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…

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.

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.

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.

Framingham Wines is pleased to announce today that it has been recognized in Tripadvisor’s® Travelers’ Choice® Awards Best of the Best for 2024, ranking amongst the top 10% of things to do worldwide.

Organic Winegrowers New Zealand (OWNZ) is thrilled to announce dates for the main event of Organic Wine Week (OWW). Down to Earth will take place at Prefab Hall in Wellington on 17 September 2024 and at Brad’s Warehouse in Auckland on 19 September 2024.

During the week of 27 - 31 May, the Marlborough Wine industry shared their initiatives on Instagram using⁠ #WellnessWeek2024 and #MarlboroughWine.

Marlborough’s 2024 vintage could have been “dialled up” for winemakers, says Blank Canvas co-owner Matt Thomson of low yields, warm days, ultra dry conditions, and an autumnal shift to cold nights in March. “You couldn’t have asked for better from a timing point of view.”

Recognising that great wines begin in the vineyard, the Young Viticulturist of the Year competition celebrates the future of viticulture. We are pleased to introduce the Marlborough viticulturists competing in the Marlborough competition this 4th July 2024.