Stonyridge Larose

Stephen White founded Stonyridge Vineyard in 1981, planting the first vines in 1982 on a sheltered site in Waiheke Island's Onetangi Valley. The property takes its name from the stony ridge that protects the vineyard from cool southwest winds, creating a warm, dry Mediterranean-style microclimate with a longer growing season than mainland New Zealand. The inaugural 1987 Larose caused an immediate sensation, winning the trophy for best Bordeaux-style blend in New Zealand and earning recognition as the greatest red wine ever made in the country at that time.

• Founded 1981; vines planted 1982; first vintage released 1987
• Stony ridge topography provides natural wind protection and defines the property's microclimate
• Over 36 vintages produced with minimal vintage variation
• 1993 Larose was the first New World Bordeaux blend to feature five grape varieties

Stonyridge sits in the Onetangi Valley on Waiheke Island, 18 kilometres east of Auckland in the Hauraki Gulf. The vineyard's soils are Waitemata clay permeated with magnesium, manganese, and iron oxide, providing excellent mineral complexity and natural drainage regulation. The warm, dry Mediterranean-style climate, combined with the protection afforded by the stony ridge, delivers a longer and more reliable ripening season than growers experience on the New Zealand mainland, making consistent production of structured, full-bodied reds achievable.

• Waitemata clay soils with magnesium, manganese, and iron oxide
• Mediterranean-style climate: warm and dry with extended growing season
• Stony ridge acts as a natural windbreak against cool southwest airflow
• 18 km east of Auckland in the Hauraki Gulf, moderating temperature extremes

Larose is a classical left-bank Bordeaux-style blend anchored by Cabernet Sauvignon at 50-60%, supported by Merlot, Petit Verdot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec, and Carmenère across 10 hectares of estate vines. Winemaking follows a minimal-intervention philosophy: native yeast fermentation, no fining or filtration, and 18-24 months of aging in French oak barrels. Production is deliberately limited, with meticulous viticulture underpinning the consistency that has delivered scores of 93-97 points across recent vintages.

• Cabernet Sauvignon forms 50-60% of the blend in most vintages
• Six grape varieties used: Cab Sauv, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Cab Franc, Malbec, Carmenère
• Native yeast fermentation; no fining or filtration
• 18-24 months aging in French oak barrels

Larose has accumulated a remarkable competitive record against the world's most prestigious Bordeaux châteaux. In 2000, an elite French sommelier team ranked the 1996 vintage first equal alongside Château Pétrus, Lafite Rothschild, Latour, and Cheval Blanc. In 2011, Winestate staged a blind tasting of 387 Cabernet blends and the 2006 Larose finished first equal ahead of Château Latour and Château Mouton Rothschild. The 2018 vintage received 97 points from James Suckling. Larose commands investment-grade premiums on the secondary market and remains the definitive benchmark for New Zealand Cabernet-based winemaking.

• 1996 vintage: ranked equal first with Pétrus, Lafite, Latour, and Cheval Blanc (French sommelier panel, 2000)
• 2006 vintage: first equal ahead of Latour and Mouton Rothschild in 387-wine blind tasting (Winestate, 2011)
• 2018 vintage: 97 points from James Suckling
• Commands investment-grade premiums on secondary market