Te Kano Waitaki Chardonnay 2023 is a single-vineyard white from Te Kano Estate's site in the Waitaki Valley, North Otago. Expect lifted floral aromas, toasted hazelnut and ripe honeydew, with real cool-climate tension. It was rated 96 POINTS by Sam Kim of Wine Orbit. A great wine for anyone who likes generous, chalky Chardonnay with finesse.
In the glass it first reveals toasty oak and brioche, then layers of tropical fruit. It's generous and mouth-filling at first, and the finish is focused and long.
This is a wine for those of us who enjoy a rich white that still has plenty of energy. This wine would pair well with a creamy mushroom risotto, Te Kano's own suggestion.
It's part of Te Kano's Land Series, which the Estate makes in very small quantities to show the best of each of its subregions.
What it tastes like
This wine has a gorgeous nose of florals, toasted oak and tropical fruit. On the palate it moves from toast and brioche into ripe honeydew, with real weight and richness. The limestone running through the vineyard's alluvial soils gives the wine tension and a distinctive chalky mid-palate, according to Te Kano, and that keeps all the richness in check. It's delicious.
Style at a glance
- Body: full, generous and mouth-filling
- Sweetness: dry
- Acidity: fresh, with a chalky, focused finish
- Oak: toasty oak that adds brioche and hazelnut richness
- Style: rich, chalky, cool-climate Chardonnay
Food to enjoy this with
This is a wine best enjoyed with great food. Good matches include:
- Creamy mushroom risotto
- Roast chicken with tarragon butter
- Pan-fried blue cod with brown butter and capers
- Crayfish or scallops with garlic butter
- Pork fillet with a creamy mustard sauce
- Rockmelon and prosciutto: a surprise, but the melon picks up the ripe honeydew in the wine and the salt in the ham brings out its chalky freshness
Who makes it
Te Kano Estate is owned by the Lloyd family. Te Kano means "the seed" in Māori, and the family's aim is to regenerate land left barren after the 1800s gold rush. Their cellar door sits in the Eliza Vineyard on Felton Road, Bannockburn.
The Estate grew from 5 hectares in Bannockburn to almost 50 hectares across Bannockburn, Northburn and the Waitaki Valley. Just before the 2020 lockdown, Te Kano bought the former Pasquale winery in Kurow, and all Te Kano wines are now made there. The Waitaki vineyard that came with it has 11 hectares of vines, planted on alluvial soils with layers of limestone.
Dave Sutton is Te Kano's winemaker and general manager. He described the Kurow purchase as "serendipity", and has been a strong voice for the Waitaki Valley, which he says has never had the limelight Central Otago has.
About the vintage
Dave Sutton described 2023 in the Waitaki Valley as a season of a cooler summer and a long, warm autumn. In his words, that "made for elegant wines with lots of flavour concentration at lower alcohol levels".
It wasn't easy. NZ Winegrower reported that some growers lost fruit to late-season botrytis (a rot that spreads in damp weather), and pickers were hard to find at critical times. For growers who picked in the right window, Dave Sutton said "the young wines are stunning".
Critic scores and ratings
- 96 POINTS – Sam Kim – Wine Orbit
"Complex and enticing, the bouquet reveals ripe apricot, rockmelon, lemon peel, vanilla, and roasted almond characters, followed by a splendidly weighted palate that's succulent and creamy. Beautifully structured and balanced with a lengthy, sophisticated finish."
- 95 POINTS – Cameron Douglas, MS – camdouglasms.com, June 2026
"Fantastic bouquet with a core of fruit spice and mineral, gun-flint with a limestone and positive-reductive quality, enticing and youthful. Aromas of white flowers and white peach, apples and pears and a seam of fine lees. Lots of weight with a silky touch then backbone of acidity and flavours that mirror the bouquet. Lengthy and delicious with best drinking from late 2026 through 2032+." Rated "Outstanding".
- 95 POINTS – Sammy Wilkinson – The Wine Writer
"Glimmers of tropical pineapple, nectarine and acacia flowers emerge from the restrained and elegant nose, underpinned by a stony mineral freshness. There's a real delicacy and charm to this wine, with beautifully balanced yet powerful flavours of ripe pear, lemon and toasted hazelnut. Despite its concentration, it carries an abundance of freshness and a taut, satisfying energy that drives the palate and lingers long after the last sip. Striking a lovely balance between density and finesse, with a mineral poise that has me questioning whether I'm looking at Burgundy. Top drawer."
When to drink it
It's drinking well now, and Te Kano suggest enjoying it through to 2030. Cameron Douglas, MS sees its best drinking from late 2026 through 2032 and beyond, so a bottle or two in the rack will reward you.
Technical details
| Winery: |
Te Kano Estate |
| Wine: |
Land Series Waitaki Chardonnay |
| Vintage: |
2023 |
| Variety: |
Chardonnay |
| Region: |
Waitaki Valley, North Otago |
| Country: |
New Zealand |
| Alcohol: |
13% |
| Oak: |
Toasted oak |
| Cellaring: |
Drink now to 2030 |
Where to buy
For international delivery to the USA, Australia, UK, Hong Kong, Singapore, Japan, China and South Korea, the Te Kano Waitaki Chardonnay 2023 is available from our winenz.com website. For delivery within New Zealand, buy it from thewineryonline.co.nz. You can also buy it at our Queenstown and Arrowtown wine stores, alongside a large range of New Zealand and international wine. On both websites and in both stores you can select a mixed case from a large range of wines, and if you are visiting from overseas, we can ship it home for you.
Questions we are often asked
What does Te Kano Waitaki Chardonnay 2023 taste like?
Te Kano describe lifted florals, toasted oak, tropical fruit and hazelnut on the nose. The palate moves from toast and brioche to ripe honeydew, with a chalky, focused finish.
How was the Te Kano Waitaki Chardonnay 2023 rated?
Sam Kim of Wine Orbit gave it 96 POINTS. Cameron Douglas, MS rated it 95 POINTS and "Outstanding", and Sammy Wilkinson of The Wine Writer gave it 95 POINTS.
Is Waitaki in Central Otago?
No. The Waitaki Valley is in North Otago. Its alluvial soils have layers of limestone, which Te Kano say give this Chardonnay its tension and chalky texture.
How long can I cellar Te Kano Waitaki Chardonnay 2023?
Te Kano recommend drinking it now through to 2030. Cameron Douglas, MS suggested best drinking from late 2026 through 2032 and beyond.
What food goes with Te Kano Waitaki Chardonnay 2023?
Te Kano suggest a creamy mushroom risotto. Roast chicken, buttery seafood and pork with a creamy sauce also work well.
Where can I buy Te Kano Waitaki Chardonnay 2023?
The Winery ships Te Kano Waitaki Chardonnay 2023 internationally from winenz.com to the USA, Australia, UK, Hong Kong, Singapore, Japan, China and South Korea, and delivers within New Zealand from thewineryonline.co.nz. You can also buy it in our Queenstown and Arrowtown wine stores.
