After more than 40 years as pioneers of the New Zealand wine industry, The Millton Vineyard has announced that its 2025 vintage was their last.
Founded in 1984 by Annie and James Millton, the estate became New Zealand’s first certified organic and biodynamic winery, setting a benchmark for sustainable winemaking.
“We have now decided to retire – both ourselves and the vineyards – we look forward to spending time with our family,” says Annie.
Over the next eight months, they will be gradually winding up the vineyard and winery operations but will continue to offer a range of wines until August 2026, or while stocks last.
“While this chapter is closing, the spirit of the Millton Vineyards will live on,” says Annie. “We have cared for this unique land for five generations, and will leave it in a better state for future generations.
“On behalf of our family and team, thank you for being part of the Millton story. I hope you have the opportunity to enjoy many more glasses of our wine in the months ahead.”
Wine News – From NZ House and Garden, Imbibe Section:
Swift WINES
A colourful new stop: Hawke’s Bay has a new cellar door, with Swift Wines opening a bright, playful space on Mere Rd, Fernhill. Visitors can build a platter from the fridge selection and taste six wines. Pipi, a limited sparkling albarino, is also pouring, with only 1500 bottles produced. The venue, run by winemaker Lauren Swift and Henry Williams, is open six days a week through Summer. Visit Fun Hawke’s Bay Wines for Everyday Celebrations | Swift Wines ‘Thoughtful, dangerously drinkable and thought-provoking. No boring wines (or boring wine labels) here!’
Background
Meet Lauren & Henry – Husband & wife / business partners / drinking buddies / founders of Swift Wines in Hawke’s Bay.
Crowned the inaugural ‘NZ’s Young Winemaker of the Year’ at just 25, Lauren Swift has spent the majority of her life obsessing over grapes in their various forms. Growing up on an orchard in Marlborough, her first job was learning the fundamentals of grape growing (and picking — there was lots of picking) on a neighbouring vineyard.
A post-school European gap year was the push she needed to get her winemaking career off the ground, returning home to Marlborough for a role at Clos Henri Vineyard (owned by the illustrious Bourgeois family from Sancerre). A Bachelor of Wine Science at Hawke’s Bay’s EIT later, Lauren joined the Ash Ridge team and found herself heading up their brand new winery.
Throw in some more travel, including vintages in California & the Rhone Valley, and the time was finally right to go out on her own.
Lauren persuaded husband Henry to join the team, and together they officially popped the cork on Swift Wines in 2016.
Two parallel universes of Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc exist: one in which quantities are measured in shipping-container units destined for grocery stores everywhere, the other where artisan winemakers work ceaselessly to demonstrate that terroir and craftsmanship can speak through one of the world’s most popular wine styles.
The latter being a more interesting place to live and drink, let’s take a look at the latest efforts of Appellation Marlborough, the group of more than 65 producers dedicated to evangelizing and showcasing the sub-regionality of New Zealand’s largest and most misunderstood wine appellation.
This group of producers, most of them small, has spent considerable effort seeking out, studying, and making wine from the many distinct areas of Marlborough, each with its own microclimates and geologies. The resulting wines demonstrate that not all Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc is created equal.
Which is to say, not all of it is farmed conventionally to massive yields, harvested mechanically, deliberately worked a bit harder to increase those famous green flavors, fermented at low temperatures with thiol-driven yeast strains to further amplify tropicality, and left just slightly sweet for its millions of adoring fans around the world.
Savvy Artisans
The official subregional map of Marlborough courtesy of Appellation Marlborough
Instead, we have entered an age of single-vineyard–designated Sauvignon Blancs capable of expressing the nuances of site and vintage variation. Some of these wines are fermented in oak and built in a more classic French style for aging, while others are fermented with ambient or more neutral yeasts. All prove far more interesting than your typical $10 supermarket Savvy.
In the service of telling this story, the folks at Appellation Marlborough recently began assembling an annual collection of wines to send to writers and critics around the world, serving as ambassadors for this newer, more nuanced world of Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc.
Labeled the Appellation Marlborough Collection, this set of 12 wines was selected from more than 90 submissions through a blind tasting conducted by Stephen Wong MW and Cameron Douglas MS of New Zealand, and Toni Paterson MW of Australia.
Primarily featuring the 2025 vintage, the collection also includes a couple of wines each from 2024 and 2023.
One Helluva Vintage
A view of vineyards in the Wairau Valley
By all accounts, the 2025 vintage in Marlborough came as a welcome relief after several tough years in the region, which is still reeling from post-pandemic market fluctuations, challenging seasons in 2021 and 2023, swings from undersupply to oversupply, and a 2022 vintage that nearly went unpicked due to COVID lockdowns.
In contrast to those troubles, 2025 was about as serene as vintages get, with a mild spring, untroubled (if slightly early) flowering, and higher-than-average yields. What began as a warm summer turned cooler in January and February, extending the season and slowing ripening in ways that tend to get winemakers very excited and happily jabbering about flavor development and phenological ripeness.
In short, you would have had to take your eye off the ball considerably to make bad wine in 2025. Most producers seem positively delighted with the quality of their wines, and based on my tasting below, I would tend to agree.
These twelve wines are wonderful examples of the quality and individuality to be found in New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, for those willing to take a little time, a bit of effort, and spend just a little more.
Tasting Notes
Not all of these wines are exported to the US, and in the case of one, not exported at all. I have made my best guess at what US pricing would be for those wines that are not easily found online.
Palest gold in color, this wine smells of blackcurrant leaf and lime zest with a hint of wet wool. In the mouth, stony flavors of lemon pith, green apple, black currant leaf, and wet wool have an interesting savory quality and a faintly chalky texture. Excellent acidity with a stony resonance in the finish. Regeneratively farmed fruit, 25-year-old vines, machine harvested. Fermented in stainless steel and matured on light lees. 13% alcohol. 2 g/l residual sugar. Closed with a screwcap. NZWG-certified sustainable. Vegan. Score: between 9 and 9.5.
2025 Clos Henri “Estate” Sauvignon Blanc, Central Wairau, Wairau, Marlborough, New Zealand
Palest gold in the glass, this wine smells of lemon and pomelo pith mixed with a hint of green apple. In the mouth, wonderfully bright lime and lemon zest flavors have a faint salinity and a lovely wet pavement minerality. There’s a quivering electricity to this wine that is extremely compelling. A hint of passionfruit and green apple lingers in the finish. Certified organic grapes are machine harvested, and free run juice is fermented in stainless steel and ages for 3 months on the lees with battonage. 13.5% alcohol. Less than 1 g/l residual sugar. Closed with a screwcap. Score: between 9 and 9.5.
2025 Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc, Wairau, Marlborough, New Zealand
Palest gold in the glass, this wine smells of passionfruit and guava with a hint of candied lime. In the mouth, crisp green apple and passionfruit flavors mix with a touch of lime zest. Very good acidity. Fermented in stainless steel with around 1.8% of the final blend fermented in large-format oak, and another portion fermented with ambient yeasts. 13.5% alcohol. Closed with a screwcap. Score: between 8.5 and 9.
2023 Cloudy Bay “Te Koko” Sauvignon Blanc, Wairau, Marlborough, New Zealand
Pale gold in color, this wine smells of struck match, lemon, and lime pith, with a hint of crushed nuts. In the mouth, bright lemon peel, nut skin, and notes of vanilla mix with a silky texture and a touch of salinity. Excellent acidity and nice length. After pressing, the juice is settled for 24 hours and then racked into 7% new French oak barrels and large format cuves, where it ferments with a combination of ambient and commercial yeasts. It then ages for 11 months on the fine lees in a combination of vessels, including small and large-format barrels as well as concrete. 13.5% alcohol. Closed with a screwcap. Score: around 9.
2023 Greywacke “Wild” Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough, New Zealand
Pale gold in the glass, this wine smells of citrus pith and a hint of roasted nuts. In the mouth, mouthwatering flavors of crushed nuts, lemon peel, pomelo pith, and wet chalkboard have a lovely, faint salinity to them and a hint of toasted oak that lingers in the finish. A mix of machine and hand harvesting fruit, which is then lightly pressed and cold settled before being fermented with ambient yeasts in oak barrels, a “small percentage of which” were new. Fermentation lasted nearly 6 months, and the wine was aged for another 12 months with occasional lees stirring. Around two-thirds went through malolactic conversion. 13.5% alcohol. Closed with a screwcap. Score: around 9.
Pale gold in color, this wine smells of passionfruit and orange peel. In the mouth, bright passionfruit and gooseberry flavors mix with green apple and a faint saline brightness. Excellent acidity and lovely purity. 12.7% alcohol. 3.1 g/l residual sugar. Closed with a scerwcap. Vegan. Score: around 9.
2025 Rohe Sauvignon Blanc, Blind River, Marlborough, New Zealand
Palest gold in the glass, this wine smells of green apple, cut grass, and wet pavement. In the mouth, green apple and guava flavors have a lovely stony quality and a faint herbal note that lingers in the finish along with notes of lime pith. Very good acidity. After pressing, the juice was fermented in stainless steel at various temperatures. Aged for three months before bottling. 13% alcohol. 4.6 g/l residual sugar. Closed with a screwcap. Score: between 9 and 9.5.
2025 Rohe Sauvignon Blanc, Rapaura, Marlborough, New Zealand
Palest gold in the glass, this wine smells of cut grass, kiwifruit, and lime zest. In the mouth, zippy lime and green guava flavors have a salinity to them and a hint of a grassy herbal note that creeps into the finish with a touch of honeydew melon. After pressing, the juice was fermented in stainless steel at various temperatures. Aged for three months before bottling. 13% alcohol. 4.1 g/l residual sugar. 13% alcohol. Closed with a screwcap. Score: between 9 and 9.5.
2025 TAPI Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough, New Zealand
Pale gold in the glass, this wine smells of salty green apple and passionfruit. In the mouth, bright passionfruit flavors mix with wet pavement and a lovely lemon pith note. Very good acidity and a silky texture round out the aromatic package. The machine-picked and pressed into stainless steel for fermentation, with 10% of the wine fermented in old oak barrels. Aged on its lees for 4 months before bottling. 13% alcohol. 3.5 g/l residual sugar. Closed with a screwcap. Vegan. Score: between 8.5 and 9.
2024 Te Pā “Oke” Sauvignon Blanc, Lower Wairau, Wairau, Marlborough, New Zealand
Pale gold in color, this wine smells of toasted oak, candied lemon peel, and lime leaf. In the mouth, bright lemon peel and pith mix with a touch of vanilla and roasted nuts, as a silky texture lingers on the palate with a hint of salinity. Hand-picked and whole-bunch pressed into 320L cigares for fermentation with ambient and non-Saccharomyces yeasts. Left unsulphured on gross lees over the winter, then racked to neutral barrels for another 6 months of aging. 13.5% alcohol. 2 g/l residual sugar. Closed with a screwcap. Score: around 9.
2024 Nautilus “The Paper Nautilus” Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough, New Zealand
Pale gold in the glass, this wine smells of honeysuckle, candied lemon peel, and white flowers. In the mouth, faintly sweet flavors of lemon peel, lime pith, and pink grapefruit have a nice filigreed acidity. There’s a sweet lemon cucumber note that lingers in the finish. Hand-picked and whole-bunch pressed, then settled before racking into a 13-year-old 5000L French oak cuve for fermentation. Inoculated with a non-Saccharomyces yeast for a 30-day fermentation. Then matured on lees for another 8 months before bottling. 13.5% alcohol. 3.4 g/l residual sugar. Closed with a screwcap. Vegan. Score: between 8.5 and 9.
2025 Whitehaven Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough, New Zealand
Near colorless in the glass, this wine smells of blackcurrant leaf, green apples, and a hint of that classic feline aroma. In the mouth, crisp green guava, green apple, lemon pith, and lime leaf. Very good acidity and a faint grassy salinity round out the package. Machine-harvested and then pressed. Juice settled and then fermented in stainless steel. Aged on light lees in tank for 2 months before bottling. Sterile filtered. 13% alcohol. 1.4 g/l residual sugar. Closed with a screwcap. NZWG-certified sustainable. Vegan. Score: between 8.5 and 9.
The 2025 New Zealand wine harvest has been widely welcomed following 2024’s reduced yields. Across the regions, winemakers reported not only a normalisation of volumes but also excellent fruit quality – notable in a country where diverse geography often leads to variability.
A warm, dry spring set the season up well, though a cooler, wetter December and January period tested nerves before settling into a classic Indian summer. While perhaps not as straightforward as the outstanding 2024 vintage, 2025 looks set to produce wines of finesse and charm across the regions and varieties, with the first releases just months away.
Auckland
Michael Brajkovich MW of Kumeu River expressed relief at a ‘normal’ sized vintage after two seasons down by 35-40%. Auckland experienced the driest summer since 1958, with consistent warmth but no heat spikes.
‘The fruit ripened evenly and with gradual aroma and flavour development,’ Brajkovich said. Chardonnay was once again the star, arriving early and in pristine condition.
Gisborne
Described as a ‘magnificent vintage’ by Kirsten Searle of Matawhero, 2025 brought full physiological ripeness and a return to normal yields after two lighter years. Chardonnay excelled, providing excellent fruit for both table wines and sparkling bases.
Searle also highlighted the Gewürztraminer from Matawhero’s Riverpoint vineyard as particularly impressive – a fitting celebration for the winery’s 50th anniversary.
Hawke’s Bay
There is genuine excitement in Hawke’s Bay, with some suggesting that 2025 may rival the renowned 2013 vintage. Ben Tombs noted Craggy Range’s earliest-ever harvest, with Chardonnay off the Gimblett Gravels picked on 8 February.
Whites show ‘electric flavour profiles with moderate alcohol’ while Syrah, despite late-summer humidity challenges, enjoyed extended hang time without excessive sugar accumulation, promising finely structured, vibrant reds.
Wairarapa
After four small vintages, Martinborough celebrated a strong yield. A relatively calm spring and lighter winds led to strong shoot growth and abundant flowering. Intensive canopy management paid off with Pinot Noir showing a savoury, charming profile.
Tombs commented on lower acidity and softer tannins compared to the more firmly structured recent vintages at Craggy Range’s Te Muna vineyard.
Nelson
Todd Stevens of Neudorf reflected positively on the vintage: ‘It’s still early but the whites appear beautifully balanced, while the Pinots show poise and should present very well.’ Initial signs point to good consistency across this smaller but significant region.
Marlborough
Murray Cook of Dog Point summed up 2025 as ‘a season of patience’. ‘With generous yields, the fruit took some time to ripen fully. Thankfully, we were blessed with classic dry and warm conditions which kept fruit quality high over what was our longest harvest period (46 days) in 24 years,’ he added.
However, with global inventories still high amid flat consumption and geopolitical uncertainties, many producers opted to leave fruit on the vines. The upside: only the best fruit was picked and consumers can look forward to excellent quality from this key region.
North Canterbury
A rollercoaster year, with Greystone’s Dom Maxwell describing it as one that ‘challenged us, then offered a lot, then challenged us again, and finally delivered in the end’.
Pure fruit flavours and clean fermentations made it a worthwhile ride. ‘We’re excited about the quality we have in the winery,’ Maxwell added.
Central Otago / Waitaki
Valli’s Jen Parr described an unusually compressed harvest of around half the usual span. Despite spring frosts affecting yields, she was thrilled with the ‘tremendous concentration’ and ‘crazy colour’, particularly in Gibbston and Bendigo.
Small berries and clean fruit were common themes with Parr commenting that wines possess richness and an appealing ‘joyful’ quality that should drink well young but also reward a few years in bottle.
The Waitaki Valley – often marginal – had one of its best vintages in recent years, for both ripeness and volume.
New Zealand wineries 1-50 in this prestigious list include:
No.44 Rippon – RE-ENTRY, Central Otago
Located within the world’s most southerly winemaking region, Rippon began its life in 1975 as an experiment by local New Zealand farmer Rolf Mills. Fifty years later, it remains under the watchful eye of the Mills family, and has retained its specialisation in biodynamic, organic wines from high in the Aotearoan hillsides.
No.44 Rippon
No.26 Cloudy Bay Vineyards – NEW ENTRY, Marlborough
The overwhelming scale and beauty of NZ’s Cloudy Bay Vineyards can be taken in via four-by-four or even by helicopter. But for the ultimate itinerary, tour its vineyards before embarking on its private yacht into the Marlborough Sounds with a glass of signature sauvignon blanc in hand. It’s all-encompassing package earns it the title of The Best Vineyard in Australasia 2025.
View the extended list of The World’s 50 Best (actually 51st to 100th) Vineyards.
The list of The World’s 50 Best Vineyards 2025 will be revealed at a live awards ceremony in Margaret River, Western Australia, on 19 November.
From established names to rising stars, find out more about the storied estates ranked 51st to 100th in the global ranking, each of which dazzles with world-class terroir, immersive visitor experiences, and unforgettable hospitality.
The 51-100 New Zealand wineries in this prestigious list include:
No.100 Ata Rangi, Martinborough
Ata Rangi in Martinborough is a boutique, organic estate that has earned New Zealand Grand Cru status. It was founded by a dairy farmer who successfully turned his hand to grape growing (with the help of his wife and sister), hence its name, which translates to ‘new beginnings.’
No.100 Ata Rangi, Martinborough
No.98 Felton Road, Central Otago
Felton Road is a pioneer of natural wine and an artisan producer of pinot noir, chardonnay and riesling vintages in New Zealand’s Central Otago region. Surrounded by snow-capped mountains, African Boer goats roam the rugged landscape of these organic and biodynamic vineyards.
No.98 Felton Road, Central Otago
No.90 Kumeu River Wines, Auckland
Kumeu River Wines in Auckland features wines made by New Zealand’s first-ever Master of Wine, Michael Brajkovich. Covering 30 hectares of heavy clay soil over sandstone, the vineyard is known for producing world-class chardonnay.
No.90 Kumeu River Wines, Auckland
No.89 Greystone Winery, Waipara
Greystone Winery in Waipara, on New Zealand’s South Island, is an organic, regenerative wine estate that offers guests off-grid accommodation in a glass eco-cabin overlooking the vineyard.
No.89 Greystone Winery, Waipara
No.52 Wairau River Wines, Marlborough
Wairau River Wines was founded by viticulturalist Hamish Rose and his brother and winemaker, Sam Rose. This idyllic New Zealand vineyard is renowned for crafting award-winning sauvignon blanc.
The value of wine exports has dropped slightly over the past year, though volumes remain strong with an exceptionally large 2025 harvest to drive growth.
NZ Winegrowers annual report indicates exports rose 5 percent by volume in the year ended June, though the value of exports was down slightly at $2.10 billion.
Association chair Fabian Yukich said there had been strong export growth to Asian markets over the past year, though the value of exports to the major United States market fell 4 percent to $762 million.
About 90 percent of the wine produced in New Zealand was exported to more than 100 countries.
Shipments to China grew 47 percent to $56m, while exports to South Korea lifted 92 percent to $44m.
Overall exports to second-tier markets, which excluded UK, USA and Australia which together accounted for 70 percent of exports, rose 17 percent in the past 12 months to just under $600m.
“According to market researcher IWSR, lighter refreshing styles are outpacing overall wine category performance,” Yukich said.
“This shift is driven by varietals with more refreshing palate profiles, which New Zealand excels in delivering.”
However, he said the industry was facing a number of challenges, with uncertainty around the long-term impact of tariffs on demand for New Zealand wine in the United States.
“While the increased tariffs have been in place since April, with a further increase in August, it is not yet possible to discern the effect of these in the export data.”
Vintage 2025
The 2025 vintage was unusually large with positive weather conditions bringing warm, dry days and cool nights, producing a high-quality harvest, though a lot of grapes were left on the vine.
Winegrowers chief executive Phillip Gregan said the grape yield was exceptional with the volume far exceeding the industry’s ability to process.
“The weather was so fantastic for grape growing that crop was really once in a generation,” Gregan said.
“There was no way we were ever going to be able to harvest all those grapes. We wouldn’t have had the capacity in our wineries. So there’s still plenty of our wine available to grow sales over the last.”
A new horticultural initiative could transform New Zealand into a commercial catnip producer, paving the way for the export of locally made pet wines to international markets.
Kiwi start-up, Muttley’s Estate, has created a shelf-stable pet wine that can be stored for up to 12 months.
Catnip (or Nepeta cataria) was introduced to New Zealand as a garden herb in 1870 and is estimated to positively impact mood in about two-thirds of cats while helping to soothe anxiety in dogs.
Global demand for catnip is rising, driven by pet product manufacturers and natural health industries.
The catnip essential oil market alone is projected to grow by 5.8% annually by 2030 to reach $400 million.
Kiwi start-up, Muttley’s Estate, is believed to be the world’s first manufacturer to have created a shelf-stable pet wine that can be stored for up to 12 months.
The breakthrough has made large-scale production and export more viable.
John Roberts, director of Muttley’s Estate, said catnip was a resilient crop that had adapted to grow well in New Zealand’s temperate climate and well-drained soils since it was first introduced.
He said the commercial-scale farming of catnip would further diversify New Zealand’s horticultural sector.
Roberts said, with a growing domestic footprint, the company had now set its sights on the lucrative US market, where pet owners sought premium, novelty products for their furry companions.
“One of the key advantages of catnip is that even a small crop yields enough to produce a batch of pet wine, allowing us to create a high-value product without requiring extensive land investment,” he said.
“With the growing international interest in catnip and the ‘humanification’ of pet diets, it was a natural extension to explore the development of a premium beverage for pet owners to celebrate with their pets.”
Roberts said Muttley’s Estate had already signed more than 40 retailers since launching the range in New Zealand less than a year ago.
“We believe the reputation of NZ’s wine sector in North America will help us establish an entry into this market and we [are] now actively looking for US distributors.”
Roberts said research showed the impact of chronic anxiety and stress among pets had become more prevalent due to a combination of urbanisation, multi-pet household dynamics, ongoing issues relating to the pandemic and shifting lifestyles.
“International studies have found almost a third of dogs showed high sensitivity to noise, with fireworks a particular problem, while 29% of dogs were said to be highly fearful, and 14% showed highly problematic aggression.
The Muttley’s Estate offers multiple “varietals,” each featuring a different concentration of catnip.
“Symptoms of anxiety in cats are often more subtle, yet owners reported signs of tail flicking, avoiding eye contact, and shifting head/body away repeatedly [every week or every other day] or more often than usual.”
He said the range was created to help alleviate some of the modern stressors on pets, but unlike conventional wines, the products contained zero alcohol.
“The range offers multiple ‘varietals,’ each featuring a different concentration of catnip: lighter whites such as the Champawgne appeal more to cats, while the deeper blends such as the Purrno Noir and Pawt are popular with dogs,” he said.
Muttley’s Estate is already selling through veterinary clinics and pet retailers across New Zealand.
It has also held tasting events at local dog parks.
“We were overrun by canines wanting to taste the pet wine, and it demonstrated the positive response across a wide variety of breeds,” Roberts said.
The company was now working with New Zealand Trade and Enterprise to identify distributors in overseas markets.
“We’d love to see entire fields of catnip grown right here,” Roberts said.
“The idea that we could turn a small backyard experiment into a nationwide horticultural endeavour, and share it with pet lovers worldwide, is really exciting.
“It’s a chance for New Zealand to do something fresh and unexpected – yet again.”
The company is also investigating the potential of catnip for human consumption, with trials underway to determine its suitability for the human market.
“Catnip is related to the mint family, so it is safe for humans,” Roberts said.
“We’re working with food technologists to explore the possibilities.”
This year’s list showcases 141 producers at the top of their game in Aotearoa New Zealand. We also see several new entrants to the list, including some newer producers who are making waves with different varieties and styles.
What we hope this list will do is introduce you to the true breadth and diversity which is possible in New Zealand wine.
Felton Road winemaker Blair Walter TRR
However, it’s not all change and certainly not for change’s sake! After running The Real Review’s algorithm across all of the tasting notes for the past two years, when the dust settled, Felton Road re-emerged as the Winery of the Year, with Destiny Bay also retaining its position at number two. I cover the reasons for Felton Road retaining their top spot in a separate article published later this week. In third spot is Te Whare Ra from Marlborough.
Significant gains were made by South Island producers who had a less challenging vintage in 2023 than their cousins in the north. This was mostly at the expense of Hawke’s Bay producers who bore the brunt of Cyclone Gabrielle that year, destroying vineyards, buildings and vines.
Destiny Bay Wines on Waiheke Island
Despite the challenges, there were some beautiful wines snatched from the jaws of defeat, as amply demonstrated by Te Mata Estate rising to seventh place. I also cover the specific effects of this vintage disparity between north and south in a separate piece.
Looking at the most visible changes to the rankings, Central Otago continues to strengthen its position on the list. Last year, the region stood out for claiming 23% of the list. This year, it is represented by 42 producers (who are either wholly or partly in the region as some own vineyards in multiple regions). This translates to 29.7% which is a reflection of a seemingly unbroken run of good vintages for the region, increased uptake of organic and regenerative farming, investment from both existing and new interests.
Jason and Anna Flowerday of Te Whare Ra Wines.
Another region which is punching above its weight is North Canterbury, which now claims 10 wineries on the list, or 7.1% of the total (up from 5.7% a year ago). For comparison, it represents 3% of the country’s total vineyard planted area. Despite the difficulties of 2023, the Wairarapa (which also has 3% of the national vineyard) held its ground, with 14 producers representing 10% of the total list. Those holding down the fort will be looking forward to the 2024s entering the market, with all signs pointing to it being a spectacular vintage for the region.
The other region to note in all of this is Marlborough, whose story is hidden in the details. Despite having the lion’s share of the list (admittedly, they do have the overwhelming majority of the country’s planted area), the wineries which have climbed into the top ranks are not all known for their sauvignon blanc. In fact, a few of them don’t even release one at all, and several of those who do make sauvignon do not make it in the typical style of the region’s calling card.
This is not to deride New Zealand’s most identifiable and commercially successful style of wine but rather to point out that the behemoth of Marlborough is more diverse and detailed than many think. The wineries who have made into the top echelons of the list are as committed to making excellent pinot noir, outstanding chardonnay, arresting aromatics and effusive sparkling wines on top of their benchmark sauvignons.
Over the past few weeks, we have also introduced you to the finalists for our new awards categories; Vigneron of the Year, Rising Star of the Year, and five Wines of the Year in different styles. We are delighted to announce the winners for all eight of these awards at the end of this article. And to address the elephant in the room, yes, all of the winners are producers in Central Otago or Marlborough (A Thousand Gods have their winery in Canterbury but their wines are all from the Churton Vineyard in the Southern Valleys of Marlborough).
This was not a deliberate statement or an intended result; however, we judged each category on their own against their peers and in each case the panel selected the wine or producer they felt best embodied the spirit and substance of the award. It is perhaps a testament to the great work being done in these two regions that they have claimed all the awards between them, but it should not be overlooked that great wine and good work is being made throughout the country—as can be clearly seen in the wider diversity in the list of finalists.
What we hope the Top Wineries list will do is introduce you to the true breadth and diversity which is possible in New Zealand wine, and invite you to celebrate the wonderful wealth of great wine made in Aotearoa. Happy reading!
‘After our first vintage, my Italian viticulture professor came over with tears in his eyes’
The founder of Cloudy Bay wine, David Hohnen, has teamed up with entrepreneur Rupert Clevely — of Geronimo Inns fame — and the Marlborough Grape Growers Cooperative to launch Marlborough Heartland, a Sauvignon Blanc which captures the essence of a remarkable landscape.
Hohnen doesn’t just move through the wine world, he tears through it on a motorbike. Literally. In 1969, aged 20, he rode from Adelaide to Sydney, loaded his bike onto a P&O liner, and crossed the Pacific to California, petrol still sloshing in the tank. He landed in Fresno, a dusty, agricultural outpost in the Central Valley, where the local university offered five-acre student vineyards and a neglected teaching winery which hadn’t produced a drinkable drop in years. That changed when Hohnen got the keys.
“They gave me five acres of Carignan and told me to get on with it,” he says. “The winery was a mess. I spent three months scrubbing tanks. After our first vintage, my Italian viticulture professor — a good man called Vince Petrucci — came over with tears in his eyes and said, ‘Thank you, this is the first wine I’ve been able to drink from this place.”’ Hohnen was hooked.
Back in Western Australia by 1970, Hohnen helped plant the early vines which became Cape Mentelle. There was no blueprint, just instinct, energy and the conviction that wine ought to express something beyond itself. “In ‘74 we had our first real vintage. ‘78 was terrific — critic James Halliday gave us a great write-up. We were in a shed, crude kit, but the wines had promise.”
Then, in 1983, he was ambushed by a grape. A few bottles left by visiting Kiwi winemakers turned everything. He says: “It wasn’t just good – it was electrifying.”
Armed with curiosity and air miles donated by his brother Mark, Hohnen zigzagged across New Zealand in search of the right spot for Sauvignon Blanc. Gisborne was too lush. Hawke’s Bay, too humid. Then came Marlborough. “It was brown. Dry. Sunlit. I thought, “Gotcha!”’
From trout to triumph
By 1985, Cloudy Bay was born; funded by a brutal million-dollar loan at 23.5 per cent interest. The decision was sealed after Hohnen’s brother’s business partner, Simon Fraser (of the Loch Ness Frasers), caught a trophy trout on a fishing trip in the area. “I always said Cloudy Bay owes it to a fish.”
They built the winery at speed, introduced a tilt-up slab technique that had never been used in New Zealand, and sent grapes north to Kevin Judd, the pioneering winemaker Hohnen had met at a wine show in Auckland. The 1985 vintage was blended with a little Riesling and Semillon, allowing it to age gracefully. “It worked,” says Hohnen says. “People still remember their first glass.”
Cloudy Bay wasn’t launched. It bolted onto the scene: “People thought we contrived the allocation. We didn’t. It was a runaway horse. I just sat firm in the saddle, held the reins, and tried to steer.” Demand constantly outpaced supply. “Probably never caught up in my time.”
Veuve Clicquot came calling. Under the stewardship of Joseph Henriot, and later Cécile Bonnefond, Cloudy Bay thrived. “They were smart. Understood wine. Understood brand. Let us get on with it.”
By 2000, Hohnen found himself Chairman and MD of both Cape Mentelle and Cloudy Bay. “Not my choice of title. For a country hick, it sat heavy. I decided to leave. Should’ve gone straight away. Instead, I stuck around for the handover — the worst mistake I ever made.”
He drifted, gloriously. Raised free-range pigs with real care, railing against their status as “the four-legged chooks of the world.” Then came the charcuterie, but done properly: low intervention, slow drying, clean, honest flavours.
The return
In 2022, Cloudy Bay called him back. They’d rebuilt the original winery as a visitor centre and named it the Founder’s Centre. “It was emotional. We’d parted well, and we’re friends again now.”
He had one last idea: enter Marlborough Heartland – a new label, made in collaboration with Rupert Clevely (of Geronimo Inns) and the Marlborough Grape Growers Cooperative, a formidable alliance of 80 growers who usually make bulk wine.
“They do 16 million litres a year,” Hohnen says. “I said, let’s make something special. We picked eight vineyards on deep pebble soils in the central Wairau Valley – the black country. That’s where the best Sauvignon comes from. Ripe, not green. No tomato leaf. Just bright fruit, full palate, lovely tingle. For just over a tenner, it speaks.”
His daughter, Freya — top of her class, a seasoned winemaker, and mother of two — is on the blending bench. “She does the high notes. I do the low. You’ve got to have both.”
A sense of place
What’s in the name? Like Cape Mentelle or Cloudy Bay, it’s geographical. “Some said ‘Cloudy’ sounded like cloudy wine. They were wrong. Place matters. It grounds you.”
Today, the second vintage of Marlborough Heartland is sailing towards England. Sainsbury’s has backed it. The supermarket’s wine agency partner, Watermill Wines, helped secure the listing. “They’ve got the buyers. We’ve got the story.”
And what a story. Cloudy Bay went on to become the world’s best-known white wine. No fuss, no spin, just magnetic Marlborough Sauvignon bottled by a man who listened when the land spoke.
Says Hohnen: “I’ve never had anything from New Zealand. But that’s because I’m Australian. Not sure they like to admit an Aussie created their most famous wine. Doesn’t matter. I’m just happy to be back.”
What’s next? “I don’t look back. I’ve made mistakes, sure. But winemaking is a privilege. You meet good people — real people — farmers whose wealth comes from the earth. Not suits.”
If he could share a bottle with anyone? “It’d be family. Always family. Someone once said, “Without family, you’d have to fight with strangers!” We’ve done pretty well.”
So ends this chapter, with the vines back under his feet and the Marlborough sun on his face. David Hohnen, still steering the horse. Still making the wine speak…
From experiential marketing to bright whites, 2025 is set to see trends prioritising wellness, innovation and sustainability, according to a report by AF&CO.
As we look ahead to wine in 2025, the industry is undergoing a transformation driven by shifting consumer preferences, climate challenges, and generational tastes. From low-alcohol wines to experiential offerings, here are the trends that will define the year ahead, based on insights from the AF&CO + Carbonate Trends Report 2025.
Chenin Blanc leads the charge in bright whites
White wines are poised for continued growth in 2025, outpacing reds globally. Beyond mainstays like Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Grigio, under-the-radar varieties are gaining attention. Chenin Blanc is emerging as a standout, combining the crispness of Sauvignon Blanc with Chardonnay’s complexity, making it both versatile and age-worthy.
In the Loire Valley, where Chenin Blanc thrives, producers predict its plantings will surpass Sauvignon Blanc, thanks to its resilience in a warming climate. Bourgueil, traditionally a red wine appellation, has begun lobbying for a high-quality designation for its Chenin Blanc wines, signalling the grape’s resurgence. Across the Atlantic, California winemakers and Washington’s Chateau Ste. Michelle are spearheading a revival of Chenin Blanc in the United States, further broadening its appeal.
Innovative whites such as White Malbec from Argentina and White Pinot Noir from Oregon are also reshaping the category, offering fresh, unexpected options for adventurous drinkers.
Low-alcohol wines for wellness-conscious consumers
Health and wellness trends continue to influence the wine industry, with low-alcohol wines gaining momentum. Brands such as Duckhorn, Kendall Jackson, and Kim Crawford have introduced reduced-alcohol ranges to appeal to health-conscious consumers seeking moderation without sacrificing flavour.
Similarly, Chilean wine brand Casillero del Diablo, owned by Concha y Toro, has launched its first alcohol-free wine in the UK market with the introduction of a de-alcoholised sparkling wine.
The trend aligns with the broader movement towards mindful drinking, as consumers increasingly look for wines that complement their lifestyles.
Alternative formats and sweet wines
Cans, magnums, and other packaging formats are resonating with younger consumers prioritising convenience and sustainability. Additionally, sweeter wines with lower alcohol are successfully drawing in new drinkers. Inspired by global flavour trends, these approachable wines tap into the popularity of sweet and spicy combinations, broadening wine’s appeal to diverse audiences.
Experience-driven consumption
Wineries are moving beyond traditional tastings to create immersive, memorable experiences. Younger generations, particularly Gen Z and Millennials, are drawn to events where wine is part of a larger narrative. From art installations to retro-inspired social hours, wineries like Bella Union in Napa Valley are aiming to engage younger consumers through unique on site tasting spaces, and features like outdoors after hours bars.
Sustainability and adaptation
Sustainability remains a critical focus as climate change impacts vineyard management and consumer priorities. The shift towards resilient grape varieties, such as Chenin Blanc, reflects efforts to adapt to changing growing conditions. At the same time, eco-friendly packaging and practices are increasingly integral to marketing strategies aimed at environmentally conscious consumers.
Gisborne winemaker Geoff Wright has been forced to cancel this year’s grape harvest after breaking his leg in a motorcycle accident.
Wright, who owns Wrights Vineyard and Winery with wife Nicola, was set to begin picking their organically grown grapes at Ormond and Manutūkē — usually one of the first harvests in the district. But an accident on his Ormond property last Thursday left him with multiple fractures in his right leg. “I’m currently in Gisborne Hospital, waiting for surgery,” he said. He has been advised he won’t be able to drive or operate machinery for the next two to three months, ruling him out of running for this year’s vintage.
Nicola Wright shared the news on social media. “It’s been a heartbreaking turn of events for what would have been Geoff’s 25th harvest — a real milestone,” she said. “But for now, our focus is on Geoff’s recovery.”
With just the two of them running the winery, the couple has decided to sell their organic grapes to other producers.
She says their grapes grow on flat vineyards and can easily be harvested by machine, with vines low yielding with high quality in mind.
Interested wineries are invited to get in touch via email.
Geoff Wright thanked everyone for their support. “I’m feeling the love. It’s feeling a bit like a sabbatical at present — just without the paid leave.”
After more than 40 years as pioneers of the New Zealand wine industry, The Millton Vineyard has announced that its 2025 vintage was their last.
“We have now decided to retire – both ourselves and the vineyards – we look forward to spending time with our family,” says Annie.
