The New Zealand Chardonnay named Wine of the Year at the 2025 London Wine Competition is coming to Australia.

Limited quantities of Isabel Estate Wild Barrique Chardonnay 2022 will be available at Dan Murphy’s from 8 July for $45.99 RRP.

The wine scored 98 points in the competition, taking out a Gold Medal and Chardonnay of the Year in addition to overall Wine of the Year.

The judges described the wine as: “Pale gold in the glass with flinty, reductive notes and bright citrus. The palate offers lees texture, melon fruit, and a clean, pithy finish with structure and finesse.

“Congratulations to the production and commercial teams behind this beautiful release — you’ve truly earned your place on tables, wine lists and cellars around the world.”

Isabel Estate is based in the Marlborough region and is part of Endeavour Drinks Group’s premium wine division, Paragon Wine Estates.

On top of its win at the London Wine Competition, the 2022 vintage release was also named the Champion Chardonnay at the 2023 National Wine Awards of Aotearoa NZ and given a gold medal at the 2023 Marlborough Wine Show.

“There’s no doubt everyone loves a Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc, but what they might not realise is that our region also produces stellar examples of Chardonnay boasting great minerality, acidity and depth,” said Chief Winemaker Jeremy McKenzie (pictured main).

The Isabel Estate Wild Barrique Chardonnay 2022 is crafted from some of the oldest vines planted on the winery’s estate in Marlborough, New Zealand. The fruit undergoes 100% wild fermentation in a mix of puncheons and barriques and then spends a year in barrel and undergoes malolactic fermentation before experiencing extended time on lees.

The resulting wine features notes of melon, citrus, and fig, plus hints of brioche and vanilla for a well-rounded finish.

“We’ve been producing the Wild Barrique Chardonnay since 2016, and every year we find it’s a hit due to its concentration, length and great ageability,” McKenzie said.

“What makes this wine so special is that we keep the fruit in barrel for a whole year before it undergoes malolactic fermentation, which results in that impressive complexity.

“The Isabel Estate Wild Barrique Chardonnay 2022 comes from an exceptional vintage here in Marlborough and the wine is a fantastic example of the fruit purity and terroir-driven styles we produce here at Isabel Estate.”

Isabel Estate. located just outside of Renwick Village in the region’s Wairau Valley, was established in 1980 by pilot Mike
Tiller, making it one of the first wineries in Marlborough on New Zealand’s South Island.