The Wairarapa, a tiny wine region responsible for just 1% of New Zealand’s wine production, continues to make an outsized impression on the world stage with outstanding results at the 2026 Decanter World Wine Awards.
Widely regarded as one of the world’s most influential and prestigious wine competitions, the Decanter World Wine Awards bring together 245 of the world’s leading wine experts to blind-taste nearly 17,000 wines from 58 countries. This year, three Wairarapa Wines were awarded Platinum medals and an exceptional 97 points each:
Craggy Range Te Muna Martinborough 2025 Sauvignon Blanc
Palliser Estate Hua Nui Vineyard 2024 Pinot Noir
Te Kairanga 2024 Pinot Noir
The results are particularly significant, highlighting both the exceptional quality of the 2024 Pinot Noir vintage and the breadth of Wairarapa’s wine-making, with honours spanning both Pinot Noir and Sauvignon Blanc.
These accolades follow another major international success, with Nga Waka Lease Block 2024 Pinot Noir winning the International Pinot Noir Trophy at the 2026 International Wine Challenge in London, earning an impressive 96 points and a Gold medal.
Chair of The Wairarapa Wine Growers Association Wilco Lam commented: “congratulations to Palliser, TK, Craggy Range and Nga Waka for their latest achievements. These successes on the international stage shows the ongoing commitment by these, but also other regional producers, to choose quality over quantity, and thus bring the best out of their vineyards and wines.”
The 2024 vintage is already being heralded as one of Wairarapa’s finest. Described by local winemakers as “a dream vintage”, it delivered an ideal combination of conditions: a cool spring that naturally reduced yields and concentrated flavour, followed by a classic warm, dry summer that extended through harvest.
While New Zealand wine critics have long championed Wairarapa wines and celebrated the region’s outstanding 2024 Pinot Noirs in local media, these latest international accolades reinforce what those within our region have always known: Wairarapa consistently produces wines of exceptional quality and distinctive character, capable of standing alongside the world’s finest.
Pip Goodwin, Chief Executive of Palliser Estate, says: “This is a moment to celebrate, not just for Palliser, but for Martinborough and the wider Wairarapa. We are a small region with a strong sense of identity and a deep commitment to quality. To see three Martinborough producers recognised with Platinum this year speaks to the collective strength of this place. We may be small in scale, but the wines carry a presence well beyond it.”
In celebration of this shared success, the three Platinum-winning wineries will join forces to host a public tasting event at The Runholder Cellar Door and Restaurant in Martinborough on the evening of Friday, 3 July.
About The Wairarapa Wine Region:
Wairarapa Wine Region is the trading name of The Wairarapa Wine Growers Association Incorporated.
We represent the interests of grape growers and wineries in the Wairarapa, which produces approximately 1% of New Zealand’s wine.
Our purpose is to proudly stand up for and build the reputation and integrity of Wairarapa Wine Region.