Stonyridge Vineyard is the ongoing dream of owner Stephen White. In 1981 Stephen returned to New Zealand after sailing a Whitbread Round the World Yacht Race, skippering yachts in the Mediterranean and Caribbean, and working at wineries in France, California and Italy. It was during this 3-year adventure that Stephen came to love the culture and lifestyle of the Mediterranean and the great red wines of France, Tuscany and California.

After extensive climatic research Stonyridge was discovered as the ideal north facing site to ripen and produce a world class Bordeaux style red wine.

The first Bordeaux vines and olive trees were planted in 1982 with the help of close friends and family. This makes Stonyridge the first commercial olive grove in New Zealand. When Cabernet Franc and Malbec were planted in 1983, it was the beginning of New Zealand’s first Bordeaux four blend.

In 1984 Stephen returned to Bordeaux for a final training period to collect Petit Verdot and completed a vintage at Chateau d’Angludet, Cantenac-Margaux under the tutelage of Peter Sichel.

Stephen produced the first vintage at Stonyridge Vineyard in 1985. Two years later, he made the great 1987 Larose that rocketed Stonyridge to national fame, and attracted international attention – a wine hailed as the greatest red wine ever made in New Zealand.

The 1993 vintage, Stonyridge made the first Bordeaux five blend in the new world. In 2000, an elite French sommelier team put Stonyridge Larose 1996 as first equal with Chateau Petrus, Lafite Rothschild, Latour and Cheval Blanc in Grandes vins rouge du Monde (Les Editions du Bottin Gourmand).

Today Stonyridge is referred to as “One of the Top Ten Must Visit Wineries in the World” Guardian UK and most recently topped the list for the best Cabernet Merlot in The Age/ Sydney Morning Herald Good Wine Guide 2013. The Stonyridge Larose 2010 scored 97 points to make it the highest equal scoring red wine in 2013 and finished ahead of all of Australia’s most iconic Cabernet Merlots!

Stonyridge Larose is the favourite of the former NZ Prime Minister, Sir John Key and has been enjoyed by King Juan Carlos of Spain and Queen Elizabeth II, the Russian President, the Prime Minister of Australia, and the Prime Minister of Great Britain, and has sold at some of the world’s best restaurants including Ducasse at the Dorchester in London and Viridiana in Madrid.