A standout vintage topped off 10 years of careful winegrowing for the Babich Marlborough Pinot Noir Rosé 2023, helping it to pick up the title of champion Rosé at the 2023 Marlborough Wine Show, sponsored by QuayConnect.

Winemaker Jens Merkle says to receive the Scenic Hotel Marlborough Champion Rosé trophy was hugely rewarding for the team, which selected the site for the grapes some 10 years ago.

Since then, careful thought has been put into nurturing just the right clones, and harvesting them at optimal ripeness to create an award-worthy Rosé.

He shared a little about the process and how it felt to pick up the trophy…

The Vintech Pacific Best Low Alcohol Wine trophy returned to the 2023 Marlborough Wine Show, sponsored by QuayConnect.

It was the first time for a number of years that the trophy was up for contention, and it was taken home by The Doctors’ Riesling 2022.

Forrest Wines General Manager and Winemaker Beth Forrest says the company, founded by her parents in 1988, has been making low alcohol wines for 20 years.

She shared with us a little bit about the wine, how their low alcohol winemaking journey began, and where she sees the Marlborough wine industry heading…

The Marlborough Wine & Food Festival has taken a delicious leap forward this week, confirming more top chefs and – in a ‘festival-first’ – adding pop-up restaurants to the programme.

Wine Marlborough Ltd General Manager Marcus Pickens is delighted to announce Michael Meredith, Matt Lambert, Andy Hearnden and Sam Webb are firmly on the festival menu. These award-winning, celebrated chefs are set to inspire, entertain and share a few new culinary tricks in the Culinary Pavilion throughout the day.

Fifty years on from breaking ground with Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc, Triplebank has been awarded the QuayConnect Champion Awatere & South Marlborough trophy with their Triplebank Sauvignon Blanc 2023.

The award was presented at the 2023 Marlborough Wine Show, sponsored by QuayConnect, which was also a celebration of 50 years of modern winemaking in Marlborough. Then Montana, the company was among the first producers to plant Sauvignon Blanc in the region in the 70s.

This year was the first year the show recognised champion wines from Marlborough’s subregions. Winemaker Lan Zhang told us what makes the Triplebank Sauvignon Blanc worthy of the 2023 title for Awatere & South Marlborough…

The 2017 vintage of Deutz Prestige Cuvée has left a lasting impression on judges of the 2023 Marlborough Wine Show, sponsored by QuayConnect.

Careful work to ensure winemakers were able to make the best of a ‘vintage of two halves’ paid off, resulting in the wine being awarded the Vitis and Winemakers Champion Sparkling trophy at the Show in both 2022 and 2023.

Winemaker Laura-Kate Morgan told us about some of the crucial decisions that set this wine up for success…

Lawson’s Dry Hills has had their focus on Pinot Noir recognised, winning the De Sangosse NZ Champion Pinot Noir 2020 & Older trophy at the 2023 Marlborough Wine Show, sponsored by QuayConnect.

Senior Winemaker Marcus Wright says the team has been working hard to improve their Pinot Noir in recent years, and to receive the trophy for The Pioneer Tilly’s Single Vineyard 2020 was particularly rewarding, as it was the first vintage under the new regime.

He shares a little about the wine and what makes it special…

Stoneleigh Riesling 2023 has been named the Orora Limited Champion Riesling of the 2023 Marlborough Wine Show, sponsored by QuayConnect.

Winemaker Tim Mills says the trophy-winning wine is made with care to ensure balance and a showcase of flavours from the vineyard.

He shares some insight into what went into making the wine after a vintage that posed many weather-related challenges…

Jeremy McKenzie saw the potential in Marlborough Chardonnay many years ago, and has been working on perfecting the variety ever since.

He and his team at Isabel Estate picked up two trophies for Chardonnay at the 2023 Marlborough Wine Show, sponsored by QuayConnect. In this ‘Q&A’, he shares some insight into the winner of the Bragato Research Institute Champion Chardonnay, 2020 & Older trophy, the Isabel Estate Marlborough Chardonnay 2020.

He also delves into the key characteristics of the Marlborough sites capable of producing world-class Chardonnay…

Zephyr Wines has been awarded the Vit Management Ltd Champion Organic Wine trophy at the 2023 Marlborough Wine Show, sponsored by QuayConnect.

Winemaker Ben Glover says the winning wine, Zephyr Chardonnay 2020, was produced following the family business’ first official certified organic vintage, making the award extra special.

The Glover family has been growing grapes in Marlborough for nearly four decades, transitioning to organic farming in 2017. He shared with us why this was an important move for Zephyr, and a little about the work involved…

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.