The 2025 harvest has come to a close, and at Lake Chalice, we’re proud to report a season that delivered exceptional quality across all key varieties. With favourable weather, successful viticulture trials, and a hands-on winemaking approach, this vintage reflects everything we value: precision, purity, and place.

Pinot Noir from the Eyrie Vineyard

To ensure the diverse microclimates and terroir of Marlborough are translated into every bottle, winemaker Chloe Gabrielsen takes a boutique approach during the vintage season, individually fermenting small, distinct parcels of fruit from single vineyards. This attention to detail, paired with the biodiversity of our three unique vineyard sites, is the foundation of our wine quality and global reputation.

Harvest began on 27 February, and dry, settled conditions throughout March allowed for a smooth and controlled intake. 2024’s record sunshine led to strong flowering and high yield potential, balanced by selective crop thinning. A cooler summer preserved bright acidity and promoted slow, even ripening conditions that allowed each block to be picked at optimal flavour and balance.

Fruit for the Raptor Chardonnay

This season, Chloe placed particular focus on our aromatic whites, including fruit destined for our Falcon Riesling. “Our Blind River site in the Awatere Valley is cooler and drier than our Wairau blocks, so we saw citrus characters developing early in ripening,” says Chloe. “It’s a site that delivers intensity and drive, and it was exciting to work so closely with it this year.”

Pinot Noir from the Eyrie Vineyard continued to shine, with a select block of clone 115 cane-cut to encourage flavour concentration. This fruit was hand-harvested and partially whole-bunch fermented, building aromatic lift and textural complexity.

Mendoza clone Chardonnay delivered beautifully structured, intensely flavoured fruit, an excellent foundation for our Raptor and Plume blends. Meanwhile, Sauvignon Blanc from Dillons Point and our younger Wairau sites showed classic varietal definition, vibrant fruit, and an energetic acid line.

As the ferments develop, early signs point to a vintage that’s refined and well-balanced, we look forward to bottling wines that reflect the character of the season, the vineyard, and the hands-on approach from the 2025 Lake Chalice vintage team.