Welcome
"Two roads diverged in a wood, and I,
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference." Robert Frost
Spencer Hill specializes in Chardonnay and oak aged Sauvignon Blanc. It is our passion and the wine's that we all prefer.
We love all styles of Chardonnay from big and buttery to elegant and refined....also enjoying pushing the line to wild and a bit funky. No style is wrong if you love Chardonnay. For the first 12 years we chose to submit our wines to competition so that we could firmly state our Chardonnay’s were among the best in the world. We made our point and today continue with what we started…making the best Chardonnay’s we possibly can.
Champion Chardonnay Worldwide – IWSC London
Best Chardonnay of Show – International Chardonnay Challenge (2 times)
Champion White Wine – Sydney Int. Wine Competition
Best Chardonnay of Show – Bragato Wine Show
Best Chardonnay – Cuisine Wine Annual
Champion White Wine – Hong Kong Wine Show
Top Fifty Wines of Year – Bon Appetit Magazine
Best of Nation – San Francisco Wine Show
Champion Chardonnay – Royal Easter Show
Reserve Wine of Show – Air NZ Wine Awards
Champion Chardonnay – Air NZ Wine Awards
Champion White Wine – Liquorland Top 100 Show
Best Chardonnay of Show – Liquorland Top 100 Show
Top Ten Chardonnay’s – Cuisine Magazine
Best NZ and Australian Chardonnay – State of Origin Tasting
Our other passion is oak aged Sauvignon Blanc. Distinctively New Zealand in style, but with a wonderful point of difference. From the delicate style of Pouilly Fume to the full on style of California Fume....we love them all. This was one of the reasons for establishing our vineyards and winery in the Upper Moutere district of Nelson. The dry farmed vineyards, rolling hills with clay loam soil, and warm summers are perfect to give gooseberry and other ripe flavours to our Sauvignon grapes. Our Sauvignon Blanc's have always been made this way and have surprised many.
Here are just a few of the many comments we have received over the years.
“Spencer Hill’s wines are those to get your teeth into, to enjoy and relax with, rather than pose alongside. It is a measure of Spencer Hill’s commitment to quality that it has the basics of balance, finesse and flavour dead right.” Keith Stewart
“Spencer Hill is certainly a leader rather than a follower. The wines are typically concentrated, rich and smooth textured with a variety of complex flavours that impress.” Bob Campbell MW
“Since the first vintage in 1994 Spencer Hill has forged a reputation for outstanding Chardonnay’s” Joelle Thomson
“No other New Zealand Chardonnay has been showered with as many top awards recently as Spencer Hill Tasman Bay Chardonnay. Since the first vintage in 1994 they already have a collection of major trophies from competitions around the world – Auckland, Sydney, Hong Kong, San Francisco, London.” Michael Cooper
Beautiful Chardonnay’s and Fume Blanc from Nelson’s Upper Moutere.