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Welcome to Tony Bish Wines e-cellar door

Located in the art deco icon The National Tobacco Company Building is The Urban Winery, the home of Tony Bish Wines. Tony produces premium wines made exclusively from the King of White Grapes, Chardonnay. As such, Tony is Australasia’s only Chardonnay specialist.

Tony has had a long career in the NZ Wine industry, spanning 38 vintages and counting. He was Senior Winemaker and Founder of Sacred Hill Vineyards Ltd, a highly awarded winery with significant exports.

Innovation is at the heart of all Tony does. He has built NZ’s first concrete egg fermenters and produces two wine styles made with this unique methodology. Tony also imported the first French Oak Ovum egg fermenter to the Southern Hemisphere, and the resulting wine Zen is a masterpiece of style and innovation. Tony produces 5 different Chardonnay styles, that have all received wide acclaim in NZ and in key overseas markets.

The Urban Winery is a very stylish and modern fit out of an old tobacco building. There are a wide range of Hawke’s Bays finest wines showcased alongside Tony’s own Chardonnays. Daily wine and craft beer tastings occur, along with a Tapas menu, live music, and many interesting events and activities.

Reviews

2021 Fat & Sassy

Raymond Chan.

Bright, even, pale straw-yellow with some depth. The nose is soft and open, a creamy veil laying over citrus, stonefruit, minerals and subtle oak expression. Medium-bodied, aromas of grapefruit, lemon curd, stonefruit entwined with roasted almond, citrus zest, enriched by a buttery tone, features citrus and stonefruit with harmonious nutty oak on a lush palate. Match with chicken and pork. Drink over the next 3-4 years.100% MLF. 18.5-/20 pts (92 pts)

Apr 2022 RRP $22.99

2021 Golden Egg

Cameron Douglas, M.S

I love the complexity in the bouquet of this wine - the synergy of minerality and lees complexities combined with the freshness of the fruit profile entices and intrigues. Equally complex on the palate, taut, chalky and youthful with flavours of citrus fruits and less, stone fruits and fine mineral qualities. Some fruit tannins and youthful acidity combine for a sound foundation. Lengthy and delicious. Best drinking from 2023 through 2029.

96 Points

Outstanding

2021 Heartwood

Micheal Cooper

The impressive 2021 vintage (5*) was hand-picked and fermented and matured in French oak barriques (25 per cent new). Bright, light lemon/green, it is fragrant, weighty and sweet-fruited, with concentrated stonefruit flavours, biscuity, savoury notes adding complexity, and excellent vigour, harmony and length. A top release of this label, it's priced right and well worth cellaring to 2024+.

2021 Skeetfield

Bob Campbell, M.W.

Made from grapes grown on mature, unirrigated Mendoza-clone vines in a top vintage. 100% barrel-fermented and matured with 60% new Taransaud French oak.

Intense, powerful chardonnay with citrus, oyster shell/saline, white peach and spicy oak flavours. This impressive wine can be enjoyed now but should develop even greater complexity and integration with bottle age. (Screwcap)

Score: 95 ★★★★★

2020 Zen

Bob Campbell, M.W.

Medium-full bodied, aromas of lemon, lemon curd and grapefruit zest entwined with white peach, enveloping delicate spice of cardamom, grounded nutmeg, and hazelnut. Vivacious, seamless acidity carries whipped butter and spice to linearity; well-proportioned spice and nut nuances adorn the palate with poise. This refined, harmonious Chardonnay shows an effortless flow with tension and immense balance.

19.5/20 (98 pts)

2019 Skin in the Game

Cameron Douglas, M.S

A complex, intriguing and enticing bouquet of Chardonnay. Takes more than a few sniffs to get all the content and story of this example - aromas of chalk and texture, red apple skin and dry citrus peel, some floral moments and a core of energy. Dry on the palate with a core of texture and skin contact derived flavours - hard to describe so I'll just suggest you try the wine and decide for yourself - suffice to say complex and intriguing, detailed and lengthy. Drink now and through 2022+.

92/100