Masters of Wine Susie Barrie and Peter Richards have unveiled their New Zealand Wines of the Year 2026, urging drinkers to look beyond the country’s signature Sauvignon Blanc as a new wave of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and lesser‑seen varieties steps forward.
Top awards were led by Greywacke Chardonnay 2023 (Marlborough) as Top White and Two Paddocks Pinot Noir 2023 (Central Otago) as Top Red. Pegasus Bay (North Canterbury) was named Best Producer, while Matt Thomson (Blank Canvas, among others) took Best Winemaker.
The most wallet‑friendly bottles across white, rosé and red were also revealed. Villa Maria Reserve Awatere Coastal Sauvignon Blanc 2024 (Marlborough) was named Best Value White, te Pā Signature Series Rosé 2025 (Marlborough) Best Value Rosé, and Hunter’s Pinot Noir 2024 (Marlborough) Best Value Red.
Richards said New Zealand “has never made such diverse, refined, rewarding wines,” noting that while Sauvignon Blanc “remains the engine room”, elegance, complexity and terroir expression are increasingly evident.
Barrie added that with Burgundy “scarce, variable and expensive”, it is an ideal moment to look to New Zealand for world‑class Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.
