityon display. One for the long haul, yet it should be approachable on the earlier side, if desired, especially if oak doesn't bother you. Serious stuff."

97 Points | Andrew Caillard MW
"Pale colour. Expressive flinty grapefruit, tonic water aromas with sea breezy notes. Well concentrated and creamy textured with fresh grapefruit, bitter lemon flavours, fine loose knit silky tannins, underlying crème brulée, vanilla notes and fresh crisp acidity. Finishes long and supple with flinty/ minerally notes. Very stylish and classic. Drink now – keep for a while."
96 Points | Ken Gargett
"Granted there is a price dip discrepancy between top Chardonnays like this and Sauvignon Blanc, but it seems so harsh to think that whenever New Zealand wine is mentioned around the globe, first thoughts always turn to Sauvignon Blanc. And yet here we have an absolutely brilliant Chardonnay, and there are others, which should surely take centre stage. The lesson? Never neglect the great Chardonnays from New Zealand. For me, I can't recall a better LBC than this one. I'm not sure why it needs a French name, but that apparently means ‘beautiful pebbles’. 2024 is simply a brilliant vintage. The best parcels in the vineyard were selected and whole bunch pressed to stainless steel before racking to French oak for fermentation with wild yeasts. Maturation was for eleven months in oak on full lees. The wine was then racked into stainless steel for a further four months. The Gimblett Gravels sub-region in Hawkes Bay may be seen as a special red district, but it can also produce some glorious Chardonnays, and this wine surely sits alongside the better Premier Cru Chardonnays from Burgundy, and a few Grand Cru as well. The big difference between those wines and this one is that they are normally two or three times, at least, more expensive.
A shimmering pale lemon/gold, this is a Chardonnay of serious class. The nose reveals notes of lemon curd, citrus, a flick of grapefruit, jasmine, ginger, nectarines, peach pits and cashews. Exquisitely balanced, touches of gunflint and matchstick emerge with time in the glass. Put simply, as good an LBC as I can ever recall. Seamless in structure, with great length and a line of fine acidity, this will provide pleasure for the next ten to fifteen years. Love it."
95 Points | Stephen Wong MW, The Real Review
"Flinty with lemon pith and grapefruit aromas, this is a modern, reductive chardonnay which manages to avoid the archetype's harder edges and excesses. The fruit is creamy and round under the chalkiness, even suggesting a note of mirabelle and apricot on the finish before submerging under the phenolics and smoke. At an awkward stage presently, it will needanother couple of years to resolve and come out the other side but there is enough material and length here to justify the wait."

Learn more about the 2024 Prestige Release, as Chief Winemaker Ben Tombs and Executive Director David T. Peabody discuss the stories behind an incredible vintage.

VIEW VIDEO