Many winemakers and grape growers in Marlborough will admit that getting consumers to identify with Pinot Noir from this region has been a tough ask. Why? Because mention Marlborough to wine consumers and their first thought is Sauvignon Blanc.

Pinot Noir, once described as being like a prickly house guest that you have to go out of your way to please, is Marlborough’s second most planted grape variety. With 2,722 hectares it is a long way behind the region’s flagship wine, Sauvignon Blanc, which has a total of 22,777 hectares.

Wairau River Wines winemaker Nick Entwistle says it was satisfying to receive the trophy after years of work to perfect the wine. “[This] is a wine style that we have been developing and refining since 2015. Back in 2013, Sam [Rose] and I were looking at which alternative varieties might be a good fit for the Marlborough climate,” he says.

The 2021 Marlborough Wine Show’s Best Organic Wine was the result of hard graft at Giesen Group’s Clayvin Vineyard; each vine tended by hand.

Giesen Chief Winemaker Duncan Shouler says winning the Vit Management Ltd Best Organic Wine trophy for their Giesen Single Vineyard Clayvin Pinot Noir 2017 was fantastic for the company.

The title of Champion Sweet Wine at the 2021 Marlborough Wine Show is another title to add to a growing list for Forrest Wines.

Officially titled the Barrel Finance and Logistics Champion Sweet Wine, the trophy was awarded to the Forrest Wines Botrytised Riesling 2018, the most renowned wine in the family business’ range.

It was also the only wine of seven in the category to receive a gold medal this year.

Marlborough Wine Show’s Champion Rosé for 2021 was the first attempt at a Rosé for the winning winery in six years.

Trophy winners Riverby Estate last made a Rosé in 2015, and knocked it out of the park when they decided to put it back on their wine list this year.

Winery owner Kevin Courtney says while they had previously made Rosés using Pinot Noir and Syrah, the 2021 vintage was made using a small percentage of Pinot Gris and Grüner Veltliner in place of Syrah, to boost the aromatics of the wine.

Tohu Wines’ Rewa Méthode Traditionelle Blancs de Blancs 2015 has made a habit of picking up awards, the latest being the title of Champion Sparkling Wine at the 2021 Marlborough Wine Show.

Officially known as the Vitis & Winemaking Champion Sparkling Wine trophy, the category attracted a 45% increase in entries this year, with five Gold Medals awarded.

Tohu Wines Winemaker Anna McCarty says their Rewa Méthode Traditionelle Blanc de Blancs has had a long and successful history for the company, consistently gaining recognition as an elite wine.

Named after New Zealand’s honeysuckle tree, the Rewarewa, the wine was made with celebration in mind, she says.

Consistent recognition is proving both a blessing and a challenge for the makers of this year’s Champion Chardonnay, previous vintage, at the Marlborough Wine Show.

Officially known as the MRC Champion Chardonnay, 2019 & Older, the title was awarded to the Mount Riley 17 Valley Chardonnay 2019, the latest of many awards for this wine.

Mount Riley Wines Chief Winemaker Matt Murphy says it's a privilege to be able to continue the legacy of such an outstanding wine.

Wairau River Wines picked up three awards at the Marlborough Wine Show, two of which were for lesser known varieties in the region.

The Wairau River Reserve Syrah 2020 picked up the Wine Marlborough Champion Other Red Varietal, made from grapes planted in Rapaura on a hunch in 2010.

The producers of the 2021 Marlborough Wine Show’s winning wine had another hit in the competition this year, taking home the title of Champion 2020 Pinot Noir.

Saint Clair Family Estate picked up the trophy, officially known as the Classic Oak Products Champion Pinot Noir, current vintage trophy, for their Pioneer Block 15 Strip Block Pinot Noir 2020.

The winning Gewürztraminer at the 2021 Marlborough Wine Show is a special wine, made using a mix of the maker’s original grapes, along with some grown by friends of the winery.

The Lawson’s Dry Hills Gewürztraminer 2019 was named the Wine Brokers New Zealand Champion Gewürztraminer, and Winemaker Marcus Wright says the drop is a special one for the company.

The Coterie Wine of Provenance at the 2021 Marlborough Wine Show was made using fruit from a ‘truly magical’ vineyard in the Awatere Valley.

Awarded to the Brancott Estate Sauvignon Blanc 2021, Winemaker Laura-Kate Morgan says she and her team were humbled to receive the trophy.

The Champion Pinot Noir from a previous vintage at the Marlborough Wine Show was born out of a desire to create outstanding Pinot Noir.

Marisco Vineyards Red Wine Programme Lead Winemaker, Seb Bouchut, says he and his team were thrilled to receive the award, officially known as the Classic Oak Products Champion Pinot Noir, 2019 & older, for The King's Wrath Pinot Noir 2019.

The team at Stoneleigh Wines was ‘honoured’ to have their Latitude Pinot Gris 2021 named the Label & Litho Champion Pinot Gris of this year’s Marlborough Wine Show.

Stoneleigh Assistant Winemaker Maddy Isaacs says the award is testament to the focus and commitment their team put into craft and quality from vineyard to bottle to make a wine they are particularly proud of.

Isabel Estate has once again cemented its reputation as a premium producer of Chardonnay, after winning the MRC Champion Chardonnay - current vintage trophy at the 2021 Marlborough Wine Show.

The trophy was awarded to the Isabel Estate Marlborough Wild Barrique Chardonnay 2020, which is in its fifth vintage.

The team at Wairau River Wines was thrilled to receive three awards at the 2021 Marlborough Wine Show, their Summer Riesling kicking off the trifecta.

Picking up the De Sangosse Champion Riesling of the Show, the Wairau River Estate Summer Riesling 2021 is a single vineyard wine, grown right outside their winery.

Catalina Sounds has taken the trophy for Champion Alternate Sauvignon Blanc with their single vineyard Sound of White ‘Barrel Fermented’ Sauvignon Blanc 2019 at the 2021 Marlborough Wine Show.

In its inaugural year, the WineWorks Alternate Sauvignon Blanc class was introduced to the show as a way of recognising alternate styles of Marlborough’s flagship variety.

The Marlborough Museum was thrilled to present Framingham Wines with the Legacy Award at the 2021 Marlborough Wine Show, sponsored by QuayConnect.

The Marlborough Museum Legacy Award honours wines with pedigree and is awarded to the wine producer with the highest scores from three vintages within a ten-year period.

The team at Saint Clair Family Estate was ‘overwhelmed’ to have their Wairau Reserve Sauvignon Blanc 2021 named the Marlborough Wine Show 2021 Champion of the Show.

Alongside taking out the QuayConnect Champion Wine of the Show trophy, the wine was awarded the WineWorks Champion Sauvignon Blanc - Current Vintage award.

Their Pioneer Block 15 Strip Block Pinot Noir 2021 was also recognised, picking up the Classic Oak Products Champion Pinot Noir - Current Vintage title.

Peter Russell retained his title at the 2021 Tonnellerie de Mercurey Marlborough Young Winemaker of the Year competition, taking top spot for the second year running. But the Matua winemaker says there was seriously tough competition, with the calibre of contestants climbing as the event matures. “It gets pretty intense,” he says, thankful that he had plenty of past experience to remind him to “take a breath” and take stock of each question.