The Wineworks Champion Sauvignon Blanc, 2022 & Older trophy at the 2023 Marlborough Wine Show, sponsored by QuayConnect, has been awarded to a recently-released Sauvignon Blanc by Villa Maria.

Winemaker Kathrin Jankowiec says the late release of the 2022 Villa Maria Single Vineyard Taylors Pass Sauvignon Blanc was intentional, as the company works to showcase the age-worthiness of quality Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc.

She shared some insight into the wine, and how it felt to win an award for Marlborough’s flagship variety during the 50th anniversary year of modern winemaking in the region.

Rapaura Springs Reserve Pinot Gris 2023 has won the Label and Litho Champion Pinot Gris at the 2023 Marlborough Wine Show, sponsored by QuayConnect.

It’s the second year in a row Rapaura Springs has been recognised at the awards, last year taking the trophy for the champion current vintage Chardonnay.

Winemaker Michael Bann says the company has a non-negotiable commitment to quality from the vineyard right through to the winery. He tells how this commitment is continuously helping them to achieve quality, award-winning wines…

Encompassing Omaka, Fairhall, Brancott, Ben Morvan and Waihopai Valleys, the Southern Valleys are known for having varied soils and an ability to produce particularly good Pinot Noir and aromatics.

Ara Winemaker Jeremy Tod shared a little about the winning wine and how it felt to have it recognised among some high quality competition…

Gewürztraminer is the relatively new kid on the block for Mount Riley Wines, but it caught the attention of judges at the 2023 Marlborough Wine Show, sponsored by QuayConnect, and was awarded the champion Gewürztraminer of the show.

Chief winemaker Matt Murphy says he and his team were thrilled to pick up the Wine Brokers New Zealand Champion Gewürztraminer trophy at the show, which adds to a growing list of trophies won by the company at the show in previous years.

It is the sixth variety for which Mount Riley Wines has won a trophy in the Marlborough competition since it began in 2011. Below, Matt shares the story of their Gewürztraminer and how the 2023 vintage came to be a winner…

One of the most sought-after trophies at the Marlborough Wine Show, sponsored by QuayConnect, the NZ Wine Centre Legacy Award, was this year won by Tohu Wines.

Sponsored by Marlborough Research Centre (MRC) and awarded to the Tohu Rewa Méthode Traditionnelle Blanc de Blancs 2011, 2014 and 2016 vintages, the Legacy Award 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.

Saint Clair Family Estate took away the Move Logistics Champion Other White Wine at the 2023 Marlborough Wine Show, sponsored by QuayConnect.

Their Pioneer Block 28 Camp Block Pinot Blanc 2020 was the trophy winner, after the 2019 vintage of the same wine picked up the same trophy last year.

We caught up with their senior winemaker, Stewart Maclennan, to find out a bit more about the trophy-worthy wine…

Alongside taking the QuayConnect Champion Wine of the Show at the 2023 Marlborough Wine Show, sponsored by QuayConnect, Isabel Estate had big success with Chardonnay, picking up two trophies with the variety.

Taking home the Bragato Research Institute Champion Chardonnay, current vintage trophy was the Isabel Estate Marlborough Wild Barrique Chardonnay 2022.

Chief winemaker Jeremy ‘Macca’ McKenzie shares the story of the wine, the icon variety of the Estate…

Catalina Sounds has once again nabbed the WineWorks Alternate Style Sauvignon Blanc trophy at the 2023 Marlborough Wine Show, sponsored by QuayConnect.

Winemaker Matt Ward shared with us a little about the wine of the moment, their Sound of White Sauvignon 2022, and about experimenting with our most famous drop…

Isabel Estate continues to make a stellar impression with Pinot Noir, taking out four awards with their Marlborough Pinot Noir 2021 at the 2023 Marlborough Wine Show, sponsored by QuayConnect.

As well as being crowned the QuayConnect Champion Wine of the Show, it picked up the Coterie Wine of Provenance, Wine Marlborough Ltd Champion Wine from the Wairau Valley subregion, and the De Sangosse NZ current vintage Champion Pinot Noir trophies.

Isabel Estate Chief Winemaker and Marlborough Manager, Jeremy ‘Macca’ McKenzie shared a little insight into what goes into making this champion wine, as well as some thoughts on the success of the Marlborough wine industry as it celebrates its 50 year anniversary…

Marlborough Wine Show’s principal sponsor, QuayConnect has been a key part of the Marlborough wine industry for nearly a decade, and has supported the show for much of that time. We caught up with their General Manager, Jaron McLeod, to find out a little more about why the industry, and in turn the show, is so important to the company…

Now in its 37th year, the Marlborough Wine & Food Festival is renowned for its well-crafted blend of award-winning wine, excellent food, inspirational chef demonstrations and masterclasses matched with carefully selected entertainment.

With the full list of exhibiting wineries, food producers and masterclass hosts close to being finalised, Wine Marlborough Ltd General Manager Marcus Pickens is delighted to announce some very tempting entertainment offerings.

Four pioneers of the Marlborough wine industry have been presented with Wine Marlborough Lifetime Achievement Awards at a celebration dinner in Blenheim.

James Healy, Dave Pearce, Tessa Anderson and Murray Gibbons were recognised at The Marlborough Wine Celebration Evening, which also celebrated 50 years since the beginning of the modern Marlborough wine industry.

This year was the first year that four recipients have received the award in one year, each having demonstrated tireless dedication to the industry for the best part of five decades.

Isabel Estate Marlborough Pinot Noir 2021 has been named the Champion Wine of the 2023 Marlborough Wine Show, sponsored by QuayConnect.

The wine was a standout for judges, picking up four trophies in total, including the De Sangosse NZ Champion Current Vintage Pinot Noir, The Coterie Wine of Provenance and Wine Marlborough Ltd Champion Wairau Valley wine.

Chief Judge Stu Marfell said the Champion wine was a clear standout for judges.

Refined and thoughtful winemaking techniques have been celebrated by judges at the 2023 Marlborough Wine Show, sponsored by QuayConnect.

A panel of 17 judges tasted more than 550 entries last week, awarding 46 gold medals to wines of all varieties, from right across Marlborough’s subregions.

Over 550 wines are to be tasted over the coming days as judges get to work at the 2023 Marlborough Wine Show, sponsored by QuayConnect.

Chief Judge Stu Marfell says the high number of entries is a testament to the calibre of the show, indicating its status as a key event for the region’s wine producers.

AFTER MORE than 40 years driving trucks, much of it transporting wine, Murray Gibbons is ready to hang up his keys. Murray never set out to be a truck driver, or a business owner for that matter, but when opportunity came knocking, he didn’t shy away. The only problem has been slowing down in an ever-expanding industry, he says. “I’m no businessman; just a truck driver who somehow ended up with a trucking business,” Murray says from ‘HQ’ – his tongue-in-cheek reference to the humble portacom tucked away on a corner site in Riverlands Industrial Estate, which houses operations for his company, Bulk Wine Distribution.

“I don’t know how many times I’ve tried to leave the industry, or slow down, or downsize, but I’ve failed miserably every time,” the 67-year-old says. “Somehow I ended up buying land, more trucks, wine tankers then a tanker wash.” His work has adapted to meet the needs of an ever-evolving industry. “If there’s one thing that’s constant in the wine industry, it’s change,” Murray says.

Dust off your hats, dig out your best summer dress and mark your calendars – ‘Locals Only’ tickets to the 2024 Marlborough Wine & Food Festival will be available for purchase from Monday 9 – Friday 13 October.

These tickets are released to locals before anyone else and will be offered at a special ‘locals only’ price from the Blenheim i-SITE or – for the first time – online via the Marlborough Wine & Food Festival website. Numbers are limited, so get planning with your friends and whānau to ensure you don’t miss out.

25 September – 27 October 2023

This critical survey will help ensure the future of your workforce

Congratulations to Callum Haynes from Matua Wines who is the 2023 Tonnellerie de Mercurey Marlborough Young Winemaker of the Year. The competition was held on 13th September and the winners were announced at the Awards Dinner the same evening.

Callum, 29, was thrilled to take out the title “I really wanted this and have worked hard to get here” he says.

The New Zealand wine industry is embarking on a major workforce research project, taking stock of the current roles and skills across the sector to identify workforce gaps and plan for the future needs of the industry.

Wine Marlborough Ltd General Manager Marcus Pickens says this is a critical and exciting project for the industry.

“This is a collaborative project that will help us ensure that New Zealand continues to have a strong, capable and thriving wine industry made up of healthy people and businesses,” he says.