Celebrations will be held over this weekend, Friday and Saturday February 20 and 21, and in a nod to the community that has supported the business over the decades, all proceeds from wine sales on the open day will go to local primary schools.
Director and winemaker Rob Hay said he, wife Gerdi and family were looking forward to celebrating the landmark anniversary.
''I first set eyes on the farm in August 1986 after returning from Germany where I'd studied winemaking,'' he said.
''I fell in love with it and started managing it as an orchard, but when I had an epiphany one balmy Central Otago evening and envisioned it as a fully planted vineyard, I think more than a few people thought I was mad.''
''We were advised not to plant anything there at all, or at best stick with some obscure early-ripening Germanic variety of grape, but we persevered and with a lot of help from family, friends and locals we got there.''
Fast-forward 25 years and key wine writers, wine buffs and restaurateurs from around the country will meet Chard Farm's three winemakers from the past two and a-half decades (Rob Hay, Duncan Forsyth and current winemaker John Wallace) for a formal Pinot Evolution tasting in the barrel cellar on the Friday afternoon.
The event will include a vertical tasting of Chard Farm's single-vineyard pinot noirs spanning 12 years and a chance to taste other wines from earlier vintages, including the very first 1989 vintage.
The invitation-only party will take place that night for family, wine identities and friends of the farm over the years.
The following day, Saturday February 21, Chard Farm will host an open day for invited locals and visitors to learn more about the winery's history, including a winery and barrel cellar tour, alongside local food and live music.
Youngsters will be entertained with everything from a bouncy castle to face painting and family-friendly games, while parents can also experience the workings of the winery and taste and purchase wine at special rates on the day.
