VIVA TOP 50 WINERIES OF 2025 - LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

Austrian-born winemaker Rudi Bauer’s vision to plant the first commercial vines on the then-uncharted terrain of Bendigo Station back in 1998 has borne remarkable fruit. Today, Bendigo is recognised as an important Central Otago subregion, and Quartz Reef is at its heart, with 30 hectares of vines across two certified organic and biodynamic vineyards.

From these vineyards, Bauer has consistently crafted some of the region’s – and the country’s – finest pinot noir, his astute winemaking ensuring the inherent power of the terroir is expressed with elegance. In recent years, the estate pinot has been joined by a series of exceptional Single Ferment wines, made from individual parcels carefully selected at harvest to best capture the character of both vineyard and vintage.

Quartz Reef is also acclaimed for producing some of Aotearoa’s finest Méthode Traditionnelle sparkling wines, originally developed through a collaboration between Bauer and Champagne winemaker Clothilde Chauvet. In addition, he creates a beautifully refined pinot gris, and draws on his Austrian heritage to produce Quartz Reef’s excellent grüner veltliner.

This award recognises not just Bauer’s remarkable contribution to Central Otago wine, but also his enduring influence on New Zealand’s fine wine landscape.

Written by Dr. Jo Burzynska, Viva Magazine, NZ Herald, August 2025