In the mid-1980s, when she was 12 years old, her parents pulled out their Müller-Thurgau vines as oversupply and high interest rates plagued New Zealand's wine industry. Forty years on, as winegrowers grapple with low grape prices, cancelled contracts, lost income and continued uncertainty, she's reminded of the stress her parents went through before and after the government wine pull.

Melissa, a Marlborough grower, New Zealand Winegrowers board member, and viticulturist for her brother's companies JTC Viticulture and Vintage Harvesters, knows people who have had no grape contract and no income for the past two years, while continuing to pay the costs of maintaining a vineyard. Growers expect weather challenges, market shifts and grape prices that fluctuate with demand, she says. But they cannot prepare for being told they will not sell a single stock unite for two years. "That is what's so hard for people to understand and get their heads around. Me included."

Speaking at a Wine Marlborough and Bragato Research Institute workshop on mothballing in June, Melissa urged growers to take stock of their situation and be strategic in their planning. "That will be unique for every player in this room. What your neighbour is doing is going to be different to what you are doing, because your site is your own, your debt level is your own, your vine age is what you've got."

It is a "very stressful and emotional time", but there is also opportunity, she said. "If your vineyard is 20 to 25 years old, and we are being paid almost nothing for our grapes, is it a good time to pull it out?" That is not an easy decision, she notes, recalling a conversation with a couple who own and operate a small, 25-year-old vineyard without a supply contract. In their late 50s, they do not know what comes next. "This is all we have ever done," they told her. "This is our job."

She and Jason have a "very wide view" of what is happening in the industry because of the number of growers they work with. That includes growers with no contracts and those who do have contracts but are on notice. "We've got some who are looking to exit the industry and we've got others that are fine," Melissa says. "And our own vineyards sit within that mix as well."

They have pulled out several of Jason’s older blocks for fallowing, with some planted in alternative crops, including winter barley, clover seed and sunflowers, while waiting for demand to recover before replanting grapes. Those trials, along with different mothballing techniques, are providing insights for the wider industry, she says. “Over the past 12 to 18 months, we’ve been looking at what we can do within our own operation to help people save money.”

Ultimately, the decision will be individual to each business. For some growers, the best option may be to remove older vines and consider replanting, given they are receiving little or no income from their crop. “Your decision to replant might not be right now, but when demand comes back on stream.” For those with younger vines, the conversation is more likely to focus on mothballing and what is appropriate for their individual circumstances. “And that’s very personal; it’s about the site and what people are looking to achieve.” She emphasises that a mortgage-free grower might be prepared to sustain a few years with no crop, while a neighbour could face a completely different situation.

People need to talk to other stakeholders, including banks and accountants, and perhaps a lawyer, before taking the next step. Conversations with labour suppliers will also be important, as contractors are likely to reduce their workforce, while harvesting companies will also feel the effects of the downturn. “It’s really hard on the greater community... There is a lot of anxiety out there and worry about what is going to happen.”

The hardest thing, Melissa says, is not knowing what comes next, given changes in the global wine market and Marlborough’s own oversupply. “There are a lot of good things going on to try and alleviate it, but it won’t happen overnight and that’s the toughest thing for people – the unknown.”

Health and Wellbeing In Tough Times

During financial hardship, farmers can become more isolated, so connecting with community and industry groups can support wellbeing, says Sarah White, coordinator for the Top of the South Rural Support Trust. Speaking at Wine Marlborough mothballing workshops in Blenheim and Seddon in June, she urged growers to get to events, and to bring their neighbours along as well. The Rural Support Trust shares wellbeing resources, reacts to adverse events, and can connect people with a counsellor, but she urged people to visit their doctor if they need to talk about their mental health, and to stay in touch with their accountant and bank. New Zealand Winegrowers also provides health and wellbeing resources, including downloadable posters for staff noticeboards.

Find resources at:

• nzwine.com/en/initiativesevents/health-and-wellbeing
• rural-support.org.nz or call 0800 787 254

Six years later Kate had another dream: to ask three of those winemakers each to make a barrel of Chardonnay from No.287 Vineyard, in order to raise money for the Hawke’s Bay Wine Auction and Cranford Hospice. “There was so much doom and gloom at the time, in the wine industry and in the world,” says Kate, who approached Chris Scott Wines, Radburnd Cellars and de la terre with her proposal: she and Koldo would donate more than three tonnes of premium Chardonnay fruit and ask each winemaker to create an auction-exclusive wine from the same harvest.

Penelope Radburnd was not surprised to see the generosity from Kate and Koldo, who are friends as well as suppliers. The project is about more than charity, she says. “Times are tough in the wine industry, so collaboration matters more than ever.” The event is a wonderful way to raise the profile of Hawke’s Bay wines, and showcase the calibre of its single vineyards at the same time, she says. “It’s a rare opportunity to have the exact same fruit interpreted three different ways.”

The support from the wider community was just as swift, says Kate. “There are so many people that are passionate about wine. As soon as we put this call out to come and help pick the grapes, we were overwhelmed.” School mums, past and present work colleagues, and Kate and Koldo’s bank manager showed up, along with vineyard teams from Greatvine Services.

After 180 volunteer hours spent harvesting the fruit, it was divided between three wineries, with Chris Scott Wines focused on creating a complex, finely textured Chardonnay, whole-bunch pressed directly to barrel and wild fermented, while Radburnd Cellars pursued concentration, structure and longevity, in a Chardonnay designed to reward long-term cellaring. De la terre took a different path, fermenting with indigenous yeast and avoiding oak entirely to create a pure expression of fruit and place.

The wines, which will remain in barrel until bottling in 2027, will be auctioned at the 2026 Hawke’s Bay Wine Auction on Saturday 12 September. For Kate, who has tasted the three Chardonnays in barrel, it is “beyond exciting” to see what No.287 Vineyard is capable of. “We really have to pinch ourselves that we stumbled across this land and made the dream happen.”

hawkesbaywineauction.co.nz

Audiences were given a Bragato Research Institute research update on the powdery mildew national survey, disease resistance varieties breeding programme, Carbon Calculator, and a project targeting inhibition of botrytis cinerea laccases, before moving to the potential uses of AI in wine.

Rachel Durie and Lee Matheson, from Perrin Ag, offered insights into the use of GenAI on dairy farms. Their report for DairyNZ, The Opportunities of Artificial Intelligence for New Zealand Dairy Farmers, indicated that farmers who are engaging with the technology use it to make better, more informed and faster decisions, reduce time spent on repetitive tasks and improve communication. Limitations are typically due to the user not giving enough background information, Rachel said. “It comes back to prompts and using it in the right way.”

In each region the presentation was followed by a wine industry panel on real world use and potential for the technology. Brenton O’Reilly from Te Mata started using GenAI a few years ago, to gain efficiencies in areas like HR and finance, “and it’s worked really well so far”. He said it was important that AI had access to the right source of information, such as their own company data. “The better the data source you provide to the model, the better the output you will get.” He and David Bullivant, from Babich Wines, also warned of hallucinations, as well as the need to protect company information while using the tools. They all urged people in workplaces to use paid versions of the software in order to protect their data.

There’s a wealth of research available to New Zealand winegrowers, Dr Damian Martin told attendees during a session on Smarter Decisions in the Vineyard, which was followed by panel discussions on vineyard innovations and trials.

In Hawke’s Bay and Marlborough, BRI scientist Dr Paul Epee presented early results from the Next Generation Viticulture programme (see page 51), Stewart Field looked at the effect of root carbohydrate reserves on productivity, and Dr Cen Liau discussed powdery mildew fungicide resistance. Dr Leandro Dias Arauji from Lincoln University spoke in all three regions about a comprehensive survey of elemental sulphur residues on Pinot Noir across multiple vineyards, and the correlation between total sulphur application and residue levels at harvest. She was followed by Dr Bruno Fedrizzi, looking at how key winemaking factors influence aroma development in New Zealand Pinot Noir, with a focus on volatile sulphur compounds.

The A Lighter Touch (ALT) programme has launched an education campaign for the horticulture, arable and viticulture sectors, as it nears the end of its seven-year term. The campaign includes a case study, produced with programme partner Bragato Research Institute, on the prevalence and risks of glyphosate resistance in New Zealand vineyards, as growers move away from what was once the most cost-effective weed management tool.

The case study draws on research published by the Plant Protection Society in 2022, which revealed that 39% of New Zealand vineyards contained glyphosate-resistant ryegrass, including 58% in Marlborough. It included guidance for mitigating resistance, including rotating herbicide modes of action (MoA), reducing reliance on glyphosate, using mowing, cultivation and cover crops, and integrating non-chemical weed management.

BRI has since analysed more than a decade of Spray Diary data to understand the trend of glyphosate use in New Zealand vineyards. “This analysis showed that growers often applied glyphosate at higher frequencies, concentrations and rates,” says the case study. “These findings highlight the need to increase grower awareness of the risks associated with heavy reliance on glyphosate and the importance of adopting alternative weed management strategies in vineyards.”

It seems that resistance is “creeping up”, says Dr Paul Epee at BRI, noting that growers are struggling to control weeds with low- to moderate-concentrate products efficiently. “For us that’s a real red flag that something is happening.” The management options that reduce the risk of weed resistance often come at a cost, and “glyphosate is one of the easiest options”, he says. “Like most of us, growers are tempted to opt for the path of least resistance.”

The ALT resistance management campaign is another good opportunity to get the message out and encourage grape growers to have the risks “front of mind”, Paul says. “Because if nothing is done now, it will be too expensive to manage or mitigate later.”

Paul also led the UV-C light project, co-funded by BRI, ALT and Whitehaven Wines. The project investigated the efficacy of UV-C light in controlling powdery mildew and reducing over-reliance on fungicides in New Zealand vineyards, and particularly for Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc.

Fruitfed Supplies technical specialist Jon Peet says the wine industry is on the front foot when it comes to resistance management, with Sustainable Winegrowing New Zealand promoting ‘good agricultural practice’ (GAP) and rotating MoA wherever possible.

reiterated time and again, to ensure growers use sprays strategically to mitigate resistance. The day we speak he is preparing to talk to grape growers in Marlborough about a new herbicide product that has recently become available to them. The product requires written permission for use from SWNZ and is only to be used on glyphosate resistant ryegrass, thereby ensuring strict adherence to best practice, including alternating with other MoA to ensure long-term efficacy.

Jon notes that other weed species are also in danger of developing resistance, particularly to glyphosate. And while glyphosate may be the “worst culprit”, there is growing evidence that ryegrass, in particular, is developing resistance to other MoA. His message to growers is that their weed control has to be carefully managed throughout the year. “It is an integrated approach and will differ from season to season depending on climatic conditions and the mix of products used in previous seasons. Simply applying glyphosate or any other single product year in, year out, will eventually lead to expanding resistance and a loss of control of not just ryegrass but other weed species also.”

Jon notes that growers are in an “increasingly difficult financial position” and vineyard management requires “thinking outside the box” and changing well established norms. “Having good technical advice on how to manage pests and diseases to achieve the best outcome is critical to success in this rapidly changing environment.”

Green Shoots Offshore

Recent headlines about New Zealand wine have been dominated by oversupply, reduced caps and vineyard removals. While few are downplaying the challenges, wineries say they are also encouraging signs emerging offshore, where brands continue to attract new customers and gain ground in key markets.

For winemakers, sales teams and business owners returning from overseas, the issue is not a lack of demand for New Zealand wine. Rather, several large harvests in quick succession have left supply ahead of demand.

Market Engagement Delivers Results

On a recent sales trip to Italy, part of a whirlwind tour of nine countries in eight weeks, Lawson's Dry Hills Marketing Manager Belinda Jackson says she was continually blown away by people's response upon tasting New Zealand wine for the first time. "Many of those who attended had never experienced Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc before - it was amazing watching people's reaction," Belinda says. "This was a good follow up to visiting last year, when we got an 80% strike rate of new restaurant listings."

Belinda Jackson, Lawson's Dry Hills

The trip took her through Europe, the United Kingdom and Asia, meeting importers, retailers and distributors along the way. Despite the economic pressures facing many regions, Belinda says buyers remain enthusiastic about New Zealand wine. "What stands out to me is that everywhere is facing challenges of one sort or another. However, those who take a positive attitude, stay close to their customers and have a compelling brand offering will do well."

Spy Valley Wines Managing Director Amanda Johnson has found much the same thing during recent trips to Asia, the Nordics and North America. "We are constantly hustling, not trying to put all our eggs in one basket, and really trying to stay engaged with international markets - both looking for new prospects and backing up our relationships with the buyers and distributors we know and love."

Those opportunities don't happen by accident, Amanda says. "We made a conscious decision when doing the budgets a year ago to move funds to allow for extra time in market. One of the most valuable things about it is hearing directly what's happening at shelf level and on wine lists, and spending face time with importers and customers rather than relying on secondhand reporting." Those efforts appear to be paying off. Despite what Amanda describes as a difficult year globally for wine, Spy Valley has recorded increased sales.

Being close to customers has become a priority for many wineries, including Te Mata Estate in Hawke's Bay. During the Covid travel restrictions, the winery appointed representatives to work alongside buyers and distributors in Europe, the United States and Australia. The investment has paid off, says Chief Executive Nick Buck. Sales in the US have grown 30% year-on-year over the past two-and-a-half years, while Europe has continued to deliver growth despite the challenges created by the war in Ukraine, the energy crisis, and local wine oversupply. "The response to the quality of our wine from consumers overall has resulted in strong growth over what has been a very challenging time socially, politically and economically... we're very conscious that nothing comes easy at the moment."

While Te Mata Estate operates at the luxury end of the market and is focused primarily on red wines, Nick says the fundamentals of exporting remain the same. “I’ve always believed the great strengths of Hawke’s Bay remain in its ability to produce a wide array of wines to an extraordinary standard… We have great diversity – the challenge is communicating that to buyers. Site-specific and subregional wines is a complex message to take to our customers; that’s why having good market representation is crucial.”

Staying Confident in Identity and Value

Communicating your story effectively has become increasingly important in a crowded international arena, says Hunter’s Senior Winemaker James Macdonald. Against the backdrop of several challenging years for the wine industry, the family-owned winery recently embarked on a significant rebrand, more than four decades after founder Ernie Hunter planted the company’s first vines in Marlborough.

After years of investing in vineyards, people and equipment, James says the focus shifted to better communicating what makes Hunter’s unique and reconnecting with customers who may have known the brand, but not its story. “It was an expensive long-term exercise, but it’s paying off,” he says. “It’s been an opportunity to go back to people with our renewed focus on quality winemaking. Tapping into what made Marlborough and Hunter’s successful in the first place – making great, compelling wine.”

James Macdonald at Hunter's Wines

Extensive travel to key export markets this year has reinforced that message. “After being on the ground, the mood is pretty good,” James says. “We’re getting really great feedback. We’ve sold out of our 2025 and started selling 2026 Sauvignon Blanc, which is getting some really positive responses. It’s much easier to sell good wine than average wine in a competitive environment.” The bigger challenge is making sure people know about it, he says. “Some of New Zealand’s biggest wine brands don’t even have a social media presence.”

For all New Zealand wine’s international success, there are still many wine drinkers around the world who have never tasted it – a gap that wineries are working hard to close. Valli Wines Winemaker Jen Parr has encountered a similar response during recent visits to Hong Kong, Japan, California and Australia, where she says New Zealand wines continue to resonate strongly with those discovering them for the first time. “People love the wines from Central Otago (and New Zealand generally) but the reality is that we aren’t particularly well known, outside of Australia perhaps.”

Despite strong recognition among those already engaged with wine, Jen says New Zealand still faces significant competition in major export destinations, particularly in premium Pinot Noir, where producers are competing against established regions such as Oregon, California and Europe. “Sitting here in Melbourne, the competition from Australian Pinot Noir and Chardonnay is really evident. People have started to prioritise drinking local wines and Australian Pinot is getting better and better. There is a lot of competition in the Pinot Noir space, but strong brands and premium wines are still sought after.”

New Zealand’s long-term growth lies in continuing to build awareness and deepen understanding of what sets the country apart in international markets, she says. “I think the sustainable, regenerative message, along with the rugged beauty and natural wonders of our country, is important to help differentiate us from more industrialised countries that produce wine.”

Global Wine Companies Back New Zealand Brands

Premium positioning remains central to how New Zealand wine differentiates itself in global markets, but changing preferences and drinking occasions are also helping some producers reach new customers. Matua Winery Manager Gavin Williams says New Zealand is well placed to capture this demand in both established and emerging regions. “Globally, the wine category continues to evolve, with consumer preferences shifting toward lighter varietals and styles.”

Over the past two years, lighter wine styles have increased their share of the wine category in key global markets, and Matua is benefiting from the trend. The winery’s low-alcohol Sauvignon Blanc has recorded 40 consecutive weeks of growth in the US, while new formats such as cans and bagnums (magnum-sized wine in a bag) are helping attract new consumers, he says. While the numbers may appear incremental, in a sector grappling with falling consumption and changing drinking habits, holding ground – let alone growing – is a positive sign.

That sentiment is also reflected at a corporate level, with some of the world’s largest wine companies continuing to view leading New Zealand wine brands as an important part of their future plans. At the centre of that confidence remains Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc, the varietal that first put New Zealand wine on the world stage and remains the backbone of the country’s wine exports.

Amanda Johnson in the United States

Constellation Brands recently reaffirmed its commitment to Marlborough-based Kim Crawford and Drylands as part of a global portfolio focused on premium brands. Meanwhile, Treasury Wine Estates has identified Matua as one of just three global “Power Brands”, alongside Penfolds and DAOU. NZX-listed Delegat Group recently reported strong global sales, while Australian drinks giant Endeavour Group retained Marlborough’s Isabel Estate as one of only three wineries in its portfolio following a strategic review.

Protecting Reputation, Protecting Value

Behind that optimism is genuine demand for New Zealand wine. But wineries say the industry’s future will depend just as much on protecting the reputation that created those opportunities in the first place. While demand for lighter, fresher wine styles continues to support New Zealand wine in key export destinations, concerns remain about how some of that wine is being presented and priced.

Buyers overseas are still reporting widespread availability of heavily discounted Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc, often from little-known brands, several wineries say. “The response to Marlborough has become somewhat muted given the volumes being produced and the low prices it is being sold for,” says Belinda. “At times it was hard to see New Zealand commanding the premium it always used to and I was frequently being told of the cheap wine that companies were being offered. The warning was clear – continue to drive brand Marlborough as mass-produced, diluted and cheap, and our bubble will burst.”

Amanda agrees, saying the contrast between premium and commodity wine has become increasingly stark. “Demand for authentic, premium New Zealand wine brands remains strong, even in a very challenging global environment. At the same time, there’s enormous pressure in grocery from heavily discounted Sauvignon Blanc, particularly in the UK and US.”

Nick says that in this environment, how wine is positioned in market becomes just as important as volume. He notes that while bulk wine can offer short-term scale through supermarket channels, it is not always a stable foundation for long-term growth. “Te Mata has focused on building relationships with engaged distributors and on-premise channels, where buyers are typically more wine-informed and focused on provenance, quality and regional identity,” he says. “This approach is supported by strong recognition of New Zealand’s position as a cool-climate wine producer, backed by awards, critical reviews and brand history.”

Hunter’s Wines has taken a similar approach, with a continued focus on more engaged, wine-led channels rather than competing on price in highly promotional retail environments. “Instead of chasing price, we’re doubling down on what makes our wine distinctive,” James says. “We’ve got to believe in what we’re doing. Our competitive advantage is our uniqueness and authenticity. That’s what makes us stand out against the more industrial winemaking methods that are so prevalent globally.”

The importance of storytelling, education and engagement becomes more apparent the more time Jen spends in trade. Building recognition is not an overnight process and requires sustained effort with buyers, especially as competition intensifies, she says. “Selling the premium story is important.”

The New Frontier

After several decades building export markets, wineries are now taking those learnings into a new wave of emerging opportunities. Amanda says early activity in South America has been encouraging, with tasting events in Brazil this year generating early interest and follow-up leads.

“We had a great time in South America,” she says. “We had 12 leads, six of which converted into actual genuine follow up. We’ll keep building on those relationships.”

Looking further ahead, attention is also turning to emerging prospects such as India following the Free Trade Agreement – a vast and largely untapped destination for New Zealand wine. “India is a huge territory in itself, but it’s not one we’ve historically engaged with in any meaningful way,” Amanda says. “It will be interesting to see where it leads over time.”

The conversation around new export destinations reflects a broader point Nick makes about the future direction of New Zealand wine. One of the challenges for the industry is the tendency for people to do what everyone else is doing, he says. “It’s a big wide world out there – we don’t necessarily all need to be in the same place.”

There is real potential for producers to take a more direct, long-term approach to development and investment, particularly given the relatively small scale of the New Zealand industry. “There’s plenty of ground still to explore on the fringes,” he says. “People buy wine from people. It’s all about relationships.”

Bringing It Home

While driving through New Zealand’s wine regions, with vineyards stretching across the landscape, it can be easy to assume there are too many – particularly in the context of current oversupply. But as James points out, New Zealand is small by global standards, with Marlborough alone comparable in scale to Champagne. The current pressure facing the industry is largely a production issue rather than a demand one, with supply running ahead of consumption in some industry segments.

Nick Buck at Te Mata

Nick points to the US as a key example – the world’s largest wine market – where conditions have shifted after an extended period of growth. While the overall category has contracted, he says New Zealand wine and Italian Prosecco are the only two styles to hold steady or continue growing. “It might not seem like a measure of success to not go backwards, but growing your market share in the biggest wine drinking region in the world is absolutely a win during what has been a very challenging period.”

Nick says nothing fundamental has changed about New Zealand wine, which continues to offer diversity, quality and a clear point of difference internationally. “We’ve got something completely unique. We just need to make sure that value is properly understood and recognised offshore.”

Momentum for New Zealand Wine in South Korea

South Korea is emerging as one of New Zealand wine’s most exciting growth opportunities, says Charlotte Read, New Zealand Winegrowers General Manager Brand. On a recent visit she was “blown away” by how fast the New Zealand wine category has expanded in the past decade. “What had been a handful of New Zealand wine brands on wine store shelves has transformed into a vibrant New Zealand category in retail stores.”

Korean wine drinkers increasingly favour lighter, fresher and more fruit-driven styles, and Sauvignon Blanc is now the most popular white wine variety there. “This aligns perfectly with New Zealand’s strengths, with Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc continuing to act as a powerful entry point for consumers,” Charlotte says.

NZW has supported New Zealand Trade and Enterprise in research to learn more about Korean wine consumers. While awareness of New Zealand wine remains relatively low compared with that of more established wine-producing countries, the research shows that Korean consumers respond exceptionally well once they discover New Zealand wines, Charlotte says. “We simply need to increase our visibility.”

NZTE South Korea Head of Business Development You Jin Lee will speak at the NZW 2026 Wine Business Forum on 27 August, sharing first-hand perspectives on consumer behaviour, market trends and the opportunities ahead.

nzwine.com/en/initiativesevents/nzw26

Meanwhile, the country's Sauvignon producers will leave "energised by the possibilities that still lie ahead for the variety".

Sauvignon Blanc is... New Zealand's great wine success story. It captured the world's attention, and what excites me now is that we're still discovering its potential, with increasingly distinctive expressions emerging from different subregions, sites and winemaking techniques.

When I make Sauvignon... I am consistently thinking about how to create a wine that leaves no doubt in anyone's mind that New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc is one of the world's greats. I've been lucky enough to try some truly mind-bending examples from around the world, which frankly blew me away and opened my eyes to just how rich, complex, and diverse the variety can be. If I can create wines that spark curiosity, conversation and a sense of 'holy shit, I didn't know they could do that in Marlborough', I'd be chuffed!

SBNZ27 is important because... it marks more than 50 years since the first Sauvignon Blanc vines were planted in Marlborough. It's an opportunity to celebrate the vision and hard work of the pioneers who established the region, while also exploring the now, the new and the future. For me, that means a deeper conversation around provenance, authenticity and diversity within our wines.

I expect the event to... inspire people. We'll be showcasing wines that challenge expectations and broaden perspectives on what Sauvignon Blanc can be. If we do our job well, the conversation won't just be about Sauvignon Blanc - it will be about Marlborough and New Zealand as world-class fine wine regions with real confidence in their place on the global stage.

A favourite Sauvignon-food match is... a dish I enjoyed recently at a beautiful little restaurant in Japan - octopus, tomato, citrus and fresh goat cheese paired with our own Sauvignon Blanc. It was a sublime combination!

I'm passing the Q&A baton to fellow committee member... Ben Tombs of Craggy Range. With a presence across New Zealand's key wine regions, Craggy Range has a uniquely broad view of our industry, and I'm looking forward to Ben's perspective.

Vasse Felix Chief Winemaker Virginia Willcock was named Winemaker of the Year at the 2026 Halliday Wine Companion Awards, where her 2023 Heytesbury Chardonnay took both Chardonnay of the Year and White Wine of the Year.

Virginia says wine found her before she found it. Growing up, her parents had a hobby vineyard in the Swan Valley, and it was there, watching the happiness wine brought to family gatherings, that the idea of becoming a winemaker first took root. Vintages in New Zealand, Albania and Italy followed, before returning to Western Australia where in 2006 she joined Vasse Felix, the pioneering winery that helped put Margaret River on the map.

benchmark for Australian Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon, and Virginia has steadily lifted an already formidable portfolio towards a more complex, handsoff style.

Her acceptance speech at the Halliday Awards captured her philosophy: “There’s no such thing as not working hard in this industry; you give your life to it because you believe in it. From the microbes and fungi that sustain the vineyard to the joy on someone’s face when they drink a glass of wine, it’s all connected. That’s why we do this.”

Virginia’s Chardonnay story has a strong New Zealand connection. A vintage at Cloudy Bay in Marlborough in 1996, working alongside the late James Healy, proved seminal in its early exploration of wild fermentation (“way ahead of the times… such a beautiful and creative mind”), which she credits as the greatest single influence on her winemaking.

Virginia comes to Hawke’s Bay eager to “interact with so many brilliant wine heads” and to explore what she calls “our most complex, delicious and sophisticated white grape variety”. Chardonnay is a “chameleon”, she says, “and there’s no better a wine to show the winemaker’s style”.

“The workshop is an incredible, focused forum where you’re surrounded by your peers,” says organiser Lynnette Hudson. 

"It gives you the chance to think about the harvest ahead, the style you want to achieve, the challenges you might face, and the experiments you want to trial to learn how to make better wine."

The workshop also provides valuable networking opportunities for winemakers and viticulturists, from emerging winemakers to experienced industry leaders.

"Everyone is there to relax, enjoy themselves and learn," Lynnette says. 

As in recent years, the Burgundy tasting will include a live virtual presentation from a French producer, with David Croix joining participants to discuss the wines and answer questions, she adds.

"It really is a unique opportunity to learn."

The event draws industry professionals, travel trade representatives and media from Great Wine Capitals around the world, including Bordeaux, Mendoza, Adelaide and Napa Valley.

Kim Thorp, Great Wine Capitals Hawke's Bay Ambassador, says it is a wonderful opportunity for New Zealand.

"This conference will showcase New Zealand to an influential global audience in a way that no marketing campaign could replicate. The connections made here, the stories told, and the impressions left will resonate across international markets for years to come."

gwchawkesbay26.com 

While Champagne imports have declined as prices rise, other sparkling wines of the world continue to perform strongly here, highlighting the ongoing popularity of the category among Kiwis.

For Vilaura founding director Jascha Oldham-Selak, the figures point to room for growth for New Zealand producers.

"The trend could create opportunities for regions grappling with oversupply," he says. "Traditional method bottle fermented sparkling wines are predominantly made from Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, varieties currently facing pressure in many regions of the industry."

The challenge for New Zealand producers begins with educating domestic consumers about the differences between in-line carbonated sparkling wines, tank-pressurised sparkling wines and Méthode Traditionnelle wines, Jascha says.

"Méthode Traditionnelle is the most premium style and often spends three or more years ageing in bottle before disgorgement and release to market".

Joshua Irving, who is doing a Bachelor of Viticulture & Oenology (Honours) with a dissertation on the impacts of elemental sulphur on wine quality, is the 2026 Ormond Nurseries North Canterbury Young Viticulturist of the Year and the 2026 Tonnellerie de Mercurey North Canterbury Young Winemaker of the Year.

Having competed in the Young Viticulturist competition last year, he worked on his weaknesses, ensuring he was better prepared for each segment this time around.

Having taken that title there was nothing to lose when he set off for Central Otago for the Young Winemaker regional competition, he says, noting that his field of study, including lab work, gave him a strong foundation.

"I knew that the theory and the science side of things would be a strength, and playing into that definitely worked.

There's some intense work ahead, preparing for two finals on two consecutive days in August, he says.

"But I see it as a great opportunity and am excited to seize it." 

The finalists in the 2026 Ormond Nurseries Young Viticulturist competition, to be held at Escarpment in Wairarapa on 26 August are:

• Heath Miller, Pask Vineyard Vineyard Manager, Hawke's Bay
• Alex Coombs, Craggy Range Vineyard Operator, Wairarapa
• Kris Godsall, Cloudy Bay Assistant Vineyard Manager, Marlborough
• Joshua Irving, Lincoln University student, North Canterbury
• Braxton Benseman, Mt Difficulty Irrigation Tech, Central Otago

The 2026 Tonnellerie de Mercurey Young Winemaker of the Year will be held at Foley's The Runholder in Martinborough on 25 August.

Joshua will compete against Nick Lamain, Isabel Estate Winemaker from Marlborough, and the North Island regional winner, with that event held after this magazine went to print.

The winner of each final will be announced at the New Zealand 2026 Celebration Dinner at Tākina Wellington Convention and Exhibition Centre on 27 August.

The exchange promises to be "a huge learning opportunity", says Carrick Vineyard Manager Damon Lovell, one of four participants this year.

"Not only around winemaking and viticulture techniques, but also as an immersive experience within the Burgundian wine culture. I've always loved the French culture, and to be there living amongst the hecticness of vintage will be very special.

Lisa Fromont, from Te Kano, won 2026 Central Otago Young Winemaker of the Year, but will be on the Burgundy Exchange when the national competition takes place in August.

She's "pretty gutted" to be missing the national final, but beyond excited about the chance to live and make wine in France.

"The wine industry in New Zealand is super young, and the history of wine in Burgundy goes back for two millennia."

She plans to immerse herself in the history, " and what it's like when wine is just a part of your life like that".

"Time and again I've seen the extraordinary respect our wines, our people and our industry command globally. That perspective has only deepened a connection that is both personal and professional, making it a real privilege to join an organisation that has helped shape one of New Zealand's great success stories."

New Zealand wine is the country's eighth largest export, generating approximately $2.1 billion annually, and enjoyed by consumers in more than 100 markets around the world, she says.

"My first priority is therefore to listen, learn and spend time with people across the industry, understanding what matters most before we write the next chapter together."

The projects are:

• Powdery mildew spore trapping as a decision support tool for early season fungicide applications.
• Alternate strategies for GLRaV3 management. BRI's Dr Ellie Bradley will lead research into RNA-based treatments that have shown promise internationally to dramatically reduce Grapevine Leafroll-associated Virus 3 levels in the field.
• Low carbon and environmental impact export packaging pathways for New Zealand wine. Kate Meyer and Alice Oswald from Planetary Accounting Network will use the Planetary Accounting framework to compare glass, lightweight glass, cans, bag-in-box, and bulk shipping across environmental impact, cost, logistics, quality risk, and market suitability.
• AI-driven protein design to address winemaking challenges. Professor Wayne Patrick from Victoria University of Wellington is applying AI-driven protein design to Botrytis cinerea, aiming to engineer small proteins that can bind to and neutralise these enzymes. The protein will also identify naturally occurring enzymes that shape flavours and aroma in no- and low- alcohol wines, then redesign them to work under real fermentation conditions.

My grandfather Josip (Joe) was born in 1895 in what is now modern-day Croatia. Up until the end of WW1 it was part of the Austro Hungarian Empire. He was one of eight brothers born to my great grandparents, who were subsistent farmers, barely eking out a living on the tough, stony hill country of Dalmatia.

Understanding that there was no future for their kids in this economic, political and physical environment, my great grandparents made the difficult decision to send their sons to New Zealand, a country they knew little about, but which was described to them as offering good opportunity to those willing to work. From 1904 to 1910 they sent five of their sons here, borrowing money off the church to pay for the boat tickets. My grandfather, aged 14, was among the last two to go, and would never to see his parents again.

Joe and his brother Stipan (Steve) arrived in Auckland in April 1910 and made their way north to join their three older brothers in the gum fields. Prospecting for kauri gum gave the brothers enough cash to get by, while learning to speak English and to understand what opportunities existed in their new situation. In 1911, the brothers purchased a 30-hectare parcel of land in Henderson, West Auckland, which remains the headquarters of Babich Wines.

The brothers needed to continue earning money in the gum fields, as they knew breaking in the newly acquired farm would be financially taxing. It was during this time, in 1912, that Joe planted a vineyard on some government lease land at Waiharara, near the southern end of 90 Mile Beach. A few years later, when the (mainly) Isobella grapes were cropping, he gained his winemaker’s licence and began selling wine mainly to other Croatian gum diggers in the area.

From around 1919 the brothers began making trips south to Henderson to begin breaking in the farm. Thomas Henderson, namesake of Henderson township, had milled the property some 70 years earlier, and it was covered in regenerating bush. Joe described the 25 years from 1919 as remarkably difficult, as the farm teetered constantly on the edge of bankruptcy. He noted that over this period they were unable to reduce the principal owed on the farm by even one pound, and on several occasions he had to ask the private mortgage holder if he could add the interest owed to the principal.

This cashflow crisis continued until around 1943. At that time, United States soldiers fighting in the Pacific were on recuperation leave in New Zealand and one of the camps was nearby Redwood Park Golf Club. Amongst the soldiers were Mediterraneans – Italians, Greeks and I suppose some Croatians – and these soldiers wanted red table wine while on leave. So, to the winery they would head in their Willys Jeeps, purchasing wine and paying in US dollars. Joe said this ironic positive outcome of the war (ironic as wars deliver mostly negative outcomes) allowed some alleviation of debt on the farm and set the winery on a course of trending positive for cashflow.

Of the brothers, Jakov returned to Croatia in 1914, got caught up in WW1, survived it, though was badly injured, and died in 1919 of Spanish flu. He is buried in Runovic, the village the family is from. Mate stayed up north on the farm. Ivan was working on the Henderson property but died of pneumonia in 1922 and Stipan planted an orchard, while Joe stayed with the grapes.

The Next Generation

In the late 1920’s Joe met Mara Grgic, recently from Croatia, and in 1929 they were married, going on to have two sons, Peter and Joe (jnr), and three daughters, Ivy, Shirley and Maureen. My father, Peter, was 16 when he joined the business in 1948, which I suspect was a real boost for my grandfather. Business was still very difficult, but dad was confident that they could make it work. At that time tractors were still uncommon and dad became competent running a two horse team (Bob and Trigger) to do vineyard operations such as discing or spraying. And indeed, times were changing, with an upswing in demand for wine from the late1940s onwards.

Joe, the youngest of the siblings, joined dad in 1958 and soon after took over the winemaking duties, going on to do more than 35 vintages as head winemaker and 35 years of national wine judging, including six years as chief judge in the national wine competition. Joe, along with Bruce Collard, was instrumental in setting up the export certification process that the industry required to protect our budding international reputation, which was vulnerable, especially in the early years.

My own recollections of the winery started around the early 1970’s, when I was aged around four years old. At that time, all of our grapes were grown on the Henderson vineyard. Grapes were hand harvested into wooden boxes, which made their way to the winery by tractor to be tipped by hand into a crusher/destemmer. I suspect a normal vintage would have been 60 to 80 tonnes, and it required a lot of manual work to process that volume.

In 1980, a German visitor turned up at the winery, tasted the wines, and asked if he could make arrangements to export our wine to Europe. He paid upfront, a 20 foot container was loaded, and Babich Wines was in the export business. Dad and Joe put a lot of effort into growing exports from 1980 onwards, but it still took
until 1997 before exports exceeded domestic sales.

Dad invested a lot of time into assisting with industry growth and industry issues, having served decades on the Viticultural Association and then the Wine Institute (the pre-cursor to New Zealand Winegrowers). A famous photo, taken at our Orewa beach house in 1991, captures the Institute planning meeting where the target of $100 million of export receipts by the end of the decade was set. The target was achieved and by the turn of the decade (and century) export sales were at $125m for the industry.

Expanding To Marlborough

Dad and Joe knew the business needed to keep changing to stay relevant. In the late 1980s the international interest in Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc became too loud to ignore. Our first experience with Marlborough was to purchase some Sauvignon Blanc juice as it seemed impossible to acquire the same as grapes. The resultant wine won a few international awards and our distributors wanted ten times what we could supply. Dad started cold calling farmers-turned-grape growers in Marlborough and managed to convince a young Murray Gane to grow some grapes for us; his neighbour David Pigou was close behind. Peter Rose and (the late) Jim Rose joined this small group of growers a few years later.

Through the 1990s it was a common thread of discussion to consider whether the music would stop on Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc. We know now that it didn’t, but that wasn’t at all clear at the time. Demand from distributors continued to grow and like many we struggled to supply. We purchased our first Marlborough vineyard, Wakefield Downs in the Awatere Valley, in 1997, and kept up a steady stream of vineyard acquisitions and developments over the following 25 years. We also invested in winery infrastructure to process the grapes and make the wine, before sending it north to Henderson for bottling.

The impact of Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc on our industry and on our own business has been nothing short of remarkable. My grandfather Joe died in 1984, and I often reflect on how he missed seeing “what happened next”.

Like my brothers and cousin André, I grew up on Babich Road, and the winery and vineyard were the playground. I was interested in winemaking, so once I completed high school, I headed off to Australia to do the Roseworthy College Bachelor of Applied Science in Oenology. This was in 1987, before a winemaking qualification was available in New Zealand, so it was where all the budding Kiwi winemakers went. I survived (it was reasonably wild in the late ‘80s) and came home to commence work in the winery, which I did mainly dragging hoses around for a couple of years. I determined that I should go back to university (Auckland) to study commerce and eventually re-enter the company, but on the business side. This took a while, as following completion of the degree I landed a job in pharmaceuticals. Seven years later, with considerably more experience, I rejoined the business and started to learn how this place ticked.

Working with Dad and Joe was great. There was none of the succession angst that can occur in a business undergoing generational transition. They were constantly handing responsibility over but were always there for guidance. The transition from them running the business to me running it was so smooth that I hardly noticed, but by 2010 it became apparent (to me) that I was in charge.

There has been a remarkable amount of change over the past 25 years; of course, the scale of business has changed and the number of markets we sell to has grown. In 2018, my cousin André (Joe’s son) stepped away from a couple of decades of investment banking to join us in the business. Briefly there were four Babich family members involved and we had a broad cross section of skills and experience. This came to an end with Joe losing a battle with cancer in 2022 and Dad ultimately succumbing to a head injury following a fall, passing away in 2025. Collectively, they had actively served the business for 135 years and were in the front row to see the transition of our industry from the old industry to the modern one.

In spite of a lot of current headwinds, we remain positive about our fortunes and those of our industry, and we look forward to continuing growth. There are early signs of additional family involvement as well, with my son Peter recently completing a second winemaking vintage in Marlborough as he studies towards a Bachelor of Commerce.

SWNZ members will soon face new requirements around employment policies and employee rights, to ensure they are in line with market expectations, says Programme Manager Meagan Littlejohn.

She notes that historically the SWNZ programme has been focused on its environmental pillars, and "it's time to bring the social sustainability piece up to the same level".

Nordic Markets Driving Change

Having good employment policies in place, treating workers fairly, and being able to prove that in market is increasingly important, with many markets following the strong lead of Nordic countries in demanding verifiable social sustainability measures, alongside environmental, Meagan says.

"The Nordic countries are going way above and beyond any other market gatekeepers right now in terms of how closely they're looking at sustainability credentials and using it in their tender processes."

Other gatekeepers are likely to adopt similar requirements, so the SWNZ People Pillar is being strengthened to meet the requirements of the Nordic frameworks, she adds.

"These improvements will also give SWNZ-certified wines preferential market access in Sweden."

Beyond Compliance with Employment Law

New Zealand has strong employment law, and many in the wine industry have deemed that sufficient.

But increasingly markets are not taking laws as evidence that you're doing the right thing, Meagan says.

"You actually need to make sure you're formalising and documenting what you do and having that verified."

New Requirements for SWNZ Members

The review took place over a year and was signed off by the New Zealand Winegrowers board in February.

It will result in a few additional questions in the People section of the SWNZ questionnaires, which reflect new requirements around having robust employment policies in place "and evidence that you're implementing them".

Later this winter members will start getting communications around the changes, and will have access to templates and resources online, as well as webinars and workshops, Meagan says.

"So that when everyone completes their next season questionnaire, which is due June 30, 2027, they'll have all the knowledge and the tools to help them answer those questions and implement those new requirements with confidence."

Harvest workers at Cloudy Bay.

Industry Already Operating at High Standards

Cloudy Bay Technical Director Jim White, who is also on the NZW board and the Environment Committee that signed off the SWNZ changes, says there's growing international pressure for rigorous labour standards in the wine industry.

He sees that through the work of Cloudy Bay parent company LVMH, and also through growing interest in forums like the Sustainable Wine Roundtable, of which Cloudy Bay is a member.

Jim says New Zealand companies already operate at a high level, given employment laws and the regulations governing the Recognised Seasonal Employer Scheme.

Most vineyard RSE labour suppliers are members of New Zealand Ethical Employers, which provides additional confidence that high standards are being met, Jim says.

"We think we're in a relatively good position anyway, but what we lack is the capabilities to demonstrate that to the market. And really, that's what the People section needs to do. Because we might be doing all these really good things, but we have to be able to prove it to someone else."

Jim notes that many larger wine companies will already have rigorous policies in place, but smaller companies don't always have the resources to stay abreast of social sustainability measures.

"What SWNZ is able to do under the People standard is to provide a lot of templates so people can adopt those policies for themselves. Ultimately, we want that to deliver better outcomes for New Zealand employees."

BRI governance will be absorbed by the same directors as the New Zealand Winegrowers board as of 1 July, but the institute, a wholly owned subsidiary of NZW, will remain a separate organisation, led by Chief Executive Dr Juliet Ansell, delivering research and innovation for the wine industry.

From Foundation to Established Research Institute

BRI was founded in 2017 with funding from the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) Regional Research Institute (RRI) fund, with the proviso that the institute have its own board, which is no longer a requirement.

NZW board Chair Fabian Yukich says the industry owes gratitude to the outgoing board, which set up the research organisation “from scratch”, building both a physical asset and, more importantly, a cohort of people doing research targeted for the New Zealand industry.

Mark Gilbert, who has chaired the BRI board since it began, says it has been a lot of work from governance and staff to stand up a research institute “from zero”, but the organisation now has 25 people doing “fantastic work” as well as an “exceptional leader” in Juliet.

“The dividend of that is that the industry has now got a really well set up and well led industry body to do science.”

Funding Evolution and Industry Investment

The institute, which is the only RRI recipient to survive, had the support of MBIE from the beginning, and every milestone review was “quite outstanding”, Mark says.

That was thanks to “the quality of the people and the work that was being done”, as well as the BRI strategy and support that the NZW board gave the organisation in its formative years.

Eight years on, BRI has gone from being 100% levy funded, to using levies for a third of its income, supported by government and grantor investment.

There’s still some misunderstanding as to what science can do, with people looking for a “quick fix”, but “science is a long term play”, Mark says.

Leadership and Strategic Direction

James Dicey was a foundation BRI board member, working with fellow NZW board members Dominic Pecchenino and Peter Holley to appoint Mark as chair, along with the first chief executive MJ Loza.

When James left the NZW board in 2019, he decided he had “unfinished business” with the BRI, and was appointed as an independent director in 2023, along with Greg Mann.

In the years since, they have appointed the “phenomenal” new chief executive, and delivered a refreshed research strategy, James says.

“The changes that Juliet has been able to make on the back of that, and the reconnection back to the industry, means the organisation is in really good shape.”

He says the levy commitment from NZW, along with support from industry and government, has been a critical component for the ongoing sustainability of BRI.

The result is “exciting and necessary” research, including work on new clonal material through the Sauvignon Blanc 2.0 programme, vine physiology projects, and the Research Winery, opened in 2020.

Those projects wouldn’t have happened under the model used by NZW before the BRI, or via other science providers, he says.

Transition and Governance Continuity

James and another outgoing BRI board member, Dr Bruce Campbell, have been asked to help navigate the transition between the assumption of governance until the upcoming election and appointment of a new NZW board.

Bruce, who was Chief Operating Officer at Plant & Food Research and is currently a Director of the Bioeconomy Science Institute, joined the BRI board in 2019.

He says the institute represents “a really positive evolution and maturing of the industry to increasingly take responsibility for its own innovation path”.

He applauds NZW for making the investment through the RRI and taking it forward as industry-owned research and development.

Its success has brought new innovations forward for the industry, which is vital in times like these, when tough times result in change, and rebalancing of supply with demand.

“It’s really important that the industry is charting an innovation future that can catch the upswing coming from new technologies and changing opportunities with consumers, so we continue to grow on the global stage.”

"Winemakers want to see proven results before adopting something new, and that's been our experience both locally and globally," says amaea's Chief Technical Officer. "What we've found is that once winemakers see the impact in their own wines, adoption follows."

Molecular filtration gives winemakers a high level of precision and control in managing pyrazines, phenolics, and certain off-aromas, "enabling them to target specific compounds while preserving desirable characters", says Aaron, who will be joined at the WinePro session by winemakers Dean Boyce from Indevin and Jane de Witt from LION, along with Christian Kuun, South Island manager at Vintech Pacific.

Addressing Sustainability and Cost Pressures

Aaron, a chemical and materials engineer, says technology will play a critical role in helping New Zealand wine maintain its global position, particularly as producers face increasing cost pressures, additive regulations and sustainability expectations.

"The opportunity isn't about changing how wine is made at its core, but about giving winemakers better tools to produce higher-quality wine, more efficiently and sustainably, especially in more challenging vintages."

New Continuous Cold Stabilisation Technology Unveiled

As well as molecular filtration, he will use WinePro to introduce amaea's new continuous cold stabilisation technology.

"Traditionally, cold stabilisation can take seven to 14 days. CSx reduces that to as little as five minutes, while also significantly lowering energy use and emissions," he says.

"Molecular filtration removes the need for seeding with cream of tartare to achieve cold stability, reducing both chemical costs and waste for wineries."

Aaron says introducing innovative technology to an ancient industry is one of the most interesting aspects of his work.

“Winemaking has always been a balance of tradition, science and artistry, all coming together to create a sensory product. While the fundamentals haven’t changed for centuries, the tools winemakers use have continually evolved to improve quality, yields, and efficiency. Molecularly imprinted polymers are simply one of the next steps in that evolution.”

Hill Labs Blenheim Site Manager Vanessa Burrows says traditional methods for the count are labour-intensive, requiring growers to take a spade-square of soil to the depth of the spade, then break it up and manually count the earthworm population.

Supporting Sustainable Vineyard Management

The Earthworm eDNA test instead uses molecular technology to identify the presence of A. calignosa - New Zealand's most prominent earthworm species - and "contributes to building a holistic understanding of soil health", Vanessa says.

"Winegrowers have been particularly interested in this test, using it as another tool in the toolbox to understand their soil health."

eDNA testing can complement or enhance traditional monitoring methods, she adds.

"Earthworms are a crucial component of soil biology... and abundant earthworm populations are widely recognised as an indicator of healthy soil."

Hill Labs Showcases Soil Testing Innovation at WinePro

The eDNA is one of the services "from vine to vintage", that Hills Labs will be showcasing at WinePro, with opportunity to explain the science, build trust, and gather direct feedback from the industry on how the services are performing, "including any needs for new testing or changes to food limits and standards".

New products and technologies, such as eDNA testing, can be easier to understand when customers can discuss real-world applications in person, Vanessa says.

"If something is changing in your business - rising fuel costs, labour pressure, new pest risks, or simply the push to do more with less - this is where you go to see what's actually out there to help."

The trade show and conference, on in Blenheim from 23-25 June, will showcase wine-related products, from vineyard robots to eDNA worm counts, molecular filtration to harvest technology, and science providers to sustainable irrigation, along with a timely and extensive education segment.

Industry Education Designed for Today's Challenges

The conference sessions add a critical component to the event, says Wine Marlborough General Manager Marcus Pickens, who worked with his team and industry to design three days of seminars with relevance from soil to sales.

"This is a challenging time for our industry, and many of these sessions will step up to those challenges, with updates and insights from people at the coalface of vineyard redevelopment and sales, growing efficiencies in vineyards and wineries, and ensuring we're in tune with what consumers want."

A session entitled 'Dealing with the Now' will focus on the immediate, practical decisions facing growrs and vineyard businesses, from planting decisions to regulatory realities, to exit or "reconfiguration" strategies. They're upfront conversations to give attendees more understanding of their options, Marcus says.

WinePro

Learning from Other Industries

The conference includes insights from other industries, including Dr Peter Bircham, Head of Research and Development at Garage Project, exploring "New Product and Taste Development in Beer, Wine and Adjacent Products", speaking alongside sensory testing expert Dr Amanda Dupas de Matos.

Zespri Chief Digital Officer Dave Scullin will also share insights into what's worked in that organisation, and outline the direction of Zespri's 2035 strategy, including how its structure and operating model continue to support global market performance.

Morvey McAuley, from Tradecraft, will discuss the changing customer profile for wine companies and ask whether digital strategies are ready, in a "wake up call for anyone serious about growth". In other wake up calls, a session on shifting climates will explore the science designed to help growers face climate risks. The programme includes an electrification session, led by wine companies leading that charge, along with a session on powering a smarter vineyard in the face of rising fuel costs, labour shortages, sustainability pressures, and tighter spray windows.

Dr Aaron Low, amaea Chief Technical Officer, will lead a panel on real-world applications of molecular filtration at the WinePro conference.

Technology Providers Highlight Industry Collaboration

Molecular filtration company amaea showcased its resuable molecularly imprinted polymer technology at the 2024 WinePro, on the trade floor and as part of the education programme, and will return to both forums this year. Chief Technical Officer Dr Aaron Low says such events are "incredibly important" because they bring the whole industry together in one place. "For us, it's not just about showcasing technology, it's about having conversations with winemakers, industry leaders, partners and customers. Understanding their challenges, sharing experiences and insights, and discussing where new technologies can genuinely make a difference."

It's also an opportunity to demonstrate how their technologies are already being used in-market, he says. "That practical, peer-to-peer exchange is often what gives winemakers the confidence to explore something new." Aaron says the tough times in the industry mean there's "naturally" more scrutiny on any new investment. "But at the same time, there's a stronger focus on efficiency, cost control, and getting the most value out of every litre of wine... That's where technologies that deliver clear, measurable outcomes tend to gain traction. If you can reduce inputs, lower energy use, and improve wine quality at the same time, it becomes a much easier decision."

Face-to-Face Connections Remain Critical

Hill Labs Blenheim Site Manager Vanessa Burrows says trade shows provide a valuable opportunity to connect directly with growers, vineyard managers and winemakers in one place, and to showcase new products and technology.

"Face-to-face conversations are especially important, as they allow people to ask detailed questions, get to know us at Hill Labs, and understand how our services can fit into their own vineyard or winery programmes."

Why Industry Events Matter During Challenging Times

Expertise Events managing director Gary Fitz-Roy, who oversees Australia's WineTech as well as WinePro, says in challenging market conditions, visibility and industry connection become more important than ever. "During previous periods of industry pressure, WineTech experienced attendance growth of 34%, demonstrating that well-timed, high-quality trade events continue to attract strong engagement, even in difficult conditions," he says. "Across our recent events held in three Australian states, attendance has increased by an average of 16%, reinforcing the ongoing value the industry places on face-to-face connection and business development."

WinePro has already sold more than 80% of its indoor exhibition space, with more than 40% of exhibitors new to the event, something Gary says reflects strong momentum within the sector. "It's incredibly encouraging to see such strong exhibitor demand, particularly from new businesses bringing fresh ideas, products and innovation to the show floor."

Gary says trade events such as WinePro provide a highly efficient environment for exhibitors and attendees alike, enabling direct access to qualified buyers, decision-makers and industry peers in one place. "Rather than viewing current conditions as a limitation, we see this as the time when industry events deliver their greatest value, facilitating business growth, strengthening relationships and creating opportunities for collaboration and knowledge-sharing that help move the sector forward."

He adds that Wine Marlborough is delivering an "outstanding" conference programme, supported by a diverse and rapidly growing exhibitor line-up showcasing the latest products, services and innovations. "Our focus remains on delivering a world-class national and international event that supports the New Zealand wine sector and reflects both the resilience and ambition of the industry."

Richard Beaumolnt says new technology like Agovor's autonomous e-tractors can be hard to evaluate from a distance. "At WinePro, you can stand in front of it, ask the hard questions, and see how it stacks up for your operation." Just as valuable is the conversation around it, he says. "You're not just talking to suppliers - you're hearing how other growers are thinking, what they're trying, and what's working. If there's a smarter way to run part of your vineyard, you'll find it here. And if there isn't yet, you'll leave knowing what's coming next."

The event will draw together industry attendees from across New Zealand and further afield to hear a stimulating collection of speakers on a wide array of topics, taste local and international Chardonnays, and enjoy Te Mata-au-Maui's hospitality.

International Wine Expert Confirmed as Keynote Speaker

This year's keynote speaker is Julia Harding MW, an astute and always-curious wine thinker, whose name will be familiar to most not only via her role as senior editor at jancisrobinson.com, but also her co-authorship and editorship of several landmark books, including Wine Grapes and The Oxford Companion to wine.

Julia began her career as an editor and publisher before wine captured her attention.

She has a particular passion for Greek wines, though her formidable knowledge and attention to detail span the full length of the wine world, attributes that will undoubtedly make her two sessions at the symposium, including one on the topic of quality, rigorous and thought provoking.

Exploring Quality and Regional Expression

Julia has visited New Zealand a number of times since her first trip in 1992, with her most recent visit in 2018.

She once cycled from Picton to Nelson, which says something about her dedicated approach to life.

"I have always rated New Zealand Chardonnay highly and thought it was a shame that for so long Sauvignon Blanc gets all the glory and all the attention - for many obvious reasons," Julia say. "However, it does seem to be coming out of the shadows and now is a great time to discover more."

Celebrating the Future of Chardonnay

She's looking forward to the Symposium, where she hopes to gain a better understanding of New Zealand Chardonnay's regional and subregional differences, and to meet the winegrowers behind them.

"Based on wines I have tasted so far, there's clearly a range of styles, often marked by winemaking choices, but the best - those that are not overworked in the cellar - seem to combine the freshness and clarity of fruit that is all about the New Zealad climate."

We reviewed the market through a consumer lens, using the latest IWSR update on the brand health of New Zealand wine, along with the retail view.

The situation – our fortress remains strong

New Zealand wine is outperforming a stagnant wine market, delivering value and volume growth, and continues to dominate the premium Sauvignon Blanc category, with healthy conversion rates and consumer image attributes.

The complication – the demographic cliff

Our profitable core buyer is aging (55+) while overall wine volumes are shrinking as younger consumers moderate consumption drinking across categories and shifting toward refreshing RTDs and Seltzers.

The resolution – the refreshment pivot

To capture the 1.8 million ‘Potential Buyers’ that skew younger we must maintain our premium quality bedrock while pivoting our marketing to uniquely position New Zealand wine as the category’s most “Naturally Refreshing” option.

Conversion rate

With a conversion rate of 58%, we possess an unshakeable lead over international competitors in converting awareness into active consumption. We do not have an awareness problem. Once an Australian consumer is aware of our wine, we convert them at a rate second only to domestic Australian producers. Our mid-funnel efficiency is unmatched by competitors.

Our bedrock – taste, quality and trust

These metrics are stable and robust. They over-index heavily compared to Chile, Argentina, and South Africa. This premium reputation is what allows New Zealand to weather the current economic headwinds. We do not need to ‘fix’ our top three brand perceptions – aligned with key category sales drivers.

The ‘refreshing’ edge – our fastest growing image asset

More naturally refreshing wines was the only imagery attribute to show a statistically significant increase in the latest tracking. Historically, wine has not been viewed as a refreshing drink in Australia (unlike beer or RTDs). New Zealand wine is uniquely breaking this barrier aligning perfectly with the macro trend toward lighter, easy-drinking styles, and more casual occasions.

The full presentation is available in the members section of nzwine.com

16-22 June

nzw.com/grape-days

The Grape Days events, on in Central Otago on 16 June, Hawke's Bay on 18 June, and Marlborough on 22 June, include sessions on growing productivity and informed decision making in vineyards, and update on the Next Generation Viticulture Programme and powdery mildew fungicide resistance, as well as a session on whether the big crops of 2025 caused a "yield hangover". The 2026 Grape Days events also include a segment on the use of Generative AI as a vineyard tool, including insights from DairyNZ.

Braden Crosby, Bragato Research Institute Knowledge Transfer and Engagement Lead, says a wine industry panel will also explore current practice and use cases for GenAI in vineyards. "We are looking to learn from other primary industries to understand the opportunities that may be created by implementing differing practices into your business model."

WinePro

29 June

nationalwineawards.co.nz

Entries open for New Zealand's only national wine awards on 29 June and close on 21 August, with judging from 22-24 September. Jane Cooper returns as Chair of Judges, tasked with identifying and celebrating the very best wines in the country.

OWNZ EcoVineyards Tour

21 July - 4 August

organicwinenz.com/ecovineyards-tour

Dr Mary Retallack will visit Hawke's Bay on 21 July, Marlborough on 28 July, and Central Otago on 4 August for the Organic Winegrowers New Zealand EcoVineyards tour, intended to help grape growers track and improve biodiversity, vine and soil health within their own vineyards.

Tonnellerie de Mercurey Young Winemaker of the Year

25 August

nzwine.com/en/initiativesevents

The regional finals for the 2026 Tonnellerie de Mercurey Young Winemaker of the Year will be held in Central Otago on 30 June and Marlborough on 15 July, with the North Island regional competition on 23 July. The finalists will go to the national competition in Wairarapa on 25 August, with the winner announced on 27 August. Entry forms available at https://www.nzwine.com/en/initiativesevents.

Ormond Nurseries Young Viticulturist of the Year

26 August

https://www.nzwine.com/en/initiativesevents

Finalists from five regional Young Viticulturist of the Year competitions will go through to the 2026 Ormond Nurseries Young Viticulturist of the Year National Final in Wairarapa on 26 August, with the winner announced on 27 August. The Marlborough regional competition was on 28 May, to be followed by the North Island regional event on 4 June, Hawke's Bay on 11 June, the South Island regional on 18 June, and Central Otago on 2 July.

NZW 2026 Wine Business Forum

27 August

https://www.nzwine.com/en/initiativesevents/nzw26/wbf26/

The NZW 2026 Wine Business Forum, Winning in Changing Markets, will focus on where the next phase of growth will come from for New Zealand wine. The line up of international and local speakers include India’s only Master of Wine, Sonal Holland; Wine Business Monthly Managing Editor, Erin Kirschenmann, from the United States; Treasury Wine Estates VP Digital Experience Justin Noland; and Brodie Reid, Tourism New Zealand General Manager Marketing.

This year’s programme will centre on understanding the wine industry’s continually changing operating environment, where growth opportunities lie in emerging markets, the potential of digital, data and AI, and how wine tourism can play a valuable role in driving industry growth. The event, to be held at Te Papa in Wellington, is a key gathering for industry decision makers and will deliver practical, commercial insights, along with valuable peer to peer connection.

NZW 2026 Celebration Dinner

27 August

https://www.nzwine.com/en/initiativesevents/nzw26

Celebrate the people who make New Zealand’s wine industry great, by raising a glass to your industry peers, the NZW Fellows 2026, and the winners of the 2026 Ormond Nurseries Young Viticulturist of the Year and the 2026 Tonnellerie de Mercurey Young Winemaker of the Year Competitions. This year’s Celebration Dinner will be held at Takina Wellington Convention and Exhibition Centre, after the NZW 2026 Wine Business Forum.

Aotearoa Chardonnay Symposium

17-18 September

hawkesbaywine.co.nz

The theme of the 2026 symposium is quality, focusing on the unique features that define New Zealand's whenua, climate, and philosophy, and how these elements come together to enable the production of premium Chardonnay.

Organic Wine Week

21-27 September 2026

organicwinenz.com/organicwineweek

Organic Wine Week is the perfect time to swirl, smell and sip the stunning array of organic wine from Aotearoa. Featuring pop-up tastings, wine list takeovers, winemaker dinners, retail promotions and more, the week opens a window into the vibrant world of organic wine.

Harvest Hawke's Bay 2026

21 November 2026

harvesthawkesbay.com

Find a selection of Hawke's Bay's wineries and eateries at a spectacular riverside setting on Tuki Tuki Rd, with some of the region's finest wines matched with food created by award-winning local chefs.

SauvignonNZ27

2-4 February 2027

sauvignonnz.com

Sauvignon Blanc New Zealand 2027 is a celebration of collaboration, creativity and the iconic global reputation of New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc. "It's going to be epic," says committee Member Murray Cook, talking of the chance to see "wonderful communicators, writers, sommeliers, buyers and wine lovers back in one magic location, to mingle and enjoy three packed days of deep diving into Sauvignon, eating great food and having fun".

Organic Conference 2027

1-3 June 2027

organicwineconference.com

Central Otago will host the Organic & Biodynamic Winegrowing Conference from 1-3 June 2027, drawing passionate researchers, practitioners and experts, from Aotearoa and beyond.

"To be recognised on this stage is incredible," says owner and Managing Director Amanda Johnson.

"We've always believed that if you stay true to your land and your standards, the results will follow. This is a proud moment for our entire team and reflects our disciplined focus on quality."

There are headwinds being faced by the wine industry, but it's vital not to compromise on quality, and to get out there and be seen, Amanda says.

"We are appreciative that global competitions like the London Wine Competition are still out there being champions for our industry, and it means a lot for all of us making wine on this island, far away from the rest of the world."

“The Real Review Top Wineries of New Zealand celebrates the standout wine producers across the motu,” says Stephen Wong MW, who worked with Jane Skilton MW to make the selection.

“This year’s selection continues to evolve, spanning both long-established favourites and exciting new entrants. The release of the stellar 2024 vintage across most regions heralds an exciting time for great quality in Aotearoa.”

Bell Hill, which jumped from number 12 in 2025, “has firmly established itself at the forefront of New Zealand winemaking,” says Jane.

“Drawing on North Canterbury’s exceptional limestone soils, their wines show remarkable depth, structure and finesse. The consistency and calibre across the range this year made them a clear standout.”

Trials will support grape growers and viticulturists in testing new ideas or addressing practical challenges on their own vineyards.

BRI provides funding and support to ensure the trials will yield results that can be shared with the wider industry.

Four trials were underway this season, in Hawke’s Bay, Marlborough and Central Otago. BRI is inviting growers interested in participating in future trials to get in touch.

“Stephanie brings outstanding strategic marketing credentials, deep industry experience and a genuine connection to Marlborough,” says AMW Chair Sophie Parker-Thomson.

After more than 20 years working in Marlborough’s wine industry, Stephanie says the new role aligns closely with her professional experience, personal values and admiration for the region.

“Marlborough is a truly unique place to grow wine, and like all precious things it needs to be protected. We make something special here, and I am proud to be joining an organisation that’s devoted to celebrating extraordinary wine and safeguarding the integrity of our region.”

Sophie says the appointment comes at a critical time for the global wine industry. “At a time of real noise and uncertainty, AMW is the only organisation singularly focused on championing quality and authenticity for Marlborough.

The Trust Mark gives consumers confidence that what they are purchasing is a genuine expression of place, backed by rigorous quality standards, while delivering meaningful value for producers.”

The award acknowledges Philip’s leadership and influence over more than four decades, during which New Zealand has earned a global reputation for distinctive, premium and sustainable wines.

Philip, who leaves NZW at the end of June, says the recognition is deeply meaningful, particularly given the role the United Kingdom has played throughout his career.

“The UK has been an incredibly important part of my own wine journey. It’s a market that has backed New Zealand from early on and has helped shape how we present ourselves to the world.”

The award reflects the collective efforts of the wider New Zealand wine community, he says.

“This recognition belongs just as much to the people I’ve worked alongside over the past 30 to 40 years. This includes our NZW team, grape growers and wineries, as well as the importers, distributors, on premise, retailers and media in the UK who have championed New Zealand wine.”

The Lifetime Achievement Award recognises individuals who have made an enduring impact on the international wine and spirits sector.

“While it’s an honour to be recognised personally, this really reflects what we’ve achieved together as an industry,” Philip says. “New Zealand wine has always been a team effort.”

“As a Marlborough born business, supporting our community is at the heart of who we are,” says company co-founder Sue White.

“For 10 years, we’ve stood alongside the Marlborough Civic Theatre Trust, celebrating the performing arts and the people who bring them to life. Stepping into the role of full theatre sponsor is an honour. Our region thrives when arts and culture thrive, and we’re committed to helping create a space where creativity, expression, and community connection continue to flourish.”

“Anishka was a stand-out candidate for us with her deep understanding of the New Zealand wine industry, combined with extensive global knowledge and experience,” says NZW board chair Fabian Yukich, noting that the board sought a leader who understood the wine industry, and could offer a global perspective, strong stakeholder capability and strategic clarity to the role.

Anishka, who brings more than two decades of leadership experience across New Zealand, the United Kingdom and Europe, will leave a Paris-based role as Pernod Ricard Global Director Responsible for Marketing & Sales, to return home to New Zealand, where she will be based at the NZW head office in Auckland.

“I am looking forward to serving and supporting the interests of our members and working closely with the Board and the NZW team to support the industry through its current challenges, opportunities, and positioning it strongly for the future,” she says.

The board also acknowledged the “outstanding” contribution of departing Chief Executive Philip Gregan, who will retire at the end of June, after 43 years of service to the organisation.

“Philip’s leadership has been instrumental in shaping the modern New Zealand wine industry, while establishing NZW as one of the most respected wine industry organisations in the world,” Fabian says.

Which is to say, Lauren doesn’t take herself too seriously. “I just want to make wines that make me smile as I drink them,” she says. “Someone once described Swift as ‘serious wines for not-so-serious people’ – and we reckon that’s about bang on.”

The ‘we’ refers to Lauren’s husband and business partner, Henry Williams. Together they juggle Swift Wines, the aforementioned canine cluster (Florentine, Marceline and Pipi) and two young sons (Finn and Louis) from their home in Hawke’s Bay.

It wasn’t supposed to be like this. Having spent the school holidays of her youth working on Marlborough vineyards, Lauren took off to Europe for a gap year and came back with one strong conviction: “I returned with no plans but I knew I hated working in vineyards.”

Fate laughed at that resistance and delivered her a job at Clos Henri Vineyard in Marlborough. “I just needed to earn money,” says Lauren. She ended up with far more than a paid-off credit card. “They actually took the time at Clos Henri to educate us around our work and how it improved the end result – so I just really got into it all.”

From there, Lauren’s wine ascent was, well, swift. She moved to Hawke’s Bay in 2009 and racked up a Bachelor of Wine Science and Diploma of Wine Marketing at the Eastern Institute of Technology. After graduation she was snapped up by Ash Ridge Winery as their assistant winemaker and promoted to chief winemaker soon thereafter. Two years later she was crowned New Zealand’s inaugural Young Winemaker of the Year in 2015. She was just 25 at the time.

This back-pat was the perfect validation for someone swimming in a bit of bogstandard self-doubt. “It gave me the confidence that I was on the right track.” After several vintages in California and the Rhône Valley, she launched her own label in 2016: Swift Wines. It began as an excuse to experiment with one of her favourite grapes – Syrah – around the edges of her full-time winemaking gig. But when Ash Ridge was sold in 2021, Lauren was both suddenly unemployed and three months pregnant with her first child. She chose to use her redundancy money to start growing her Swift wine family alongside her Swift human one.

Five years (and two sons) on, that solitary Syrah has many wine siblings: Albariño (still and sparkling), Chardonnay, Lumière Red, Rosé, Gamay Noir, Cabernet Franc and a Late Harvest Riesling. Lauren and Henry have also recently opened a Swift cellar door and established a contract winemaking facility (Custom Crush Hawke’s Bay) on the original Stonecroft site on Mere Road in Hastings. They currently have 14 small-batch clients on their books, with room and plans to grow.

It’s not been an easy road though. There have been side hustles along the way: they’ve renovated houses to help fund their business, and their sausage dog sidekicks have pitched in by producing saleable litters. “It’s been pretty insane. Henry and I have funded Swift solely on our own. I still don’t pay myself after 10 years because we’re just trying to grow the business. I ask my accountant to not tell me how much money we’ve put in.”

Lauren was lining up the deal for the winemaking facility when she was 38 weeks pregnant with their second son. “I thought, I don’t want to pull the trigger on this until I meet this next baby because our first was very finicky. I signed the lease at five days postpartum so I never really stopped working. Thankfully Louis is our chill babe. He just got strapped to my chest and accompanied me everywhere. He was on a blanket on the floor in the winery office when he was three months old, kicking around while we were in negotiations to sign up new clients to the winery.”

Working with grapes predominantly grown in Hawke’s Bay’s Bridge Pa Triangle wine district, where she cut her teeth as a winemaker, Lauren follows the minimal intervention route. Her ethos: don’t add if you don’t have to. “I know it sounds a little ‘woo’, but honouring the land and following the grapes’ cues hasn’t failed me yet. ‘Natural’ doesn’t have to mean ‘weird’. Our wines are made with wild yeast and minimal intervention – but they’re clean, fresh and balanced. No funky science experiments here.”

Lauren’s approach to winemaking says much about who she is as a person. She says she aims for modern refinement without pretence. “We make vibrant, expressive Hawke’s Bay wines that make life more fun. I think wine should be exciting and about discovery – not just making a product taste the same each year.”

When asked what her most audacious wines are, Lauren says, “I think our Marceline Blanc de Blanc, méthode traditionnelle, zero dosage is a pretty adventurous wine. The Gamay – chilled red – is also a high talking point, along with our 100% whole bunch Cabernet Franc. All very delicious wines made with purpose and so far from commercial wine production in every way.”

Her latest venture, a sparkling Albariño wine made from grapes sourced from the coveted Two Terraces Vineyard, is among the first of its kind in New Zealand. It’s called Pipi (named after her youngest dachshund) and is swiftly becoming the fastest mover in her portfolio. “It’s sparkling, lively, playful and a little disobedient, just like her namesake,” Lauren says. “It’s relatable and versatile. It’s like the best bits of Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Gris and Chardonnay all in one.”

When it came to marketing her new sparkling Pipi, Lauren opted to photograph it alongside a plate of fish and chips. A bid to bring some down-to-earth branding into the New Zealand wine sphere? “Yes, absolutely. I think a big miss in wine marketing is creating an unobtainable vision that just isn’t relatable to the general public. Don’t get me wrong – I think there’s a time and a place for that, but for me, it’s about building a community through real, relatable connection.”

She thinks the perky nature of her branding has caused some consumers to question the seriousness of her winemaking endeavours – and the level of effort involved behind the scenes. “Because my brand is fun, people probably think it’s all been super easy. But it’s been sheer grind.”

All that hard graft is worth it though. “At times I’ve thought, should I just go and get a normal job and only work eight hours a day? But that’s just not appealing to me. Producing something that I think is amazing and having other people drink it and think the same, is pretty bloody special.”

“We are at the end of the day a community and in this industry together by and large for the same reasons,” says Brendon van der Gulik.

“You can’t know what you don’t know, so talking through problems, pressures and potential solutions is really important to provoke thought and hopefully instigate change. This is how the industry evolves.”

Hydralada was at the inaugural WinePro in 2024, and is returning to the trade show and conference event this June, seeing it as an opportunity to talk about “new and exciting technologies” and to network with all levels of industry, discussing innovations, trends and challenges, Brendon says.

“It’s also quite neat having all industry players in one place to drive discussions and thought that only this environment creates.”

WinePro will be held in Blenheim from 23-25 June, with a showcase of wine-related products and services, as well as a conference arm, organised by Wine Marlborough, exploring themes of The Producer, The Innovator, The Seller, and The Drinker.

Attendees will hear from experts in vines, wines, research and the market, but can also learn from other sectors, including Zespri.

Brendon says there’s pressure on suppliers to ensure they adapt to market pressures and provide innovative products that drive efficiency.

“Delivering a consistent and reliable product to optimise quality has always been important, and even more so in the current climate.”

He’s also seeing customers wanting to take more control, and reduce operating costs. 

“If something doesn’t present a clear ROI then it’s not going to happen.”

The face-to-face opportunities of trade events like WinePro “simply can’t be beat”, Brendon says.

“Any time we can meet face-to-face is vital to ensuring strong relationships - it’s that simple.”

“Climate is a massive determinant of wine style and quality, and it’s shifting in ways that are already measurable in New Zealand vineyards,” says Pete Taylor, who launched the Auxein Insights platform in January. “Growers are making strategic decisions like variety selection, site development, irrigation investment, things that will play out over decades.”

Pete, who has a Master of Wine & Viticulture from Lincoln University and a Master of Water Resource Management from Canterbury University, developed Auxein in 2024, having written his master’s thesis at Lincoln on high-resolution, vineyard-specific climate modelling and its impacts on Pinot Noir quality in New Zealand.

The latest iteration gives growers free access to regional and subregional climate views across New Zealand’s key wine regions, along with historical climate data going back to 1986. “Crucially, it also includes future climate scenario modelling out to 2100 in three time horizons,” Pete says, “Growers can explore how temperature, rainfall, and growing season length might shift under different emissions pathways.”

Understanding climate change trends can help growers plan better, he adds. “If a grower can see that average March temperatures in their subregion have increased by 0.8C over the past 20 years, and that trend is projected to continue, they can start thinking earlier about picking windows, heat stress management, and even whether their current varieties will retain the balance and flavour profile the market expects.”

He’s also inviting growers to connect their onsite weather stations to Auxein Insights, to give them “richer local data in their own dashboard” but also to build a more accurate picture of subregional climate variation.

Later this year he will roll out a subscription-based app called Auxein Grow, “an end-to-end vineyard management platform with block-level insights”, but says the Insight platform will continue to offer easy-to-interpret climatic modelling for future planning. “Regional and subregional data gives growers the context to understand whether what they’re experiencing locally is a short-term anomaly or part of a longer trend, and help to plan accordingly.”

auxein.co.nz

While grappling with the environmental cost of imported Italian organic tomatoes versus the local but non-organic option, she realised consumers needed something akin to the nutritional labels on packaged food, disclosing consistent environmental data.

By 2018, Kate had completed a PhD and written a textbook on Planetary Accounting, a framework to help people, companies and governments operate within the limits of the nine Planetary Boundaries, established by international scientists. She then founded the Planetary Accounting Network (PAN), a not-for-profit research centre, and began working towards PAN’s Planetary Facts labels, inspired by the tomato quandary. The labels show a product’s carbon emission, air quality, waste, water use and biodiversity score, for example, so consumers can make more informed decisions, and producers can see areas for improvement. Each product assessed is given a “Percentage Daily Limit” score, just as nutritional facts show recommended daily limits. A glass of Marlborough wine, for example, comes in at around 0.35% of a 100% daily limit, which is comparable to a locally produced apple or orange.

PAN has been working with a range of New Zealand primary sector groups, as well as research organisations, and companies in tourism, construction and events. In 2024 they began working with Bragato Research Institute on a Planetary Facts Assessment for Hawke’s Bay, Marlborough and Central Otago wine, to help wine companies quantify, compare and communicate the environmental performance of their wine production. Planetary Insights software was used to assess Sustainable Winegrowing New Zealand data, along with the SWNZ National Plant Protection Report, the New Zealand Winegrowers Annual Report, and an industry study by Clothier & Green, to determine the relative impacts of the wine regions.

While inspired by nutritional labels, the Planetary Facts labels have been designed for simple recognition. A wheel shows each product’s impact in the context of the Planetary Boundaries, with red shading showing impacts exceeding the recommended limit, orange and yellow a lighter impact, and green a positive, regenerative signal. But the key for many consumers is the Percentage Daily Limit tally. A 750ml bottle of New Zealand wine has a score of 1.8%, hovering at a low-level yellow. That’s pretty good news for wine, but Kate does point out that a daily limit of 100% will be largely absorbed by shared infrastructure and household impacts, including driving a car. She also notes that not all wine is equal, with light glass bottles and locally sourced wine decreasing the impact score. “Ideally every brand would publish their Planetary Facts to make sustainable wine selection easy.” NZW’s General Manager Sustainability, Dr Edwin Massey, says Planetary Facts is “a really interesting and quite exciting way of presenting the data”, and further evidence that New Zealand wine “can be consumed as part of sustainable lifestyle.”

Kate says the food and fibre sectors have been enthusiastic adopters of the concept, seeing commercial value in a transparent assessment of their impacts. Silver Fern Farms recently used their results to unlock a major international commercial deal, “which is really exciting”. The construction sector has also jumped in, as has Ngai Tahu Tourism, and an A&P event, which will enable attendees to “tally up” the impact of their day. Companies that go through the assessment can delve beyond the visual wheel and into the Planetary Insights software, to see specifics on their impacts. That makes the accounting a “risk mitigator” for those who want to understand areas that require improvement.

Kate, who wants to see the labels become ubiquitous, says the international market is “suddenly ready” for the PAN framework and Planetary Facts. She’s had calls from major companies in Europe, and was invited to present PAN’s work to the European Commission. It’s an exciting momentum. “If I could have told past-me where this would get to today, I would have been over the moon.”

Read more about Planetary Facts for New Zealand Wine in the December 2025/January 2026 edition of Winegrower Magazine at nzwine.com/en/media/nzwm. To access more Planetary Facts join the network at planetaryaccounting.org/join-individuals.

AMW Chair Sophie Parker-Thomson says the drone imagery, captured by photographer Jim Tannock and drone operator Colin Aitchison, from Skyworks UAS, will be used as part of AMW’s digital wine map, developed by MapHQ.

The map offers an interactive exploration of subregions, from the corrugated lines of the Southern Valleys and the green plains of the Central Wairau to the golden hills of the Awatere and Pacific-edged vineyards of the Southern Coast.

Jim Tannock says the drone project gives a unique view of Marlborough, including some of his favourite landscapes.

“I love the Awatere, which is so rugged, and the cut of the river through the valley, which is still so fresh. And the Southern Valleys in evening light, particularly this time of year when it comes back over the top, is extraordinary.”

For the AMW project, they caught the Southern Valleys cast in shadow, “which means there’s the contrast and the colour,” Jim says.

“The deep purples and the shadows are just delicious.”

Sophie says the map, including interactive links to climate and soil data, now enhanced with the drone footage, is a valuable tool for wine companies to use when explaining the subregional nuances winemakers are increasingly excited by.

AMW recently produced a report on Marlborough’s Geographical Indication, using a MapHQ analysis of water catchments and topography to establish a tighter boundary than the current GI, which extends to Picton and south of Kaikōura.

Sophie says AMW is hoping to incite wider industry discussions on the GI boundaries, which dictate which wines can claim to be from Marlborough.

“It’s positive for Marlborough to be having these conversations. Open, informed discussion about subregions, boundaries and quality shows a region thinking carefully about how it protects its reputation for the future.”

New Zealand’s modern wine industry is barely 50 years old. Set against say, Burgundy’s millennium of accumulated understanding of vineyards and varieties, that is a mere blink.

Yet already across the country a particular style of vineyard has emerged. Not one based so much on the classical Old World codification systems but through a more organic process of building reputations and relationships across shared use of fruit.

The vineyards attracting attention, such as Two Terraces in Hawke’s Bay, Grava in Martinborough, The Wrekin, Clayvin, and Settlement in Marlborough, and Central Otago’s Calvert, share certain characteristics: they are typically grower-owned, and their fruit is sought after by multiple producers, often small and independent.

Increasingly, the vineyard names appear prominently on front labels, not hidden in a back-label blurb. The timing of this development is not coincidental, drawing together as it does the threads of vineyard maturity, changing economic models, and the need for diversification and individuality in an increasingly commodified market.

Plantings on many of these vineyards are now old enough to have demonstrated genuine consistency and character across vintages (and winemakers), while the growers who have farmed the same land for two or three decades have accumulated intimate site knowledge. Meanwhile, the regional designations that have built New Zealand’s international reputation have become not only foundations, but in some cases also ceilings. Once a regional category begins to function as a commodity, differentiation has to come from somewhere else.

Subregions and single vineyards are the logical steps along this path, helping create rungs on the ladders of terroir and premiumisation. But the approach of these particular vineyards is not simply an example of New Zealand speed-running its own version of a Burgundian cru system.

What is actually developing is something more interesting and arguably better suited to our young industry – an approach that could better value both growers and producers, create entry points for a new generation of producers, and provide space for variety and style diversity that volume-driven models tend to suppress.

Hawke’s Bay winemaker Amy Hopkinson-Styles, who owns Halcyon Wines with husband Olly Styles and sources fruit from Two Terraces, says the benefits of this system are myriad, especially for smaller producers. “Access to organic fruit and less common varieties, a recognised vineyard, being part of community, working with a grower who is passionate about wine, and collective storytelling,” she ticks off. “It would be great if we could explore ways for growers to benefit more from their wineries’ successes.”

The model can offer growers something that more conventional contracts rarely do: visibility. Viticulture is to some degree the invisible player in wine, with fruit often disappearing into someone else’s brand; someone else’s story. Single vineyard labelling partially corrects that and, by extension, growers whose names and vineyards appear on an array of premium bottles can gain not just potentially a price premium but also a form of professional recognition that many find genuinely meaningful. Some even use it as a springboard for creating their own labels.

The economics are often more stable than first thought – relationships built on collaboration and shared purpose can prove more durable than procurement contracts driven purely by volume and price. Alistair Gardner, owner of Grava in Martinborough, says in a world where there is already a lot of wine, the grower-producer model feels like a sensible and sustainable way forward. “Rather than everyone needing to own land and infrastructure, it allows vineyards to be farmed well and fruit to be shared among producers who value the site. That spreads both the opportunity and the responsibility.”

For smaller and younger producers, the significance of this approach is hard to overstate. Land prices have made vineyard ownership increasingly inaccessible for anyone entering the industry without substantial capital, so the grower-producer relationship can become an entry point and a way of accessing high quality fruit, without the barrier of ownership.

Jannine Rickards, who sources fruit for her Huntress label across a wide range of growers, says it’s a positive shift. “It brings the spotlight not just onto the winemaker, but onto site, whenua, and the wider community around the wine. There’s a bit more transparency and connection in that, and I think people are increasingly interested in those stories.” It’s “a slightly chaotic” way to work across regions, she adds, “but I really enjoy it – the people, the places, and the way it lets me explore different expressions of variety and style”.

Blank Canvas co-owner Sophie Parker- Thomson MW says the model is a chance to involve the grower more in the winemaking process. “They’re not simply waving goodbye to it at the farm gate.” Meanwhile it enables greater flexibility for the producer. “We know how capital-intensive land is and how many barriers there are to land-ownership – it enables you to do something high-quality on a small scale.”

It can also help find commercial pathways for grape varieties that might otherwise be blended into obscurity or pulled out. Dominated as we are by one variety, the implications of this for diversity of style and variety in New Zealand wine are significant. Growers with Chenin Blanc, Gamay or Cabernet Franc on compelling sites increasingly have multiple producers interested in exactly those varieties, alongside a story that celebrates them.

Sometimes they’re unexpected, as with Dan Brennan, owner of Decibel Wines in Hawke’s Bay. “I’d never made Chenin or Albariño before, but I loved Ian and Linda [Quinn, from Two Terraces] so much I took some. Turned out great!” he laughs.

Time is the one variable in wine that cannot truly be shortcut. New Zealand’s industry has compressed the typical trajectory, and it’s probably too early to tell what the successes and casualties of that might be. What can be said though, is that increasing collaboration between growers and the producers willing to stake their reputations on their vineyards is creating a durable foundation. As Jannine observes, it relies on strong relationships and a bit
of flexibility, both practically and financially. “But when it works, it’s a pretty special way to make wine. There’s a shared sense of purpose.”

Two Terraces, Hawke's Bay

 former sheep farm spread across two stepped river terraces in inland Mangatahi has quietly become one of the more interesting vineyards in Hawke’s Bay – and a leading protagonist in the grower-producer model. Owned and farmed by corporate refugees Ian and Linda Quinn, Two Terraces currently works with 19 producers, who are allocated rows within each block. In 2025, 61 picks were made across its six varieties, half of which are five clones of Chardonnay, the balance a medley of Albariño, Chenin Blanc, Gamay, Pinot Noir and Syrah. The Quinns purchased the property in 2015, planting one terrace in 2016 and the other in 2018. Most of the vineyard is now certified organic or in conversion, and it is pretty much “fully allocated”, says Ian. “As we’ve acquired producers, we’ve tended to keep them,” he laughs. “There’s no pressure, it’s all about ideas and collaboration. Short-term or transactional relationships don’t build growth.” Producers span established names such as Kate Radburnd and Tony Bish, to tiny newcomers such as Tawhiti and Three Fates, with Two Terraces fruit now underpinning numerous single vineyard wines as well as being a key component in significant blends. The Quinns work closely with producers in the vineyard and clearly relish the relationships –Linda is responsible for now legendary harvest cheese scones. Last year they hosted a Two Terraces trade tasting and masterclass in Auckland together with 12 different producers. “You get back as much as you put in, and we now have a much richer life,” Ian says.

Grava, Martinborough

Winemaking couple Alistair Gardner and Karla Falloon purchased Grava in 2014, having returned from overseas and completed a vintage at a winery sourcing fruit from the vineyard. “I really liked the site and it was for sale, so six months later, we bought it,” Alistair says. Grava, named for the alluvial gravels on which it sits, is a slightly cooler and more wind-exposed site than the Martinborough Terrace proper. Existing supply contracts came with the property, a model they have built on steadily, underpinned by a conversion to organics that increased both fruit quality and the vineyard’s appeal to like-minded producers.

Alistair says they work with their clients to agree on desired varieties and clones early in the season, “setting clear goals with the buyers of the grapes from the beginning”. Winemakers are involved in conversation throughout the season, but day-to-day decisions remain with Alistair and Karla. “Our clients trust us to manage the vineyard to produce the best fruit we can. It’s fascinating to see the site interpreted through different hands. Each winemaker brings their own lens, but the vineyard character still comes through – the structure, the savoury thread, the sense of place.” The arrangement has also provided stability while the Grava brand itself was repositioned. As for what comes next: alternative varieties are on the radar, he says. “Watch this space.”

Clayvin, Marlborough

Clayvin was a pivotal site in Marlborough’s viticultural history, as the first hillside site planted on the clay-rich, north-facing slopes of the Southern Valleys, back in 1992. The 13.4 hectare organic vineyard was originally developed by Swiss winemakers Georg Fromm and Hätsch Kalberer, and Giesen Wines leased a section from 2013, before purchasing the vineyard in 2015. Planted in Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Syrah, Giesen Wines’ chief winemaker Jeremy Tod believes its high-density planting – an average of 5,300 vines per hectare – is central to the site’s character, controlling vigour and concentrating energy into fruit rather than leaf growth. He says the result is consistent floral aromatics, concentration on the palate and vibrancy across varieties, something that appears particularly pronounced in Clayvin Chardonnays.

Jeremy notes that the high clay content’s water holding capacity also supports vines through dry seasons, aiding consistency across vintages. Currently, three producers work with the fruit – Giesen, Fromm and Te Whare Ra – with each taking the same parcel year after year, a continuity that Jeremy says allows deep block-level understanding, while permitting each winemaker to express their own style.

“Each producer brings a different vision. But the underlying site character remains a unifying thread across the wines.”

Jeremy believes the grower-vineyard model is gaining more visibility thanks to the likes of Two Terraces and The Wrekin, “particularly through their association with high-end, small-scale producers”. There is a greater focus now on site expression and provenance, he adds, “and grower vineyards with strong identities are well positioned within that shift”.

Wrekin, Marlborough

When Jan and Andrew Johns took over the family sheep and beef farm in Marlborough in the late 1990s, they saw opportunity to diversify into grapes. They were advised to plant Pinot Noir on The Wrekin’s slopes and clay loam soils, well before the Southern Valleys subregional concept emerged. They planted in 2002 and began building supply relationships with a small group of winemakers from their first vintage in 2004. Today, that group has expanded considerably, with around 15 single vineyard wines produced from the site each year by an array of mostly small, premium-focused producers – something that accelerated as they moved into organics and planted Chenin Blanc and Chardonnay.

Their daughter Anna Johns says Jeremy Hyland, who manages the vineyard and was instrumental in a shift to biodynamic practices, is central to The Wrekin’s innovation and quality. “His industry connections seeded the original relationships, and he keeps the jigsaw of multiple producers running smoothly.” Different winemakers have developed preferences for specific clones and aspects over time, and the results, while varied in style, share what Anna describes as “the same underlying density, acidity and fruit concentration.”

The Wrekin also produces its own label (made by Hätsch Kalberer), giving the Johns a direct window into what the site can do. “Being ‘just a grower’ puts you at the mercy of the market and industry challenges,” Anna says. “By diversifying further to the ‘grower-vineyard-producer’ model, we’ve become more resilient in seasons where our producers wish to pull back on their typical allocations. It isn’t a flawless plan but from the start our own production has provided confidence in the value of our fruit – and evidence that the extra work and energy channelled into outstanding viticulture can result in some incredible wines.”

Settlement, Marlborough

Credit for Settlement Vineyard has to go to Ivan Sutherland, says Steve Planthaber, “He had the foresight back in 2007, back when there wasn’t a lot of fruit up here, to see what this site could be.” The organically farmed, clay-rich hillside site in the Omaka Valley, dedicated to Pinot Noir, is owned by Steve, his wife Kirsty Sutherland, and the Sutherland family. It supplies fruit to the Settlement label, but also to a handful of other producers such as Blank Canvas and Corofin, who make single vineyard wines from there. “Ivan always had his eye on this site and snapped it up as soon as he could,” Steve says. “From day one, it was planted as a high-quality Pinot Noir site.”

North-facing, with good sun exposure and protected from wind, there’s broad clonal diversity across 20 separate blocks, which are divided across the various producers. Steve regards Settlement fruit as always having had a strong sense of place, something Corofin owner and winemaker Mike Paterson describes as “radiating with a warmth and succulence”. Blank Canvas’s Matt Thomson agrees, noting that the site’s warm, sheltered aspect and clay soils consistently produces fruit with thick skins and abundant tannins, delivering wines with “darkness, size and structure”.

Sophie Parker-Thomson MW likes the contrasting aspects of Settlement, from a larger east slope to the north-northwest facing Back Block she and Matt take fruit from. “So you’re going to get quite diverse expressions from any given year and not just because of the producer’s winemaking style.”

Calvert Vineyard, Central Otago

When Owen Calvert purchased 12ha of a newly subdivided block on an old sheep farm on Felton Road, Bannockburn, in 1989, it was almost sight unseen. Living in Bhutan at the time, his brother posted him photos and he said, “I like the look of that one”, not entirely sure whether he’d return to plant olives, or maybe stone fruit. But vineyards were going in all around, and in 1999 he planted 4ha of Pinot Noir, alongside smaller parcels of Chardonnay and Riesling. Owen never imagined that some 30 years on, he’d have his name on the labels of some of the country’s most renowned producers. “Whenever I see a list of top New Zealand wines in the world, we’re there as well.”

Having spent the past 40-odd years overseas working for non-governmental organisations in the likes of Somalia, Kenya and Bangladesh, Owen was happy when Nigel Greening – who had just purchased Felton Road Wines – approached him in 2001, keen to purchase the fruit and manage the vineyard. It was converted to organics in 2003, and by 2006, Felton Road, Craggy Range and Pyramid Valley all produced Calvert Pinot Noirs. In 2012 Owen sold three blocks to Felton Road and began supplying Cloudy Bay for their flagship Te Wahi. He credits the vineyard’s reputation to having been “managed well right from the start”, burnished by the calibre of producers who used its fruit. Since 2018, Owen has produced Calvert Pinot Noir under his own label – made by ex-Cloudy Bay winemaker, Sarah Burton – which he describes as a “a true reflection of site and vintage”. With a Calvert Chardonnay in the works, and a move back to New Zealand imminent, a new chapter of Calvert is taking shape.

Harvest kicked off earlier than ever for vintage 2026, with Northland growers picking by 23 January, Hawke’s Bay starting a week ahead, and Marlborough’s sparkling harvest bright and early, with a mid-February start date. Central Otago is running behind a typical year, thanks to challenging conditions, but a run of warmer weather has ramped up ripening, says winemaker Matt Connell on 20 March. “I don’t think we’ll be too far behind normal. And when we get started, it will probably be a bit of a condensed vintage.”

Michael Brajkovoch, from Kumeu River in West Auckland, started with sparkling base wine on 4 February, “which is about normal these days”. Chardonnay’s harvest ran from 16 February through to 13 March, and “the wines are outstanding”, he says. January was quite wet in comparison to most years, but February and March were particularly dry “and allowed for very nice finishing of the fruit on the vine”, Michael says.

Kumeu River also grows fruit in Hawke’s Bay, which was wetter than usual in January, “but with some particularly warm days as well”. Kumeu River’s harvest there started with Pinot Noir on 18 February, around a week earlier than usual, followed by Chardonnay on 24 February. “Harvest was completed under very dry conditions and finished on 10 March,” Michael says, noting that Rays Road in Hawke’s Bay was “superb” for both Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. “We are looking forward to seeing how these wines develop over the next weeks and months.”

Ian Quinn, from Two Terraces (see page 19), says Hawke’s Bay’s weather offering was “kind” this season, with “a very warm spring and great flowering, some rain in January, keeping moisture in the soil profile, but relatively dry and settled since”. They had an early start with Chardonnay, on 23 February, followed by other varieties coming on in ripeness “pretty quickly”. Speaking on 20 March, Ian says they finished Chardonnay and Albariño on 15 March, and are working on Chenin Blanc, with Syrah looking “great” for picking before the end of March. A string of three strong vintages, from 2024 to 2026, “should enable Hawke’s Bay to keep building its reputation at the quality end of the market”, he adds.

Te Mata Estate Viticulturist Brenton O’Riley, says fruit quality looks “outstanding” across all the estate vineyards. “White varieties are coming in beautifully, showing great purity, balance and freshness, which is always encouraging early in the season,” he says on 24 March. “That said, the real excitement is building around the full‑bodied red varieties, with Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Syrah all showing excellent concentration, structure and depth as they approach the tail end of harvest. Everything we’ve seen so far points to an excellent 2026 vintage of outstanding wines.”

Wairarapa winegrowers dodged an onslaught of bullets this growing season, escaping spring frosts fairly lightly, a pre-Christmas hail event without major damage, then big warm winds in January, which threatened to dry vineyards out. Rainfall came just in time and freshened up vines, holding vineyard health steady, says Wairarapa Winegrowers Association Chair Wilco Lam. The region had good flowering conditions, but many have controlled their crops this year, following a “bumper” 2025 season, Wilco adds, “and it was really the year to do it”.

There was speculation that harvest would begin very early, in February, but cooling weather slowed things down at the end of January, and dates settled a little closer to a typical season. Wilco’s Oraterra harvest started at the end of the first week of March, along with others, “then really got into it mid-March”. After all that dodging, the region had a “really great” finish to the season with beautiful harvest weather, he says on 24 March. “It’s been magnificent, especially in the last three or four weeks.”

Nature made up for a somewhat absent summer in Marlborough as well, with perfect conditions leading into the grape harvest. “What a glorious time, so far,” says winemaker Jules Taylor on 20 March. “Autumn feels like it has come early with beautiful crisp, clear mornings and lovely warm days.” Flavours across all varieties are “superb”, and acids are holding up well with cooler nights, she adds. “Crops are ripening nicely and I’m super excited to see how the flavours transform.”

Tohu winemaker Bruce Taylor is similarly enthused, talking of the weather “playing ball”, with big blue March days on the tail of a cool summer. Tohu started its harvest on 16 March in the lower Dashwood, followed by blocks in the lower Awatere Valley, then Waihopai Valley. It’s the earliest harvest Bruce has seen in 16 years with the company and, even with a pause until the Upper Awatere Valley is ready, he expects to be done by the end of March, rather than the first week or two of April, as is typical. With fewer grapes coming in, and a long late summer for ripening, the winery is relatively relaxed, he says on 23 March, with half the harvest done, and a chilled switch to overnight harvesting only. There’s rain on the horizon, but Bruce is relaxed about the clean fruit still ripening in the cooler climes of the upper Awatere Valley.

Managing Supply

Tohu has brought forward a vineyard redevelopment in the upper Awatere to help manage supply this season. “We really wanted to respect the contracts that we’ve got with growers, and make sure we’re looking after our long term partners,” Bruce says. “One of the levers that we could pull was bringing forward redevelopment.” They had already started a replanting programme on the 50-hectare Sauvignon Blanc block, with 25ha replanted by last spring. In winter 2025 they pulled out another 25ha, which will be left to fallow under cover crops until 2027 or 2028, depending on demand. That was two years earlier than planned, but helped reduce supply for this harvest and protect grower relationships, while also reducing costs for the 2025 and 2026 pruning seasons.

Bruce says Tohu still has “pretty solid” sales, if not the growth trajectory of the early 2020s. “We realise that we’re going to need more fruit in the coming years, but we also have lease blocks and other developments coming on stream, including the 25ha we’ve replanted in the last couple of years, which will start feeding us more fruit from 2027 onwards.

Hamish Morrow, a director at WK Advisors and Accountants in Blenheim, has a spread of wine clients, from small growers to vertically integrated wineries.

He says the challenging period being faced by the wine industry follows a series of good financial years, so “their balance sheets are in a position where can probably handle a couple of lower profitability years”.

Many Marlborough growers without contracts are choosing to remove or mothball their vineyards, while others are reducing operating costs “as best they can”, with reductions in labour, sprays and fuels. Meanwhile, branded Marlborough wine companies are performing pretty well, thanks to a “reasonable diversification of customer bases” and the cost of fruit coming down significantly, he says. Companies exposed to the bulk wine market will have felt more pain from the oversupply, but such a dip in fortunes is typical of the corrections that happen in agricultural sectors when supply gets out of balance, he says. “It’s still a fantastic product, and it still performs very well.”

Down in Central Otago, on the cusp of a later-than-typical season, winemaker Matt Connell is similarly buoyant. “It’s that old adage that pressure makes diamonds. So people that have been in wine for a long time and know what they’re doing and are making a good product are finding a home for it.”

When summing up this season, Matt notes that “Mother Nature has a funny habit of trying to even things out”, Winegrowers were nervous in February, thanks to cooler weather and lower than average growing degree days, he says. “But in my experience, grapevines don’t care too much about growing degree days. They just want to get ripe.” And that’s what they’re doing. Speaking on 20 March, with two weeks of good weather bolstering ripening, harvest dates are inching closer to average, he says. Vintage has potential to be compressed when it arrives, “because a lot of things seem to be tracking along with the same sort of numbers”.

Matt, who makes his own label, as well as contract winemaking, says 2025/2026 was the most mixed weather season he has seen in his 21 years in Central Otago. Flowering was good across subregions, apart from Gibbston Valley, which is carrying significantly lower crops – perhaps fortuitously given the season, he says. But that spell of mostly fine weather was followed by more rain and wind than a typical season, and less heat in January and February. “We have had a lot of nice days, but not the block of a month or so of pretty intense heat we normally look for,” he says. “After a good run of pretty consistent vintages, weather wise, it’s definitely been a bit of a change.”

He’s nonetheless positive about the harvest, noting that companies have been strategic with crop loads, which are mostly “decent” but not excessive. The spell of improved weather in mid-March improved the outlook and the long term forecast is for a summery autumn, with conditions set to be “a bit warmer and a bit drier than average”, he says. “So I’m pretty optimistic.”

Matt started picking for sparkling wine on 12 March, with fruit riper than he’d expected, and anticipated starting harvest on his own vineyard in Lowburn by the end March, five days later than typical. There’s mixed berry size across the region, along with some hen and chickens, but “really good flavours out there”, he says.

Despite challenges, in wine and beyond, the Central Otago wine community remains buoyant, Matt says. “If you have been in it for a while and you’ve got good relationships with your distributor, your agents, and restaurateurs around the world, not just domestically, you need to keep putting effort into that. I think, if anything, some of that’s improved just through honest and open conversations… People are still smiling, and getting on about it, and working hard to sell their product. And we’re doing the best we can to make worldclass wine.”

BRIght Ideas

Harvest is “full speed ahead” at the Bragato Research Institute research winery, with nearly 20 projects and more than 200 ferments for vintage 2026. Viticulture and Innovation Lead Ross Wise MW says things have been very busy since getting into “Sauvignon Blanc territory” in mid-March, when the winery went into two 12 hour shifts. “The fruit’s been really good,” he says. It’s looking like a great vintage. Some of the flavour we’re seeing on the early Sauvignon Blanc is incredible.”

The main project for the harvest is the second year of the Next Generation Viticulture programme winery trials, which will see 85 ferments in the winery’s 17-litre tanks. The fruit comes in by the crate rather than the truckload, but once at the winery, they mimic the conditions of commercial winemaking. Fruit is destemmed into bins, then left to sit, and occasionally shaken, to emulate skin contact over a truck ride.

As well as a series of commercial trials, BRI is also running its own yeast trials on Sauvignon Blanc, to evaluate the impact of different non-Saccharomyces yeasts on alcohol levels of wine. They will also make some reduced alcohol wine, at around 7-8%, and then trial different mouthfeel enhancers, working to replace the body taken away when alcohol is removed from wine, Ross says. “So sort of two trials in one for that project.”

This is a key event because... New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc is the major varietal for our country. This event is important as it gives New Zealand producers the opportunity to come together to celebrate and share their stories both domestically and with the global wine community.

Our invite list is... impactful, with a wide range of key industry players from key export markets. We have also got non-traditional wine influencers in the mix, who will bring a lot of fun and introduce a wider/new audience to the Sauvignon Blanc story through their following.

The three days will include... insightful, reflective and forward-thinking commentaries from inspiring international and domestic speakers. Participating wineries will be pouring their top drops and we have got a vibrant and exclusive social programme that we are having a great time planning.

In 2037, I hope... New Zealand Sauvignon will be very high quality, highly valued and a national icon for all the right reasons. I hope we have supply/demand in balance and everyone growing/producing Sauvignon Blanc can have a sustainable future.

If I played a Sauvignon Blanc soundtrack in my cellar it would... tap into my interest in sound and vibration and how that interacts with an environment. I've actually invited Dr Jo Burzynska to stay for a couple of days during harvest, and she is going to record some Sauvignon Blanc sounds on her visit. So I guess in a way she is making a soundtrack of the cellar! A few years ago, I played Gayatri Mantra on repeat to some Pinot Noir barrels while the wine was aging to see what effect it would have on the wine. It was magical!

I'm passing the Q&A baton to fellow committee member... Murray Cook. He always says the most insightful things - he is a true legend.

"To my knowledge, there are very few winery tours like this anywhere in New Zealand," says Dr Stanley Paris, who restored the winery, with his family, for a reopening in 2023. 

"Established in 1864, Monte Christo Winery was once a thriving vineyard. However, it fell into a period of inactivity in the 1880s and it wasn't until almost 140 years later, when we rediscovered it, that we saw the opportunity to revive it," says Stanley. "It was always my dream to build an educational winery".

Managing Director Nicholas Paris - a Master of Wine and Advanced Sommelier - says the new interactive experience will appeal to a range of visitors, from curious consumers to corporate groups.

"We take a minimal intervention approach to our winemaking, with a deep respect for both our heritage and the expressions of our Central Otago landscape," says Nicholas. "This is reflected in every step of our winemaking process, from harvest to bottle."

Guests will also have the option to experience Monte Christo's new Aroma Room, to learn about the key aromas found in Central Otago's main grape varieties.

Earlier this year the family opened a second cellar door in restored historic building on the Gibbston wine trail, to serve as the gateway to Monte Christo Winery's flagship estate in Clyde, says Nicholas.

"We're absolutely delighted to have opened our doors at this stunning location and showcase our wines to more locals."

Michael, formerly Appellation Marlborough Wine Chief Executive, says he'd moving from one incredible organisation to another.

"I am so impressed by the work of AMW, driven by wine companies who are passionate about protecting the reputation and quality of Marlborough wine."

Michael says Mission Estate's 175 years of winemaking tradition, alongside cutting edge sustainability measures, making it a unique player in New Zealand's wine industry.

Lismore vineyard has "an excedllent track record of producing top quality grapes and we are very excited to have the opportunity to own it", he says, relishing the potential for planting new varieties, including Syrah.

Current plantings of Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris will be removed later this year, and the vineyard replanted in Pinot Noir in 2027, after some restorative work.

Nga Waka owner Jay Short says the new plantings will not produce wine until 2030, reflecting the three-decade-old winery's investment in the region.

"There's been a great deal of 'doom and gloom' reporting of late in regard to the domestic wine industry. However at Nga Waka, we firmly believe the New Zealand wine industry, and in particular the Martinborough region, has a long and rewarding future and we are keen to keep investing in that."

Michael Selak, from Wine Network, says GrapeEx was created in response to the limits being put on vintage intakes this year, "which means more fruit is going to be available on the open market".

The transparent platform enables grape growers to connect directly with qualified buyers, and allows wine producers to view available fruit across regions and vintages.

"In a market like this, visibility is everything," Michael says.

GrapeEx.co.nz

"These proposals will help to simplify the licensing system for many businesses", says Philip Gregan, NZW Chief Executive.

"We often hear from our members about the challenges involved in alcohol licensing. While it is importan that there are guardrails in place around the sale and supply of alcohol, many of the current requirements have become overly bureaucratic and technical. The vast majority of New Zealanders consume alcohol responsibly, and the regulatory framework should reflect that."

"This feels like a natural and exciting evolution," says conference chair Anika Willner.

"Central Otago is home to the highest concentration of organic vineyards in New Zealand, so bringing the conversation here allows us to both honour the region and continue pushing the dialogue around organic and regenerative winegrowing forward."

organicwineconference.com 

The competition, to be held in Portugal this October, will attract sommeliers from 65 member countries, and is a chance for Andrea to test himself at the highest international level.

"My preparation will be rigours," he says. "Studying wine regions from around the world, regular blind tastings of international wines, developing my own personal set of wine world flashcards and working on my practical service performance under pressure."

Originally from Italy, Andrea has competed internationally since 2019 and represented New Zealand in Japan, Belgium and France.

COWA General Manager Carolyn Murray says the opportunity is an important step.

“Our members take their role as custodians of this landscape seriously. We welcome the opportunity to present expert evidence and ensure that the potential implications for viticulture are fully understood before any decisions are made.”

The Bendigo-Ophir Gold Project is a major proposed open-pit and underground mine near Cromwell, developed by Santana Minerals.

In previous letters to the panel and the Environmental Protection Authority, COWA outlined substantive concerns relating to the potential effects of the proposal on vineyard land, water quality, and the long-term sustainability of the region’s internationally recognised wine industry.

They noted that any impacts on the region’s environmental integrity or global wine reputation could have enduring consequences for growers, the regional economy, and New Zealand’s premium wine brand well beyond the life of a mining project.

The comments to the panel will be made before 10 April.

Taking their visual cues from tarot cards, these bottles pack a vibrant, symbol-rich punch. “I wanted to personify each wine,”´says winemaker Ashleigh Barrowman. “They all have a personality that I’m not necesarily in control of. I’m not creative enough to make up characters so I decided to find a tarot card to match each one.”

She shoulder tapped her designer friend Lily Paris West for the task. “I taste the wine and tell Lily what colours and characters I see and which tarot card I think might be suitable. She comes back with a couple of designs and always nails it on the first draft.”

The Siren Wines line-up: High Priestess Pinot Noir, Queen of Swords Chardonnay, The Magician Sous Voile, The Empress Chilled Red, Queen of Cups Chenin Blanc, The Fool Orange Chardonnay, and The Lovers Méthode Traditionnelle Blanc de Blanc.

Lily says it was a dream design brief. “What a joy to create something so colourful and illustrative within the wine label format. Ash is a brilliant maker, and I wanted the labels to express a high standard of craft and detail to reflect her work. I researched tarot cards and their traditional colours and developed a style and format, with each wine having unique details specific to its tarot.”

Some in the hospitality industry have commented that the labels aren’t serious enough for them to stock. “I don’t take any offence to that,” Ashleigh says. “Wine is to be enjoyed so the labels should depict enjoyment. I don’t take it too seriously. I mean, it’s just wine at the end of the day – I’m not saving lives!”

The couple purchased a small, long-neglected vineyard at the southern end of Te Muna Valley in November 2021, naming the remote and sunny sloping gully Hidden Vineyard.

The site was originally planted in 2001 by the late Bill Brink, but by 2021, its vines were overgrown, with wires “all over the place”, says Paul. “We chopped it right back and retrunked most of the vines. It’s a real basket case set-up, entirely planted in Pinot Noir but with six clones on seven different rootstocks, including some I had never heard of.”

The Masons launched their eponymous wine brand two years later, with the 2023 Mason Pinot Noir and 2023 Mason Rosé, which is bone dry in style, followed by the 2024 Pinot Noir and two more vintages of 2024 and 2025 Mason Rosé . “It was a bloody tough vintage for the first one,” Paul says. “But it gave us the confidence that the land could produce excellent grapes in a trying vintage.”

The Masons aim to make wines to reflect their unique place, and their ownership of the land and the hard work that goes into making great wine, says Paul. “Pruning, hand leaf plucking, shoot positioning, spraying, hand picking; it’s all done by us.”

In 2024, a year after launching their label, Paul became winemaker at Nga Waka, one of Martinborough’s oldest wineries, stepping into the shoes of Roger Parkinson, who founded the winery in 1988. The winery was purchased in 2015 by Jay Short and Peggy Dupey, who kept Roger on as winemaker and added a vineyard in Pirinoa, 5km south of Martinborough, to complement their five vineyard parcels on the Martinborough Terrace.

Paul, who spent 20 years as winemaker at Martinborough Vineyard before joining Nga Waka in 2024, says the winery is thriving, with a new cellar door, opened in 2022, forging a strong following for its tastings, lunchtime platters and pizzas. Recent new plantings of Chenin Blanc and Gamay, alongside the mainstays of the brand’s production, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, combined with developing his own vineyard site, gives Paul plenty of work to keep him busy. “With a combination of new sites and existing older vineyards, its exciting times ahead for what Martinborough can produce.”

Nineteen years on, this stalwart of the Recognised Seasonal Employer scheme is setting up a store on his small home island of Pele, with a $5,000 interest free loan from Cloudy Bay's Good Pick Fund, in association with the Village to Village Charitable Trust. "I am thinking big, not small," says Ben, whose plans include getting a Starlink connection, expanding his food stall, and adding a hardware wing to save locals a long and costly journey to Port Vila for supplies. He also wants to offer a small café, along with a boarding house and canteen to support the nearby school. He will pay his initial loan back within two years, so another recipient can launch their business, but plans to then apply for another loan to take his plans to the next level.

That's the kind of entrepreneurial planning Cloudy Bay wants to encourage, building positive spinoffs for RSE workers, their families and their wider communities, says Cloudy Bay Technical and Sustainable Development Director Jim White, who is also a Village to Village trustee. Jim, who spoke to several RSE worker groups about the Good Pick programme in December, is hoping to see more small businesses seeded, with recipients matched up with Cloudy Bay mentors to help develop business plans and loan applications. He'd also like to see other New Zealand horticultural companies launch programmes to support the communities of RSE workers they have relied on for the past 20 years, including by emulating the Good Pick initiative. He'd also like to see other New Zealand horticultural companies launch programmes to support the communities of RSE workers they have relied on for the past 20 years, including by emulating the Good Pick initiative. "If businesses want to make a positive difference, this is a good way to do it," he says.

Inaugural Good Pick recipient Allain Liu-Vitivae is busy establishing his chicken farm on Ambae Island, while Karl Ieuis from Tanna Island, has used his loan to buy a portable freezer, solar panels, inverter and battery, in order to add frozen meat to the store he runs with his wife. Meanwhile, a worker from Ambrym is part way through building a guest house, and is keen to access the loan scheme to enable him to complete the work and start tapping into tourism.

Ben was one of the first RSE workers to come to New Zealand for seasonal work, and the first from Pele, following the scheme's 2006 introduction. His first winter season was in Central Otago, but most of his seasonal work has been in Marlborough vineyards, and for the past year at Ormond Nurseries in Blenheim, meaning he's worked in every aspect of vineyard work.

Helen Neame has known Ben for 18 years, having forged a friendship during her time working in pastoral care role at Seasonal Solutions. She retired a few years ago, but on learning about the Good Pick fund in 2025, sat down with a handful of RSE workers she knew would be a great fit.

Helen is also friends with Ben's wife Leipakoa, and has visited them on Pele, so knew the impact his business plan would have on the family, and their wider community. Ben's enterprising spirit and long tenure in the scheme makes him a perfect recipient, she says. Free education is only available up to Year 6 in Vanuatu, and Helen has also helped Village to Village deliver several scholarships a year to Eratap Central School.

A few years ago Ben's 22-year-old son Steven came over with him, and hit the ground running thanks to his father's guidance. When he gets home this summer, Steven will use his second year of earnings to build a house on Pele, Ben says. Speaking to me just days before he flew home to launch his business, Ben says when he returns to Marlborough for next year's season, he's keen to share his learnings with other RSE workers with exciting business ideas.

Seasonal Solutions Pastoral Care Coordinator Sophie Palmer visited Ben and his family in Vanuatu over the summer, and says the impacts of the RSE scheme on the community are "incredibly" positive, "with income earned overseas being invested locally into housing, schools, small businesses, and community projects such as infrastructure."

The conference programme, to be held in Blenheim from 23-25 June, is being led by Wine Marlborough and Marlborough District Council, to showcase wine-related products and services, along with an extensive education segment.

Wine Marlborough General Manager Marcus Pickens says having 100 exhibitors at the inaugural WinePro was an excellent result. “It well exceeded my thoughts of what could be achievable.”

From irrigation and bird netting to artificial intelligence and automated vineyard technology, and from winemaking additives and technology to transport and logistics, the trade show, conference and networking revealed the entire wine process.

The education component, curated by Wine Marlborough, “adds another lens”, Marcus says. They’ll build on the success of 2024 this year, with three rooms offering concurrent sessions, exploring themes of The Producer, The Innovator, The Seller, and The Drinker. As well as delving into myriad angles of wine production, from soil to glass, the education sessions will look at other sectors, and what they are doing with their research and development, Marcus says.

Molecular filtration company amaea showcased its reusable molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) technology at the 2024 WinePro, on the trade floor and as part of the education programme. The company’s wine industry lead, Jonathan Engle, says WinePro gave amaea an “invaluable opportunity” to connect with a wide group of winemakers.

“We were supported by Dean Boyce at Indevin and Duncan Shouler from Giesen Group, who shared their experience and provided wines for attendees to taste,” Jonathan says. “As a new technology player in the wine industry, WinePro served as a great platform to launch and engage winemakers in the analytical and sensory outcomes amaea MIPs provides.”

Read More:

• WinePro 2026 Builds on Inaugural Success
• New Zealand Wine & Food Events Calendar: February–March Highlights
• WinePro: Growing industry knowledge and collaboration

The wine industry is navigating a period of outside influence, “and how the sector responds matters”, says Gary Fitz-Roy, Managing Director of event organiser Expertise Events. “WinePro is not about dwelling on challenges, but about solutions, energy and fresh thinking. It is where the industry comes together to explore practical innovation, share insight, and leave better equipped to move forward with confidence.”