Lorraine Leheny

bi’lancia Italian. (be-larn-cha) balance, harmony and equilibrium; the scales, of the zodiac (libra).
Fine Wine from Hawke's Bay. Home of la collina.

[Hawke's Bay Wine @HawkesBay_Wine]

International Chardonnay Day x Hawke’s Bay Chardonnay Collection

This International Chardonnay Day, we’re thrilled to celebrate five years of the Hawke’s Bay Annual Chardonnay Collection, 2023 vintage selection.

In a year that tested the resilience of our wine community, the dedication, expertise, and unwavering commitment of Hawke’s Bay’s winemakers have delivered exceptional Chardonnay - wines of depth, diversity, and undeniable class.

Twelve wines were selected blind by Master Sommelier Cameron Douglas, representing the very best of the 2023 vintage and showcasing the unique terroir of Hawke’s Bay’s wine-growing subregions.

“I remain resolute in my thoughts about Hawke’s Bay as a premier New Zealand Chardonnay producing region. Winemakers here have a true understanding of site and vintage… Congratulations to the producers and viticulture teams.” - Cameron Douglas, MS

2023 Chardonnay Collection Wines:
🍇 AC Reserve Chardonnay
🍇 Alchemy Chardonnay
🍇 Alpha Domus The Batten Chardonnay
🍇 Askerne Reserve Chardonnay
🍇 Bilancia Hawke's Bay Chardonnay
🍇 Bilancia Kaikora Vineyard Chardonnay
🍇 Clearview Estate Reserve Chardonnay
🍇 Craggy Range Chardonnay, Gimblett Gravels
🍇 Čuvar Iris Chardonnay
🍇 Paritua "Willow" Chardonnay
🍇 Sileni Exceptional Selection Chardonnay
🍇 Squawking Magpie Gravels Chardonnay

Chardonnay worth celebrating.

#HawkesBayWine #HBWine #GreatWineCapital #HBChardonnayCollection #InternationalChardonnayDay #Vintage23 #QueenOfWine #NZWine

@askernewinery @BilanciaNZ @ClearviewEstate @CraggyRange @sileniwines @Squawkingmagpie @CamDouglasMS

📷 @Mifarr

[Hawke's Bay Wine @HawkesBay_Wine]

Hawke’s Bay Winegrowers are delighted to celebrate five years of the prestigious Hawke’s Bay Annual Chardonnay Collection with the announcement of the 2023 vintage selection. The dedication and expertise of Hawke’s Bay’s winemakers have delivered wines of exceptional quality and character, in what was a hugely challenging year for our wine community and the Hawke's Bay region.

Selected blind by Cameron Douglas, MS, these twelve outstanding Chardonnays represent the apex of the 2023 vintage. Each bottle is a testament to the remarkable expertise of the region’s producers and highlights the diversity of expressions across Hawke’s Bay’s unique wine regions.

Cameron Douglas, MS, was deeply impressed with the calibre of the wines:
“I remain resolute in my thoughts about Hawke’s Bay as a premier New Zealand Chardonnay producing region. Winemakers here have a true understanding of site and vintage, and this was again expressed in the wines for the 2023 vintage. Congratulations to the producers and the viticulture teams.”

🍇 AC Reserve Chardonnay
🍇 Alchemy Chardonnay
🍇 Alpha Domus The Batten Chardonnay
🍇 Askerne Reserve Chardonnay
🍇 Bilancia Hawke's Bay Chardonnay
🍇 Bilancia Kaikora Vineyard Chardonnay
🍇 Clearview Estate Reserve Chardonnay
🍇 Craggy Range Chardonnay, Gimblett Gravels
🍇 Čuvar Iris Chardonnay
🍇 Paritua "Willow" Chardonnay
🍇 Sileni Exceptional Selection Chardonnay
🍇 Squawking Magpie Gravels Chardonnay

@askernewinery
@BilanciaNZ
@ClearviewEstate
@CraggyRange
@sileniwines
@Squawkingmagpie
@CamDouglasMS
.
#HawkesBayWine #HBWine #GreatWineCapitals #HBChardonnayCollection #NZWine

[Lorraine Leheny @BilanciaNZ]

🎶Chemtrails over the Country Club.🎶
📷 @lacollinanz

[Hawke's Bay Wine @HawkesBay_Wine]

Sunshine, grapes and planes at La Collina Vineyard 🍇

#HawkesBayWine #GreatWineCapitals #HBWine #NZWine

📷 @BilanciaNZ

[Lorraine Leheny @BilanciaNZ]

The full article is on the Decanter website. (It is behind a paywall)

#NZWine #hbwine #nzfwp #nzfws #Syrah #lacollina #wemadethis #limitedbynature

[Lorraine Leheny @BilanciaNZ]

"They showed what a special site for Syrah this is, what a legacy they created and how intuitive their approach is to expressing this site."
Anne Krebiehl MW
October 17, 2024

In 1998, we put the first sticks in the ground on our 'little hill'. People probably thought we were mad

[Lorraine Leheny @BilanciaNZ]

we probably were, but we grew this from the ground up. We are still working with it! It's nice to think there is a legacy forming.

Thanks, Anne (@anneinvino) and Decanter (@decanter) for this feature on la collina.

[Lorraine Leheny @BilanciaNZ]

@JoeCz @CarosWines @Affordable_Wino https://t.co/nmYeqxnPdh

[Lorraine Leheny @BilanciaNZ]

Saturday, 14 September, is this year’s Wine Auction in support of Cranford Hospice.
Details are here:
https://t.co/Z7h2Sozhbd
This is our lot.
#paddlesup #getbidding
@hawkesbaywineauction
✨ AUCTION LOT 22 - BILANCIA
Six years of Tiratore Chardonnay
24 bottles and 1 magnum

[Lorraine Leheny @BilanciaNZ]

2022 Hawke's Bay Wine Chardonnay Collection reviews from @jamiegoode

2022 Kaikora Vineyard Chardonnay 👍

"Such energy and focus to this wine: it’s quite brilliant.
96/100"

@CamDouglasMS @HawkesBay_Wine

[Jamie Goode @jamiegoode]

My review of 12 top Chardonnays from @HawkesBay_Wine picked by @CamDouglasMS - https://t.co/KT1sPwGalQ @nzwine @nzwineeurope #chardonnay

[Lorraine Leheny @BilanciaNZ]

Yay for Chardonnay!

#nzwine #Chardonnay #Kaikora

[Hawke's Bay Wine @HawkesBay_Wine]

It's International Chardonnay Day and what better way to celebrate than a Hawke's Bay Chardonnay (insert white wine emoji here)? Looking for inspiration to fill your glass? How's this for a lineup, the Hawke's Bay Chardonnay Collection, 2022 Vintage:
🍇 Askerne Chardonnay 2022
🍇 Askerne Reserve Chardonnay 2022
🍇 Bilancia Kaikora Vineyard Chardonnay 2022
🍇 Church Road Grand Reserve Chardonnay 2022
🍇 Craggy Range Les Beaux Cailloux 2022
🍇 Craggy Range Kidnappers Vineyard Chardonnay 2022
🍇 Elephant Hill Sea Chardonnay 2022
🍇 Paritua “Willow” Chardonnay 2022
🍇 Smith & Sheth CRU Heretaunga Chardonnay 2022
🍇 Squawking Magpie Counting Crows Chardonnay 2022
🍇 Squawking Magpie Terraces & Gravels Chardonnay 2022
🍇 Tony Bish Skeetfield Chardonnay 2022

@askernewinery
@BilanciaNZ
@CraggyRange
@ElephantHill
@SmithandSheth
@Squawkingmagpie
@tonybishwines
@CamDouglasMS
.
#HawkesBayWine #HBWine #GreatWineCapitals #HBChardonnayCollection

[Lorraine Leheny @BilanciaNZ]

Harvesting Chardonnay is great when your pickers are this quick! Thanks team. 😁

📷 @lacollinanz

#nzwine #hbwine #nzv2024 #Chardonnay #Tiratore #limitedbynature

[Lorraine Leheny @BilanciaNZ]

And then this! A complete vertical of @lacollinanz Syrah.
A rare event.
#nzwine #hbwine #nzfwp #nzfinewinestory #Syrah #lacollina

[Anne Krebiehl MW @AnneInVino]

Aren't I lucky, a vertical of #LaCollina from @bilancianz, back to the early 2000s. WHOA. @hawkesbaywine @nzfinewinestory

[Lorraine Leheny @BilanciaNZ]

Hawke's Bay Syrah at its finest.
#nzwine #hbwine #Syrah #lacollina

[Anne Krebiehl MW @AnneInVino]

What a spectacular morning in the Gimblett Gravels. Outstanding #Syrah deep dive. @nzfinewinestory @gimblettgravels @bilancianz @trinityhillwines @craggyrange @hawkesbaywine

[Lorraine Leheny @BilanciaNZ]

Really is one of the best potato recipes.
Tried and true.
#yummy

[The New York Times @nytimes]

"So easy and scrumptious." It's not often that a potato recipe changes your life. But this one might. https://t.co/TXpWbuN0w7

[Hawke's Bay Wine @HawkesBay_Wine]

Wine Lovers, tickets to the @HBWineAwards on the 2nd of November are now on sale 🥂
Buy your tickets to the Gala awards dinner https://t.co/MWTrK6f1P4 and celebrate our amazing wine industry 🏆
#HawkesBayWine #HawkesBayWineAwards #GreatWineCapitals

[Lorraine Leheny @BilanciaNZ]

2023 Hawke's Bay Wine Auction for the benefit of Cranford Hospice.
September 16.
Make sure you get amongst it.

https://t.co/An7juDm5rq

#nzwine #hbwine #Chardonnay #Tiratore
#hawkesbaywineauction #cranfordhospice #getbidding #paddlesup

📷 Florence Charvin Photographer

[Hawke's Bay Wine @HawkesBay_Wine]

Tickets are selling fast for the Hawke's Bay Wine Auction on the 16th of September https://t.co/7C3XkENLf4
The iconic event brings together our wine industry in support of Cranford Hospice & provides the opportunity for wine lovers to secure something special for their cellar

[Lorraine Leheny @BilanciaNZ]

Reposted from @lacollinanz
Sundowners

#bilancia
#trelinnoe
#chardonnay
#syrah
#lacollina
#tiratore

[Lorraine Leheny @BilanciaNZ]

2021 Chardonnay Collection

#hbwine #nzwine #Chardonnay #Kaikora

[Hawke's Bay Wine @HawkesBay_Wine]

This is what our selector, @CamDouglasMS said of the 2021 Collection and the selection process: "The key aim of the Hawkes Bay Chardonnay Challenge is to showcase a range of styles from the region. I do hope you agree that this has been achieved #HawkesBayWine
📷 Michael Farr

[Lorraine Leheny @BilanciaNZ]

Hawke's Bay vintage 2021 Chardonnay Collection.

#nzwine #hbwine #Chardonnay #Kaikora #bilanciawine

[Hawke's Bay Wine @HawkesBay_Wine]

What a line-up, the Hawke's Bay Chardonnay Collection, Vintage 21
.
#HawkesBayWine #ChardonnayCollection #Chardonnay
📷 Michael Farr Photography