Marlborough Wine Stories

Marlborough is unique – not for any one reason but for many. This region is full of colour, complexity and diversity – making this part of New Zealand truly special. Explore our uniquely Marlborough wine stories.

From August 2023 the region’s winemakers and growers are celebrating 50 years of Marlborough’s official beginning as a wine region. Discover the history of our region’s wine brands and explore stories about our people and place that make it special here.

Young Winemaker, Our People, Press Release Sarah Linklater Young Winemaker, Our People, Press Release Sarah Linklater

Alun Kilby crowned 2022 Young Winemaker of the Year

Congratulations to Alun Kilby from Marisco in Marlborough for becoming the 2022 Tonnellerie de Mercurey NZ Young Winemaker of the Year.

Alun, 28, is Production Winemaker at Marisco. He has worked in the New Zealand wine industry for 13 years from Auckland to Central Otago before settling in Marlborough and is thrilled to take out this prestigious title.

Read More

King’s Wrath the King of the Show

Marisco Vineyards ‘The King’s Wrath’ Pinot Noir 2021 has been crowned the Champion Wine of the 2022 Marlborough Wine Show, sponsored by QuayConnect.

The company wasn’t the only one to make waves with Pinot Noir; the variety shined at the 2022 competition, across all vintages and subregions.

Read More
Press Release, Marlborough Wine Show Sarah Linklater Press Release, Marlborough Wine Show Sarah Linklater

More than 550 wines entered in this year’s Marlborough Wine Show

Seventeen judges are about to immerse themselves in Marlborough wine as the Marlborough Wine Show sponsored by QuayConnect kicks off this week.

Those judges will be kept busy with entries in most categories well above previous years. Chief Judge Ben Glover says wineries are well aware of the importance of shows, particularly regional ones such as Marlborough.

Read More
Young Viticulturist, Press Release, Our People Sarah Linklater Young Viticulturist, Press Release, Our People Sarah Linklater

Tahryn Mason is the 2022 Corteva Young Viticulturist of the Year

Congratulations to Tahryn Mason from Villa Maria in Marlborough, who became the 2022 Corteva Young Viticulturist of the Year. The National Final was held on 30 August at Indevin’s Bankhouse in Marlborough with the announcement made at the Awards Dinner the following evening.

Read More
Press Release Sarah Linklater Press Release Sarah Linklater

RSE Scheme in the news

The Marlborough community is justifiably outraged by recent media stories relating to some RSE employees in our community. A Labour Inspectorate investigation is underway, and we await the results. If any of the recent allegations are upheld, we should all be concerned.

It is critical to everyone that the RSE scheme ensures the win-wins it was set up to achieve are strengthened for the workers, businesses and communities involved. We fully support the move to push ahead with a review of the RSE scheme.

Read More
Young Winemaker Sarah Linklater Young Winemaker Sarah Linklater

Who will be Marlborough’s next Young Winemaker of the year?

The Young Winemaker competition aims to help ambitious and passionate young people become future leaders of the NZ wine industry. It is a fantastic opportunity for emerging young winemakers to grow, develop and advance their careers. We are pleased to introduce you to the young Marlborough contestants competing in the Marlborough competition 21st August 2022.

Read More
Member News Sarah Linklater Member News Sarah Linklater

Whitehaven supports LegaSea

Produced by Whitehaven Wines, the Kōparepare wine range has been created to support the protection and restoration of New Zealand’s marine environment. All sales of Kōparepare benefit the work of LegaSea, a non-profit organisation dedicated to restoring the abundance, biodiversity and health of New Zealand’s marine environment.

Read More
Press Release, Lifetime Achievement Sarah Linklater Press Release, Lifetime Achievement Sarah Linklater

Pioneering viticulturist

A stalwart of the Marlborough wine industry, Dominic Pecchenino, has been honoured by the board of Wine Marlborough with a Lifetime Achievement Award.

The award, which recognises service to the development of the Marlborough Wine industry, was presented to the viticultural consultant during the Winter Pruning Field Day held at Matador Estate today [Wednesday, 25 May].

Read More
Blog Sarah Linklater Blog Sarah Linklater

Pinot Gris Making its Mark

When it comes to the Marlborough wine scene, Pinot Gris is a relatively new kid on the block. But it hasn’t taken long for it to make its mark in the region.

On May 17, we’ll be celebrating International Pinot Gris Day and Marlborough’s second-most produced white wine, following Sauvignon Blanc.

Read More
Press Release, Vintage Report Sarah Linklater Press Release, Vintage Report Sarah Linklater

Balancing Act

Marlborough’s 2022 vintage was “edge-of-your-seat” stuff, with higher yields, inclement weather and the impact of Covid infections on crews, says Sophie Parker-Thomson, MW.

And it required a change in mindset from industry, following three consecutive drought years and light crops last year. “There has been a temptation to replenish the very empty pipelines with the bountiful yields - principally Sauvignon Blanc,” says Sophie, who owns and runs Blank Canvas Wines with her husband Matt Thomson.

Read More
Blog, #SauvBlancDay, Event Sarah Linklater Blog, #SauvBlancDay, Event Sarah Linklater

#SauvBlancDay

Marlborough: Its long days of sunshine, crisp mornings, towering mountain ranges, meandering riverbeds and the sunken valleys of the Marlborough Sounds, glistening with crisp, emerald green waters.

If Marlborough came in a flavour there’s no doubt it would be Sauvignon Blanc, the wine that put the region on the map more than 30 years ago.

Read More
Blog Sarah Linklater Blog Sarah Linklater

Top Tips for Touring

When covid-19 put an end to international wine tours for Wellington man Trevor Garrett, Marlborough moved to the top of the hit list.

Previously spending weeks walking and biking around some of the world’s oldest wine regions, including Burgundy and Chablis in France, Trevor opted to do Marlborough by bike.

Read More
Blog, #SauvBlancDay Sarah Linklater Blog, #SauvBlancDay Sarah Linklater

Alternative styles

For Sauvignon Blanc lovers, the thought of putting their aromatic, fruity and uniquely Marlborough drop in oak can be intriguing and tantalising.

Pioneering Marlborough winemaker Kevin Judd has been using different styles with Sauvignon Blanc for years – fermenting it in oak barrels and using wild yeasts. Doing so provides a significant savouriness and a totally different mouthfeel from the classic crisp and clean Marlborough Sauvignon.

Read More