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

-
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 -
2020 The Hunting Lodge Vibrant Sauvignon Blanc
Sam Kim
A great discount on a high-scoring Sauvignon Blanc. The Chardonnay in this range has become one of our best sellers, and now The Hunting Lodge are offering us this quality Marlborough Sauvignon ... read moreElsewhere up to $21.99 Save $7.00 $14.99 in mixed 6+ or $16.99 per bottle -
2020 Rifle Range Hawkes Bay Chardonnay
Richard Caro
CHARDONNAY DEAL OF THE DECADE! This is a rare Caro's Clean Skin offering! Taste the quality and depth that can only come from a famous area in a great vintage like 2020. Thanks to a lucky turn ... read more$21.99 in mixed 6+ or $24.99 per bottle -
2021 Tony Bish Golden Egg Chardonnay
Richard Caro
A totally unique Kiwi Chardonnay. Top fruit from Te Awanga is fermented in a fascinating new device, an egg-shaped concrete vat. This shape creates a plump, rounded Chardonnay due to extra ... read more$35.99 in mixed 6+ or $39.99 per bottle -
2020 The Hunting Lodge Expressions HB Chardonnay
Sam Kim
A nice price to pay for this proper Hawkes Bay Chardonnay (it is heavily discounted). with a beautiful array of rich textures and flinty stone fruit flavours, this stylish Chardonnay is a ... read moreElsewhere up to $26.99 Save $9.00 $17.99 in mixed 6+ or $19.99 per bottle -
2021 Tony Bish Fat n Sassy Hawkes Bay Chardonnay
Sam Kim
The name says it all. This Chardonnay 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$21.99 in mixed 6+ or $24.99 per bottle -
2021 Tony Bish Heartwood Hawkes Bay Chardonnay
Sam Kim
Another deliciously classic Chardonnay from master Chardonnay winemaker, Tony Bish. Superb sources of Tony's favourite Mendoza clone of Chardonnay are hand-picked and fermented in the selected ... read more$33.99 in mixed 6+ or $37.99 per bottle