Awards, Ratings & Reviews
96+ /100 — Erin Larkin · Wine Advocate · 2022 Vintage
"Searingly good." A Chardonnay of remarkable precision, energy and longevity, highlighting the purity and mineral intensity of the Bendigo vineyard.
96/100 — James Suckling · 2022 Vintage
"Hibiscus, orange blossom, flint and lead pencil aromas. Refined and classy with beautiful texture and an elegant finish. Drinkable now but even better in two or three years."
96/100 (★★★★★) — The Real Review · White Wine of the Year NZ 2025
Ranked #4 of 32 Central Otago Chardonnays and recognised as one of New Zealand's finest white wines, praised for its deep mineral character, crystalline acidity and remarkable ageing potential.
About This Wine
The 2022 Prophet's Rock Cuvée Aux Antipodes Blanc is one of New Zealand's most prestigious Chardonnays, created through the acclaimed collaboration between Prophet's Rock winemaker Paul Pujol and legendary Burgundian vigneron François Millet, former winemaker of Domaine Comte Georges de Vogüé. Their shared philosophy brings Burgundian precision together with the distinctive terroir of Central Otago to produce a Chardonnay of extraordinary finesse and longevity.
Fruit is sourced exclusively from the organically farmed Home Vineyard in Bendigo, where ancient schist, clay, quartz and limestone-rich soils create exceptional mineral tension and purity. The outstanding 2022 growing season delivered fruit with remarkable concentration, vibrant natural acidity and impeccable balance, providing the ideal foundation for this limited-production wine.
Winemaking follows a restrained Burgundian philosophy. Indigenous yeast fermentation, extended maturation on lees and ageing in French oak barrels build texture and complexity while preserving the vineyard's crystalline expression. The wine is bottled with minimal intervention, allowing every detail of the site to shine through.
The bouquet reveals white peach, pear, grapefruit and mandarin blossom, layered with brioche, toasted hazelnut, almond meal, oyster shell and subtle flinty reduction. The palate is simultaneously rich and precise, combining creamy texture with vibrant citrus, stone fruit, chalky minerality and saline tension. Bright natural acidity drives an exceptionally long, focused finish that promises decades of graceful evolution.
Already captivating with careful decanting, the 2022 Cuvée Aux Antipodes Blanc Chardonnay will continue to evolve beautifully over the next 15–20 years, rewarding patient collectors with even greater complexity.
Specifications
Vintage: 2022
Grape Variety: 100% Chardonnay
Region: Bendigo, Central Otago, New Zealand
Sweetness: Dry
Maturation: Wild fermented and matured in French oak with extended lees ageing
Closure: Diam Cork
Drinking Window: 2025–2042
