The Young Winemaker Competition provides a fantastic opportunity for future winemakers 30 years or under to upskill, grow in confidence, widen their network and start making a name for themselves within the industry. The winner of the regional competition will compete in the National competition against other regions. We are pleased to introduce you to the contestants competing in the Marlborough competition taking place on Wednesday 15th July.

Returning to Marlborough from 23–25 June 2026, WinePro NZ will deliver a powerful combination of exhibition, conference sessions and exhibitor-led Floor Talks focused on the issues shaping vineyard performance, winemaking efficiency, profitability, and long-term resilience. Far more than a traditional trade event, WinePro NZ has been designed around one question many businesses are asking today: “What practical things can we do right now?”

Congratulations to Kris Godsall from Cloudy Bay, who became the 2026 Ormond Nurseries Marlborough Young Viticulturist of the Year on 28 May. The 24-year-old was thrilled to raise the trophy and delighted that his hard work had paid off. 

Congratulations also to Harry Watson from Berakah Vineyard Management, who came second, and Isaac Langley from Pecchenino Viticulture Services, who came third. The competition was tight at the top, and all the contestants gave it their all, whilst competing with great respect and support for each other.

Marlborough’s 2026 vintage conditions were “simply magic,” says Clos Henri winemaker Damien Yvon, reflecting on four perfect weeks in the lead up to harvest. Warm days and cold nights resulted in wines with “power”, along with “freshness and finesse”, he says from the small Wairau Valley vineyard and winery. “And that combination is just amazing.”

Sauvignon Blanc is in the spotlight at Wine + Food Experience Marlborough as the region’s best examples of the variety take centre stage.

Five Marlborough Sauvignon Blancs of different styles are the current focus of a wine display celebrating Marlborough’s most successful wines at the 2025 Marlborough Wine Show, sponsored by QuayConnect.

The showcase was carefully timed to coincide with the region’s celebration of Sauvignon Blanc throughout the month of May, and will remain a feature at the venue in the heart of Blenheim until the end of June.

As the leaves in the vineyards turn to gold, Young Viticulturists around New Zealand are turning their focus to silver with the goal of raising their coveted regional trophy and ultimately the national trophy as the 2026 Ormond Nurseries New Zealand Young Viticulturist of the Year.

Spy Valley Wines has gone seven for seven, winning golds for all their wines at the 2026 London Wine Competition and earning “Winery of the Year New Zealand”.

Among the seven golds were 2023 Envoy by Spy Valley Sauvignon Blanc, 2024 Spy Valley Chardonnay, and 2025 Spy Valley Sauvignon Blanc.

On May 1^st, Sauvignon Blanc Day 2026, Astrolabe Wines will be launching two new Southern Valleys wines, a Sauvignon Blanc and Syrah, to add to their subregional offering. 

The Marlborough Young Viticulturist of the Year Competition 2026 is now in its 21st year and is taking place on Thursday 28th May. This competition provides a fantastic opportunity for viticulturists 30 years or under to up-skill, grow in confidence, widen their network and start making a name for themselves within the industry. ⁠

Eight young Marlborough contestants will undergo a mix of practical and theoretical modules from pruning to Budgeting. They go head-to-head in the BioStart Hortisports event, a quick-fire quiz as well as give a speech at the awards dinner.   ⁠

We are pleased to introduce the Marlborough viticulturists competing in the 2026 Marlborough competition.

A special display offering a taste of the best of Marlborough’s subregions has been set up at the Wine + Food Experience in the heart of Blenheim.

Four wines featured in the display are the first of many champion wines set to be showcased at the recently opened venue, having received trophies at the 2025 Marlborough Wine Show, sponsored by QuayConnect.

They include the Fruitfed Supplies Champion Southern Valleys, Central Express Ltd Champion Wairau Valley & Interpack Champion Riesling, Circuit Logistics Champion Awatere & South Marlborough, and Winequip Champion Sparkling trophy winning wines of the show.

Nearly 100 wines have been awarded gold medals at the 2025 Marlborough Wine Show, sponsored by QuayConnect.

Ninety-one golds were awarded - the highest number since records began in 2012, following a stellar 2024 vintage and stunning weather conditions leading into the 2025 harvest.

Chief Judge Stu Marfell said the 2024 season had been a hard act to follow, and that this year’s entries included Pinot Noir and Chardonnay entries of that vintage.

Fifteen judges will taste 622 wines entered into the 2025 Marlborough Wine Show, sponsored by QuayConnect, this week.

Chief Judge Stu Marfell will be joined by a further 12 local judges, as well as out of region guest judges Sam Kim and Toni Paterson MW, in assessing the wines over three days starting Wednesday.

“We’re extremely pleased to have both of these talented and knowledgeable wine experts on the panel this year, Sam as a returning guest judge, and Toni for the first time,” he says.

Tickets for the next Marlborough Wine & Food Festival on Saturday 14 February 2026 are now available, as New Zealand’s original wine and food festival gears up for its 39th year.

Festival event manager Loren Coffey is delighted to announce Troy Kingi and Kaylee Bell will be headlining the day’s live music offerings.

Congratulations to Ruby McManaway from Yealands, Marlborough, who is the 2025 Tonnellerie de Mercurey Young Winemaker of the Year. Congratulations also to Anna Kelland from Constellation Brands, who is the 2025 Young Viticulturist of the Year. 

The winners were announced at the New Zealand Wine 2025 Celebration Dinner held at Te Pae Christchurch Convention Centre on Thursday, 28 August.

The Young Winemaker national finals were held on 26 August at Lincoln University, and the Young Viticulturist national finals were held at Greystone, Waipara, the following day.

Congratulations to Ruby McManaway from Yealands, who was announced as the 2025 Tonnellerie de Mercurey Marlborough Young Winemaker of the Year following the competition held on 16 July at Marlborough Research Centre and Nelson Marlborough Institute of Technology campus in Blenheim.

Whitehaven Wines has established a partnership with Selmes Garden Trust which will see individuals with disabilities engaged to help propagate seeds collected by Whitehaven.  

Selmes have announced the closure of its native garden centre retail operations, but have shifted to a native plant production model.

Seeds are eco-sourced from neighbouring properties, to ensure survival and retention of local characteristics, and Selmes staff propagate the seeds.

The plants are then replanted at The Springs property, near to where the seeds were originally sourced.

10,000 natives have already been planted, the next planting will start next week (w/c 14 July).

This is part of a major regeneration of a 760ha property in Marlborough’s upper Wairau Valley.

The Young Winemaker Competition provides a fantastic opportunity for future winemakers 30 years or under to upskill, grow in confidence, widen their network and start making a name for themselves within the industry. The winner of the regional competition will compete in the National competition against other regions. We are pleased to introduce you to the contestants competing in the Marlborough competition taking place on Wednesday 16th July.

Congratulations to Anna Kelland from Constellation Brands, who became the 2025 Marlborough Young Viticulturist of the Year on 29 May. This is the second consecutive year she has taken out the prestigious title. She is excited to represent Marlborough in the national finals again and determined to bring the national trophy home this year.   

Congratulations also to Laura Hammond from Babich, who came second, and Harry Watson from Berakah Vineyard Management, who came third.

Appellation Marlborough Wine (AMW) launches its highly anticipated Interactive Wine Map of Marlborough, a cutting-edge digital platform set to transform how wine professionals and enthusiasts experience the region's diverse terroir. This innovative tool elevates the original Wine Map of Marlborough, created by the Marlborough Wine Map Collective, into an immersive digital experience that brings the region's unique characteristics to life. 

Marlborough’s 2025 vintage was “smooth and easy and didn’t miss a beat,” says Jamie Marfell, group winemaker NZ at Vinarchy (formerly Pernod Ricard Winemakers). “Because the crop levels were up everything was ripening quite evenly and slowly, it wasn’t a rush and we brought in strong fruit across the region.

“The winery kept up with everything coming through the door and we were getting absolutely clean juice going into ferment. That’s the mark of a good vintage, when your ferments kick off after a couple of days, and the winery and everyone is working together, going to plan.” He says the well-paced harvest was a great way to mark 50 years since the first Sauvignon Blanc was planted in their Brancott vineyard.