Most wine lovers think of "Sauvignon Blanc" when they hear New Zealand wine. Centered in the Marlborough region, New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc is credited with resetting the standard of the global white wine market with its distinctly refreshing acidity and powerful tropical fruit aromas.
Riding the success of Sauvignon Blanc, New Zealand has established itself as a powerhouse of white wine and built trust for consistently producing dependable quality and a modern style. That is why the nickname "the country of Sauvignon Blanc" naturally follows New Zealand.
Lately, however, the wine industry has begun focusing on the potential of the Chardonnay variety, which had been overshadowed by the spectacular success of Sauvignon Blanc. Some critics call New Zealand Chardonnay "the most underrated variety." They are naming Chardonnay as the next-generation contender to carry on Sauvignon Blanc's reputation.
Wine magazine Decanter recently reevaluated the variety in a column titled "Now is the time to pay attention to New Zealand Chardonnay." According to 2024 data from the New Zealand Winegrowers, Chardonnay accounts for about 9% of total vineyard area and less than 2% of exports. Compared with Sauvignon Blanc, which accounts for 80% of vineyard area and 85% of exports, the numbers look minimal. Even so, New Zealand Chardonnay is said to be showing its best-ever quality, backed by near-perfect growing conditions and increasingly precise winemaking.
If New Zealand Chardonnay used to be somewhat heavy in style, it has recently evolved into a delicate, taut structure. It has transformed into a wine that simultaneously carries the grape's inherent purity, bright acidity, and an elegant, supple complexity.
In particular, Central Otago on New Zealand's South Island, the world's southernmost wine region, has recently produced meaningful results with Chardonnay. With high altitude, extreme diurnal temperature swings, and meager soils, the area offers optimal conditions for grapes to develop both concentrated flavors and razor-sharp acidity.
Dicey, a winery representing the region, is located in Bannockburn in Central Otago. Following Robin Dicey, who established vineyards here in the 1970s, the winery is now run by his two sons, James and Matt Dicey. The elder, James, is a specialist responsible for vineyard management and growing, while the younger, Matt, works as the maker in charge of winemaking.
The Dicey brothers' philosophy is firm. They say their wines "capture time and place and put it in the bottle. We attempt that every harvest." They also noted, "The word dicey, in a dictionary sense, means unpredictable and potentially risky." The expression underscores their aim to avoid artificial processing or excessive technical intervention and to bottle the marks that Bannockburn's natural environment and the vintage's weather leave on the grapes.
The result is Dicey Chardonnay. After harvest, all grapes are foot-crushed and left overnight to extract flavor. The whole clusters are then pressed, and fermentation proceeds with native yeast. In particular, after malolactic fermentation, bâtonnage—stirring the lees—maximizes Chardonnay's signature creamy texture.
On the nose, citrus from the citrus fruit spectrum, yellow peach, and ripe pineapple harmonize. On the palate, abundant fruit juice meets a soft yet multidimensional texture, while lively acidity lends the wine bright tension. The polished structure and long finish speak to the wine's class. Dicey Chardonnay won Best of 2026 in the New World white wine category at the 2026 Korea Wine & Spirits Awards.