Marlborough’s flagship wine takes top award at 2024 Marlborough Wine Show

The variety that put Marlborough on the map as one of the world’s top wine regions has been crowned the wine of the 2024 Marlborough Wine Show, sponsored by QuayConnect.

The 2024 Yealands Estate Single Block L5 Sauvignon Blanc won the top award at this year's show with Chief Judge Stu Marfell describing Sauvignon Blanc as a standout in the show, both for the new 2024 vintage wines, but also the legacy category. 

“The 2024 vintage was a perfect growing season consisting of a dry winter and a hot, sunny summer and then just as autumn and harvest arrived so did the cool nights, locking in the flavour and intensity. The quality of the fruit this year was exceptional; as good as it gets for Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc,” says Marfell. 

“A rising tide lifts all boats, and what was really exciting this year was that there were so many wines that were at the gold medal level.”

This year, the sub regional grape growing areas of Marlborough showed their distinct characteristics more than ever, says Marfell. 

“In tasting Sauvignon Blanc from the Wairau Valley we really saw the punchy tropical thiols, while the southern valleys showed beautiful texture and riper stone fruit spectrum, and from the Awatere Valley we saw the classic racy acidity with crunchy greens, salinity and a sprinkling of thiols. So there really is something for everyone in terms of Sauvignon Blanc styles, and an amazing summer coming up for wine drinkers.”

International Guest Judge Elaine Chukan Brown, from the United States, had been taking interest in Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc for some years, and said being part of the judging panel at the Show this year was both insightful and motivating. 

“What I saw in this year’s tasting was an elevation of nuance to place, sophistication and quality. The level of wines was impressive."

Guest Judge and Deputy Chair Sam Kim was most looking forward to tasting the Sauvignon Blanc classes, and was particularly excited by their quality.

“It’s like looking forward to new season vegetables and fruits - asparagus, Jersey Bennes potatoes and cherries. And these Sauvignon Blancs delivered exuberant flavours in abundance."

 He was also impressed by the quality of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir entries.

“They have been improving with older vine age, better site and clone selection, as well as greater grape growing and winemaking expertise,” he says. “[There were] some impressively alluring wines of world-class.”

The legacy class was also a standout for Sauvignon Blanc, with judges noting it was exciting to see how gracefully Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc can age. 

The winner of the NZ Wine Centre Legacy Award, sponsored by Marlborough Research Centre was Brancott Estate, with the 2016, 2013 and 2010 vintages of their Chosen Rows Sauvignon Blanc.

The trophies were presented alongside 20 other class trophies and five industry awards at the Marlborough Wine Show Celebration Long Lunch held on Friday 18 October.

• The lifetime achievement awards were presented to scientist Rob Agnew, winemakers Daniel and Adele Le Brun and Ormond Nursery founders Ben and Frances Wickham. The 2024 Workplace Wellbeing Award was won by Hunter’s Wines, while Forrest Wines won the Workplace Wellbeing Leadership Award for 2024.

Trophy Winning Wines 2024

Winequip Champion Sparkling

Nautilus Cuvée Brut NV

WineWorks Champion Sauvignon Blanc Current Vintage

2024 Yealands Estate Single Block L5 Sauvignon Blanc

WineWorks Champion Sauvignon Blanc 2023 & older

2023 Saint Clair Wairau Reserve Sauvignon Blanc 

Wine Marlborough Champion Chardonnay Current Vintage

2023 Saint Clair Omaka Reserve Chardonnay  

QuayConnect Champion Chardonnay 2021 & older

2021 Wither Hills Cellar Collection Barrel Fermented Chardonnay

De Sangosse NZ Champion Pinot Noir Current Vintage

2023 te Pā Pinot Noir

De Sangosse NZ Champion Pinot Noir 2021 & Older

2021 Giesen Clayvin Pinot Noir

Marlborough Wine & Food Experience Champion Other White Wine

2024 Nautilus Albariño 

Chandler Glass & Packaging Alternate Style Sauvignon Blanc

2023 Mount Riley 17 Valley Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc  

Orora Limited Champion Riesling

2024 Wairau River Summer Riesling  

Scenic Hotel Marlborough Champion Rosé

2024 Kōparepare Marlborough Pinot Noir Rosé  

Winebrokers New Zealand Champion Gewürztraminer

2024 Mount Riley Marlborough Gewürztraminer

Label and Litho Champion Pinot Gris

2024 Dashwood Pinot Gris  

Barrel Finance & Logistics Champion Sweet Wine

2024 Tūpari Late Harvest Riesling 

Vintech Pacific Best Low Alcohol Wine

2023 Clark Estate Block 8 Single Vineyard Riesling  

Vit Management Ltd Champion Organic Wine

2021 Giesen Clayvin Pinot Noir 

Central Express Ltd Champion Wairau Valley

2024 Wairau River Sauvignon Blanc  

Fruitfed Supplies Champion Southern Valleys

2021 Giesen Clayvin Pinot Noir 

Circuit Logistics Champion Awatere & South Marlborough

2024 Yealands Estate Single Block L5 Sauvignon Blanc 

The Coterie Wine of Provenance

2024 Yealands Estate Single Block L5 Sauvignon Blanc 

NZ Wine Centre Legacy Award, sponsored by Marlborough Research Centre

2016 / 2013 / 2010 Brancott Estate Chosen Rows Sauvignon Blanc

QuayConnect Champion Wine of the Show 2024

2016 / 2013 / 2010 Yealands Estate Single Block L5 Sauvignon Blanc