Global wine critic James Suckling has singled out the quality to price value of top New Zealand Chardonnay in his latest list of the world’s best value wines, naming six NZ Chardonnays in the Top 100, with one included in the Top 10 and selected as the best value Chardonnay in the world.
“Showing why Chardonnay is clearly the premium white grape in New Zealand over sauvignon blanc, Te Mata Elston Chardonnay Hawke’s Bay 2024 combines depth and balance with freshness and clarity. Its wide international availability further strengthens its value proposition.”
Nick Buck, CEO of Te Mata Estate, said “Chardonnay is the world’s favourite white wine style. For our Te Mata Elston Chardonnay to be singled out as the best value Chardonnay and named in the Top 10 is fantastic, and the depth of quality to price on offer in New Zealand Chardonnay is really reinforced with six wines selected in the Top 100.”
Besides Te Mata Elston Chardonnay 2024 at #4, the other NZ Chardonnays are:
#15 – Ata Rangi, P?tiki Chardonnay, 2024
#18 – Mount Difficulty, Ghost Town Chardonnay, 2023
#37 – Paritua, Willow Chardonnay, 2024
#46 – Pegasus Bay, Virtuoso Chardonnay, 2021
#56 – The Landing, Chardonnay, 2024
Incredibly, New Zealand has a total of 13 wines named in Top 100 list, an amazing result for a country that produces less than 1% of the world’s wine. The other Kiwi wines included three Sauvignon Blancs, two Pinot Noirs, and two other varieties.
Nick adds “Eight of New Zealand’s 13 wines are from the excellent 2024 vintage which the James Suckling team have highlighted for its incredible quality, describing them as “the wines of a lifetime”. These are on the market now and getting snapped up everywhere; New Zealand wine lovers have never had it so good.”
Read about the top 100 Value Wines here:
https://www.jamessuckling.com/wine-tasting-reports/top-100-value-wines-2025-everyday-gems
One of the largest, and most respected, wine review websites in the world, James Suckling’s team reviewed 45,000 wines in 2025, commenting that the Top 100 Value Wines of 2025 may be one of the strongest lists yet.
Background – Established in 1896, Te Mata Estate remains family owned, producing internationally recognized wines exclusively from its historic, Hawke’s Bay vineyards. Critically acclaimed, Te Mata Estate wines enjoy a dedicated following throughout New Zealand.
Available in over 40 countries, they represent the best of New Zealand wine to an international audience.
