Marlborough’s champion wine of the year picked up not one but three trophies at the 2025 Marlborough Wine Show, sponsored by QuayConnect. Rapaura Springs Bouldevines Single Vineyard Chardonnay 2024 knocked out more than 500 Marlborough wines to be crowned the QuayConnect Champion Wine of the Show, alongside The Coterie Wine of Provenance and Vintech Pacific Champion Chardonnay, Current Vintage.
Chief Judge Stu Marfell said it had been another exciting Show, with some outstanding 2024 wines across the varieties, alongside many delicious 2025 Sauvignon Blancs and aromatics.
“The Champion Wine of the Show was a difficult choice, as there were so many outstanding trophy winners, but the Rapaura Springs Bouldevines Single Vineyard Chardonnay is a deserved champion. With its beautiful citrus nose, a touch of savoury flintyness and wild ferment complexity, it is a remarkable wine with loads of complexity and focus. It is a great ambassador for how good Marlborough Chardonnay can be,” he says.
Rapaura Springs won a fourth trophy this year, the Fruitfed Supplies Champion Southern Valleys trophy with the ROHE Southern Valleys Pinot Noir by Rapaura Springs 2024.
to Michael Bann, Rapaura Springs
Award to Michael Bann, Rapaura Springs
In the Legacy category, Marlborough chardonnay also proved its ability to age well, with Isabel Estate’s Wild Barrique Chardonnay nabbing the NZ Wine Centre Legacy Award, sponsored by Marlborough Research Centre; their 2018, 2020 and 2022 vintages making an impression.
The award aims to celebrate a wine with the highest scores from three vintages within a 10-year period, and a minimum gap of two years between each wine.
It was a trifecta of trophies for Isabel Estate, who also picked up the De Sangosse NZ Champion Pinot Noir 2022 & Older with their Single Vineyard Pinot Noir 2021 and the Scenic Hotel Marlborough Champion Rosé with their Marlborough Rosé 2025.
In total, 21 trophies were awarded at a Marlborough Wine Show Celebration event on Friday evening, alongside a special Lifetime Achievement Award, which went to Kimberley and Kevin Judd of Greywacke Wines.
Marlborough Winegrowers Association board member Tracey Johnston was the MC for the stand-up function, held at the recently opened Wine + Food Experience Marlborough.
The Marlborough Wine Show, sponsored by QuayConnect, is an opportunity to showcase the region’s best wines and give winemakers an opportunity to benchmark their work alongside that of their local peers. This year, 91 gold, 144 silver, and 180 bronze medals were awarded.
Show sponsor QuayConnect General Manager Jaron McLeod says the number of medals awarded this year reflects the passion and skill within Marlborough’s wine community.
“The Marlborough Wine Show is always a highlight, a chance to celebrate the people and place behind our region’s outstanding wines. Congratulations to all of this year’s winners, especially the QuayConnect Champion Wine of the Show, Rapaura Springs Bouldevines Single Vineyard Chardonnay 2024. To the wider industry that continues to raise the bar each year, congratulations on another outstanding year of producing the very best of New Zealand wine. QuayConnect is proud to be part of your journey.”
Trophy Winning Wines 2025
Winequip Champion Sparkling
Diamond Heart Waihopai Cuvée 2020
WineWorks Champion Sauvignon Blanc Current Vintage
Kim Crawford Small Parcels Sauvignon Blanc 2025
WineWorks Champion Sauvignon Blanc 2024 & older
Delta Estate Sauvignon Blanc 2024
Chandler Glass & Packaging Alternate Style Sauvignon Blanc
Saint Clair Barrique Sauvignon Blanc 2021
Vintech Pacific Champion Chardonnay Current Vintage
Rapaura Springs Bouldevines Single Vineyard Chardonnay 2024
Vintech Pacific Champion Chardonnay 2022 & older
te P? Reserve Collection “Auntsfield Vineyard” Chardonnay 2022
Label and Litho Champion Pinot Gris
Nautilus Pinot Gris 2025
Interpack Champion Riesling
Mount Riley Marlborough Riesling 2025
Wine Brokers New Zealand Champion Gewürztraminer
Leefield Station The Gatherer Gewürztraminer 2025
Barrel Finance & Logistics Champion Sweet Wine
Brancott Estate Letter Series B Late Harvest Sauvignon Blanc 2023
Marlborough Wine + Food Experience Champion Other White Wine
Forrest Chenin Blanc 2025
De Sangosse NZ Champion Pinot Noir Current Vintage
te P? Reserve Collection “Westhaven” Pinot Noir 2024
De Sangosse NZ Champion Pinot Noir 2022 & Older
Isabel Estate Single Vineyard Pinot Noir 2021
Scenic Hotel Marlborough Champion Rosé
Isabel Estate Marlborough Rosé 2025
Vit Management Ltd Champion Organic Wine
Rimapere Plot 101 Sauvignon Blanc 2024
The Coterie Wine of Provenance
Rapaura Springs Bouldevines Single Vineyard Chardonnay 2024
Central Express Ltd Champion Wairau Valley
Mount Riley Marlborough Riesling 2025
Fruitfed Supplies Champion Southern Valleys
ROHE Southern Valleys Pinot Noir by Rapaura Springs 2024
Circuit Logistics Champion Awatere & South Marlborough
Yealands Reserve Sauvignon Blanc 2025
NZ Wine Centre Legacy Award, sponsored by Marlborough Research Centre
Isabel Estate Wild Barrique Chardonnay 2018 / 2020 / 2022
QuayConnect Champion Wine of the Show 2025
Rapaura Springs Bouldevines Single Vineyard Chardonnay 2024
About The Marlborough Wine Show
The 2025 Marlborough Wine Show, sponsored by QuayConnect, is a regional wine competition run by Wine Marlborough Ltd.
Wine Marlborough Ltd is the trading name of the Marlborough Winegrowers Association, which represents the region’s wine companies and grape growers. Marlborough produces approximately 80% of New Zealand’s wine, and the wine industry contributes 20% of the region’s GDP, employing one in five people locally.
The purpose of Wine Marlborough is to proudly stand up for, and build, the reputation of Marlborough’s wine region.
The Marlborough Wine Show provides an important platform for producers to benchmark their wines and reinforces the region’s position on the world wine stage. Its core aims are to:
Champion Marlborough wine excellence and provenance
Promote subregional diversity across New Zealand’s largest wine region
Foster and develop local wine show judging talent
Led by Chief Judge Stu Marfell, entries are assessed by panels of experienced judges, with trophies and medals (gold, silver, bronze) awarded based on the internationally recognised 100-point system.
For the Gold, Silver and Bronze Medal lists visit: