Tony Bish Releases
"Tony Bish made his reputation as winemaker for Sacred Hill in Hawke’s Bay. While he remains a consultant and a shareholder in the company, his interests have moved away from the direction that Sacred Hill have taken (they now have a large focus on Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc, and crushed 7000 tons last vintage in the region). Tony has turned to his first love, Chardonnay, and is now making a stunning range of wines from an urban winery in Napier.
He started his own project in 2013. ‘I began with what I knew I could sell,’ he says. The first wine was a $20 called Fat and Sassy, and it was a hit. The first vintage was 500 cases, but next year he’ll be up to 5000, and he’s protected the brand by not doing grocery and never discounting.
The impetus for going alone was a trip to South America with Rod Easthope and Warren Gibson. They’d all being discussing their ambitions on the trip, which solidified his desire to do his own thing. And meeting Alvaro Espinoza and seeing the results he had with locally made concrete eggs also piqued his interest.
So he began his own winery and also began experimenting with manufacturing concrete eggs, working with a local expert called Josh Winters. Now, using and selling concrete eggs is part of his business. They hold 1600 litres and cost NZ$14 000, which undercuts the imported rival Sonoma Cast Stone by $6000. ‘We are selling them across the country,’ says Tony, who says he has first-to-market advantage in selling and using eggs.
In pride of place in the winery is the Taransaud Ovum, a 2000 litre wooden egg. Tony’s yet-to-be-released Zen Chardonnay is the first Chardonnay in the world to have been made exclusively in an Ovum. The Zen Chardonnay is a profound wine that may be the best New Zealand Chardonnay I have tried."
- Jamie Goode

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2019 Tony Bish Zen Chardonnay
Raymond Chan
The latest release of Tony Bish's limited edition top Chardonnay, under a label which Jamie Goode has said "may be the best NZ Chardonnay I have ever tried". Presented in a stunning black box, ... read more$140.00 in mixed 6+ or $155.00 per bottle -
2019 Tony Bish Skin in the Game (Skin-Ferment) Chardonnay
Richard Caro
A skin-fermented example of Tony Bish's extreme Chardonnay expertise. This deliciously dry but complex white was fermented on skins, then drained off them to his famous egg vessel. (So it is ... read more$29.99 in mixed 6+ or $33.99 per bottle -
2019 Tony Bish Golden Egg Chardonnay
Cameron Douglas MS
A totally unique Kiwi Chardonnay. Top fruit from Te Awanga is fermented in a weird new device, an egg-shaped concrete vat. This shape creates a plump, rounded Chardonnay due to extra contact ... read more$35.99 in mixed 6+ or $39.99 per bottle -
2019 Tony Bish 'Heartwood' Hawkes Bay Chardonnay
Cameron Douglas MS
Another gorgeous, gently hedonistic Chardonnay from master Chardonnay winemaker, Tony Bish. Superb sources of Tony's favourite Mendoza clone of Chardonnay are hand-picked and fermented in the ... read more$29.99 in mixed 6+ or $33.99 per bottle -
2019 Tony Bish Fat n Sassy Hawkes Bay Chardonnay
Sam Kim
The name says it all – this Chardy is fat and sassy, old school style. As the legendary ex head winemaker at Sacred Hill, Tony Bish is an acknowledged expert in Chardonnay. Expert barrel and ... read more$20.99 in mixed 6+ or $23.99 per bottle -
2019 Tony Bish Skeetfield Hawkes Bay Chardonnay
Raymond Chan
A deeply impressive Chardonnay from Tony Bish. Tony has a special love of the Mendoza Chardonnay clone, which is showcased here in full-textured glory. Old vine, dry-grown fruit from Hawkes ... read more$53.99 in mixed 6+ or $59.99 per bottle