The New Zealand International Wine Show 2025

CHAMPION WINEMAKER OF SHOW 

Patrick Newton of Mudbrick Vineyard

CHAMPION WINE COMPANY OF THE YEAR

Mudbrick Vineyard

The New Zealand International Wine Show celebrated it’s 21^st birthday with a record number of gold and double gold medals awarded. A total of 1530 wines were judged over the three days with a team that has been together for most of the 21 years. The only new addition being industry legend Kate Radburnd who stepped into an Assistant Chief Judge role. The other Assistant Chief Judges were Larry McKenna, John Hancock and also Michael Ivicevich who moved into the role for the first time.

Entries in popular classes such as Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir were in line with previous years but there were lower entry numbers in Shiraz, Merlot, Cabernet and Syrah. Several classes increased in numbers notably Champagne or Methode Traditionelle, European reds or “other whites” – which included Albarino and Chenin Blancs.

The sparkling classes usually have around 90 entries, this year there were 120. This exciting class produced gold medals for 19 Champagnes and there were 9 local sparklings that were awarded gold or double gold medals. That’s a tremendous result for NZ wines as they were judged amongst the Champagnes. Rose is now a very important category and there were 7 double golds and 12 gold medals awarded. All NZ and all from the 2025 vintage.

Chardonnay once again lead the way with 5 double gold and 31 gold medals. There was a big surprise in the origin of the top Chardonnays – Marlborough produced 20 and Hawke’s Bay just 7. In the Sauvignon Blancs of the 25 gold medals all but one wine came from the 2025 vintage.

There were plenty of favourable comments from the judge involved with the Pinot Noir Class. Plenty of deserved golds – 16 for Central Otago, 11 for Marlborough and 6 for Martinborough. The judges often comment about the variety and they have on their tables, from Champagne to Vintage Port and that’s part of the success of this wine judging competition – New Zealand’s largest for each of the 21 years.

On a technical question we are asked how a wine can be awarded a Double Gold medal. It is a result achieved in the recall judging. The top wines in the initial judging are all re-evaluated by the original panel plus all of the Chief Judges and if every one of the judging team rate it a gold medal – it’s unanimous and a Double Gold medal is awarded.

Under the system in place at the New Zealand International Wine Show a wine does not necessarily have to have been awarded a Double Gold medal to become a Trophy winner.

Cheers – use the results you get the benefits of the judges labour. Tough work but someone has to do it.

Kingsley Wood - Wine Show Convenor.