Jaron McLeod presents the QuayConnect Champion Wine of the Show to Michael Bann of Rapaura Springs. Image courtesy Wine Marlborough
Marlborough’s champion wine of the year picked up not one but three trophies at the 2025 Marlborough Wine Show.
Rapaura Springs Bouldevines Single Vineyard Chardonnay 2024 knocked out more than 500 Marlborough wines to be crowned the Champion Wine of the Show, alongside Wine of Provenance and 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,” said Marfell. “With its beautiful citrus nose, a touch of savoury flintiness 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 said.
Rapaura Springs won a fourth trophy this year, the Champion Southern Valleys trophy with the ROHE Southern Valleys Pinot Noir by Rapaura Springs 2024.
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 Champion Pinot Noir 2022 & Older with their Single Vineyard Pinot Noir 2021 and the 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 said the number of medals awarded this year reflected 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.”
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