A ‘goldilocks’ vintage has resulted in gold for te Pā Wines, who picked up the De Sangosse NZ Champion Pinot Noir, Current Vintage trophy at the 2024 Marlborough Wine Show, sponsored by QuayConnect.

Made using a blend of fruit from two carefully selected sites, te Pā Pinot Noir 2023 was the winning wine. te Pā has a long history in Marlborough which extends back 800 years; long before the first grapes were planted in the region.

Below, owner Haysley MacDonald shares a little about that history, while Chief Winemaker Sam Bennett shares some insight into the wine and what made this vintage so special…

Perfect grapes and ideal growing conditions led the Tūpari Late Harvest Riesling 2024 to be crowned Champion Sweet Wine of the 2024 Marlborough Wine Show, sponsored by QuayConnect.

Tūpari founder and winemaker Glenn Thomas said the Awatere Valley produces intensely flavoured Riesling, and was pleased to see the 2024 vintage recognised with the trophy, sponsored by Barrel Finance & Logistics, at a show which is important for the region.

He told us a bit about the wine, and the conditions that led to such a stand out vintage…

Saint Clair Whites were a stand out at the 2024 Marlborough Wine Show, sponsored by QuayConnect, where they picked up trophies for both Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc.

Their Omaka Reserve Chardonnay 2023 was crowned Bragato Research Institute Champion Chardonnay, Current Vintage, while their Wairau Reserve Sauvignon Blanc 2023 picked up the WineWorks Champion Sauvignon Blanc 2023 & Older trophy.

Following the celebration long-lunch, Senior Winemaker Stewart Maclennan shared a little about the wines and how they strive to achieve excellence in every bottle…

Whitehaven’s Kōparepare Marlborough Pinot Noir Rosé 2024 has joined its 2022 predecessor in being named Champion Rosé at the Marlborough Wine Show, sponsored by QuayConnect.

The trophy, sponsored by Scenic Hotel, joins a long collection of many the company has received at the Show over the years.

Senior Winemaker Diana Katardzhieva said a collective effort in the vineyard and winery brought the latest standout vintage to fruition. She shared a little more about the wine…

Brancott Estate was the winner of this year’s esteemed NZ Wine Centre Legacy Award at the 2024 Marlborough Wine Show, sponsored by QuayConnect.

NZ Group Winemaker Jamie Marfell said it was the first time they’d entered the winning wines into any competition, deciding the time, and the category, was right.

They entered the 2010, 2013 and 2016 vintages of their Chosen Rows Sauvignon Blanc into the running, saying it provided the perfect opportunity to showcase the ageability of the variety.

The trophy, sponsored by Marlborough Research Centre, is designed to celebrate wines with the highest scores from three vintages within a 10-year period and a minimum gap of two years between each wine; the ultimate recognition of excellence and consistency.

Jamie shared some insight into what makes this wine a standout, and why it was the perfect one to enter for this award…

The Marlborough Wine & Food Festival has announced its much-anticipated line-up of New Zealand musicians playing in 2025.

Mitch James, Ladyhawke, Hello Sailor, Sweet Mix Kids and Jaydin Shingleton will grace the main stage. Local Marlborough musicians will entertain from the acoustic area, and the DJ collective Vinyl in the Vines will be back in the Groove Garden.

Loren Coffey, festival event manager, says that all entertainment has been carefully selected to fit the festival’s summery, celebratory vibe.

It was a double win for Nautilus Estate at the 2024 Marlborough Show, sponsored by Quay Connect, with the team making an impression in both the Sparkling and ‘Other White’ Categories.

The Nautilus Cuvée Brut NV picked up the Winequip Champion Sparkling trophy, while the Nautilus Albariño 2024 picked up the title of Marlborough Wine & Food Experience Champion Other White Wine.

The company has been working hard at both varieties for many years, taking care to showcase the quality of grapes grown in Marlborough.

Winemaker and General Manager Clive Jones told us what makes these wines, and awards, special for Nautilus Estate…

Clayvin Pinot Noir 2021 made big waves at the Marlborough Wine Show, sponsored by QuayConnect, picking up three separate category trophies.

Giesen Chief Winemaker Jeremy Tod said a great vintage had made an already special wine even more exciting, and the fruits of the harvest were really just starting to shine through now. This was confirmed when it picked up Vit Management Ltd Champion Organic Wine, Fruitfed Supplies Champion Southern Valleys Wine and De Sangosse NZ Champion Pinot Noir 2021 & Older at the 2024 Show.

He shared a little insight into the wine and what makes it so special…

Mount Riley Wines have added to their collection of Marlborough Wine Show trophies, picking up two at the 2024 show, sponsored by QuayConnect.

For the second year running, the team was awarded the Wine Brokers New Zealand Champion Gewürztraminer, this year with the 2024 vintage of their Mount Riley Marlborough Gewürztraminer, following the same success by the 2023 vintage last year.

The team was also awarded the Chandler Glass & Packaging Alternate Style Sauvignon Blanc with their Mount Riley 17 Valley Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2023.

Chief Winemaker Matt Murphy said it was validating to have received the Gewürztraminer trophy two years in a row, and he was proud to have made an impression with their alternative style Sauvignon Blanc, made in an effort to push the boundaries of the wine our region is so well known for.

He shares a little more insight below…

Yealands Wines was the winner of the 2024 Marlborough Wine Show, Sponsored by QuayConnect, walking away with four trophies for their Yealands Estate Single Block L5 Sauvignon Blanc 2024. 

Senior Winemaker and Winery Manager Anthony Walkenhorst and his team had some big competition at the show this year, with Marlborough’s flagship wine making a big splash across the board.

Despite the strong competition, the wine was crowned QuayConnect Champion Wine of the Show, The Coterie Wine of Provenance, Circuit Logistics Champion Awatere and South Marlborough Wine, and WineWorks Champion Sauvignon Blanc, Current Vintage for 2024.

Anthony shared some insights into the wine, and what made this vintage so good…

The New Zealand’s longest-running wine and food festival is shaping up to be another ‘mid-summer stunner’ of exceptional experiences.

Loren Coffey, event manager of the Marlborough Wine & Food Festival, is delighted to announce celebrity chef Al Brown in attendance at the 38^th festival on 8 February 2025.

“We are excited to have Al Brown starring in the Culinary Pavilion. Celebrated for his innovative cuisine Al is a recognised, leading New Zealand Chef and a captivating entertainer.

“As an ambassador for Regal Salmon, Al will demonstrate how to create delicious salmon dishes at home in ways that bring out the best in this amazing kaimoana, fresh from the Marlborough Sounds,” Loren says.

“And a lot of people are going to be very excited to hear that Polly Markus, of Miss Polly’s Kitchen, is also joining us in the Culinary Pavilion. Polly’s passion for food and her talent for creating comforting, delicious dishes resonate with everyone. Her vibrant energy and love for cooking make her a favourite among food lovers.”

Alongside Polly and Al, some of Marlborough’s local culinary heroes will work with products from small-scale local food producers.

Five people from three different sectors of the wine industry have been recognised with Wine Marlborough Lifetime Achievement Awards for 2024.

Ben & Frances Wickham, of Ormond Nurseries, Rob Agnew, climate scientist, and Daniel & Adele Le Brun of No.1 Estate were all acknowledged with their awards at the Marlborough Wine Show Celebration Long Lunch, held on Friday.

The variety that put Marlborough on the map as one of the world’s top wine regions has been crowned the wine of the 2024 Marlborough Wine Show, sponsored by QuayConnect.

Yealands Estate Single Block L5 Sauvignon Blanc 2024 picked up the top award, the cream of a very impressive crop at the competition this year.

Chief Judge Stu Marfell says Sauvignon Blanc was a standout in the show, both for the new 2024 vintage wines, but also the legacy category. 

Eighty-six gold medals were awarded this year, up from 46 last year. The total number of entries was on par with 2023, with more than 500 wines entered into the Show. Trophy winners will be revealed at the Marlborough Wine Show Celebration Long Lunch on October 18.

Chief Judge Stu Marfell says the quality of entries this year was spectacular, with both Sauvignon Blanc and Sparkling varieties making a particularly strong impression.

More than 500 wines have been put forward for judging at the 2024 Marlborough Wine Show, sponsored by QuayConnect.

Chief Judge Stu Marfell and 14 local judges will this year be joined by guest judges Elaine Chukan Brown and Sam Kim, who will also be the Deputy Chair of the Show.

Judging will take place from 2-4 October at the Marlborough Events Centre.

Ushering in the Spring Equinox, this year’s Organic Wine Week took place 16-22 September 2024 with events hosted throughout the region and country.

Organic winegrowers are a passionate and growing community in New Zealand and the week is a chance to celebrate wines from independently certified organic and biodynamic growers. Here are some organic statistics and facts...

Nothing says ‘summer in Marlborough’ more than festival tickets in hand, and dates on the calendar.

The Marlborough Wine & Food Festival has blossomed early, inspiring people to buy their ‘Early Bird’ and ‘Locals Only’ tickets before the first hint of bud bloom.

Congratulations to Nick Lamain from VinLink who was announced the 2024 Tonnellerie de Mercurey Marlborough Young Winemaker of the Year following the competition held on 31 July at MRC and NMIT in Blenheim.

Congratulations also goes to Ellie Hobbs from Rose Family Estate who came second and Ruby McManaway from Yealands who came third.

25 years ago, on Bastille Day 1999, Adele and Daniel Le Brun released Cuvée No.1, the first Marlborough Méthode Traditionelle from their company No.1 Family Estate.

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 31st July.