2024 Čuvar Guardians Collection Chardonnay, Hawkes Bay
$50.00
Winemaker Notes :
Notes of ripe nectarine and lemon zest, interwoven with a distinct mineral thread. Subtle hints of roasted cashew, derived from carefully selected oak and thoughtful lees ageing, add depth and complexity.
The palate is unctuous and creamy, its generous weight beautifully balanced by fresh, vibrant acidity. Gentle oak spice and delicate savouriness flow seamlessly through to a long, mouth-filling finish.
Čuvar
The Fistonich family wine story began in New Zealand in 1949, when Croatian immigrants Andrija and Mandica Fistonich were granted their first licence to sell wine, made to share with family, friends and their local community.
Their son George grew up among the vines and, at twenty-one, established Villa Maria in 1961. Over the decades that followed he helped shape the modern New Zealand wine industry, championing quality, investing in Hawke’s Bay and leading the move to screwcaps. He was knighted for services to the industry in 2009.
After the family sold Villa Maria in 2021, Sir George began again. At eighty-four he founded Čuvar Winery as the family’s next chapter, for the love of great wine.
Čuvar (pronounced chu-var) means “guardian” in Croatian, honouring the pioneers who built New Zealand’s wine industry and the family’s responsibility to leave a stronger legacy for future generations.
Today Čuvar is led by Karen Fistonich, Sir George’s daughter, who has worked in the family wine business for almost three decades. From three estate-owned Hawke’s Bay vineyards, Čuvar crafts contemporary classic New Zealand wines across the Iris and Guardians Collections.
