We’re proud to announce the release of our first Čuvar Guardians Syrah from the exceptional 2024 vintage, sourced from the Cornerstone Vineyard in the Gimblett Gravels, alongside the Čuvar Guardians Chardonnay 2024.

Family winemakers since 1949, the Fistonich family have been continually crafting wine in New Zealand for over seven decades, helping bring New Zealand wine to the world.

At the heart of the release is the Cornerstone Vineyard in the Gimblett Gravels, a site long trusted by Sir George over many decades and widely regarded as one of Hawke’s Bay’s finest for Syrah. The grapevines are planted on free-draining alluvial gravels along the Ngaruroro River, naturally producing low yields and concentrated fruit, giving wines of clarity, structure and depth.

The 2024 vintage had close to ideal conditions. A cool, extended flowering period led to lighter crops and naturally concentrated fruit, followed by a settled growing season of warm days and cool nights. This long, even ripening window has resulted in wines with both energy and generosity, showing depth without heaviness and precision without austerity.

Senior Winemaker Dave Mackintosh, who joined Čuvar earlier last year, says:

“This is a Syrah that speaks volumes of both the Cornerstone site and the 2024 season. There’s a beautiful perfume of black Doris plum and wild blackberry, with layers of liquorice and brown spice. On the palate you see that classic Gimblett Gravels character coming through, black pepper, savoury notes, dried herbs, all carried by fine, chalky tannins and fresh acidity.”

Alongside it, the Čuvar Guardians Chardonnay 2024 reflects the same exceptional season, sourced from Rivermere and Kokako Farms vineyards in Hawkes Bay.

Dave Mackintosh adds:

“Ripe nectarine and citrus, with a mineral line running through it. The lees work and oak bring a gentle cashew and savoury complexity. It’s generous, but still fresh and composed.”

Karen Fistonich, Executive Director, adds:

“Since my father Sir George Fistonich launched Čuvar in 2023, we have been busy refining our craft with a deeper focus on Hawke’s Bay. We are proud, as a family, starting with my grandparents, to have been consistently making wine in New Zealand since 1949, a dedication that runs deep.”

The Čuvar Guardians Collection represents a focused expression of Hawke’s Bay’s finest vineyard sites, where winemaking is guided by restraint and a commitment to letting vineyard and vintage speak clearly.