About

The 2026 Marlborough Wine Show, sponsored by QuayConnect, returns with entries opening on Tuesday 25 August 2026.

Run by Wine Marlborough Ltd, representing the region’s grape growers and wine companies, the regional wine competition provides a relevant and credible platform for Marlborough producers to benchmark their wines and gain recognition for excellence.

Led by Chief Judge Stu Marfell, entries are assessed by panels of experienced judges and awarded trophies, gold, silver and bronze medals using the internationally recognised 100-point system. All wines are tasted blind under strict wine show protocols.

Awards

The Marlborough Wine Show plays an important role in developing the reputation of Marlborough wine, as well as being a key event to celebrate the brilliant winemaking and viticultural talent in the region.

Its core aims are to:

Champion Marlborough wine excellence and provenance.
Promote subregional diversity across wines grown in New Zealand’s largest wine region.
Foster and foster wine show judging talent within the region.

Please visit the Awards page to learn more about these trophies and view previous results. We would like to thank our partners for their support of these special awards.

2026 Information Links

Judging Team

Stu Marfell - Chief Judge

Stu was born and raised in the Awatere Valley, not far from the Vavasour Vineyard. A graduate of Lincoln University with a Bachelor of Viticulture and Oenology, Stu joined Vavasour Wines in February 2003 as an assistant winemaker. Stu became chief winemaker in 2007. He has judged at many shows including Air NZ wine awards, Marlborough wine show and New world wine awards.

Murray Cook - Shadow Chief Judge

Murray has nearly two decades in wine since he began working in the vineyards of Central Otago in 2003. From there, he has enjoyed stints in Australia’s Yarra Valley, Champagne and Burgundy. Returning to New Zealand in 2008 he headed to Marlborough, working as a winemaker at Villa Maria Estate before starting with Dog Point Vineyard in late 2013.

Jennifer Docherty MW - Guest Judge

Jennifer Docherty is a Master of Wine — the first ethnically Chinese and Mandarin-speaking MW among around 420 worldwide, and one of only four residing in Hong Kong. She has over 16 years of experience in the wine industry, primarily as a buyer and educator across the UK, Hong Kong, and mainland China, and now works freelance as an educator (WSET and HKU SPACE), judge, and wine communicator championing the joy of drinking wine in moderation. She has chaired a judging panel at the IWC Sake Competition in London for a decade, and also holds a Master of Science in Applied Neuroscience from King’s College London alongside a current PhD at The University of Hong Kong.

Terry Copeland - Guest Judge

Terry Copeland has been judging in wine competitions for over 30 years in New Zealand as well internationally in London, San Francisco, Sydney and Tokyo. Having worked extensively across the wine sector in Sales & Marketing, Export, and Supply Chain Management, Terry moved to agriculture in 2013 as CEO of NZ Young Farmers and then CEO of Federated Farmers in 2018. Last year he was appointed Programme Director Export Growth at the Ministry for Primary Industries.

Panel Leaders

Jeremy Mackenzie

Award-winning winemaker, Jeremy McKenzie is a seasoned Marlborough expert who focuses on crafting wine that reflects sense of place. Growing up on a farm in North Canterbury, Jeremy is a real Kiwi hunter-gatherer, adventure man and winemaker. Jeremy has brought his passion to craft exceptional quality wines along with his wealth of international knowledge, home to Marlborough to continue his endless pursuit of winemaking perfection at Isabel Estate.

Matt Murphy

Matt grew up in the King Country on a sheep and beef farm and after studying at Canterbury and Lincoln universities embarked on a career in Wine Industry 20 years ago. Time was spent winemaking in California and Spain as well as several years in the Hawkes Bay before settling with his wife Amy in Marlborough where they lead the Mount Riley Wines team. Matt’s looking forward to his and Amy’s four kids getting big enough to drag some hoses!

Kyle Thompson

Kyle is a Senior Winemaker at Saint Clair Family Estate. Kyles interest in the wine industry began in earnest while living overseas. After vintages in Bordeaux and Tuscany, and further winemaking study, he returned home. Kyle has judged at many shows over the past decade and enjoys judging in New Zealand as it puts his expertise to the test and allows for a look at the quality and diverse range of New Zealand wines first-hand.

Senior Judges

Natalie Christensen

Nat is the Chief Winemaker at Yealands Estate, with a winemaking career spanning over 17 years. She has been a senior judge at a number of New Zealand wine shows and has also judged in London at the International Wine Competition. In 2018 she was named one of the most influential women in wine in the world by UK publication The Drinks Business and in July this year, was named White Winemaker of the Year at the International Wine Challenge. Nat has a love of bright pants and star gazing.

Michael Bann

Originally from Australia, Michael developed his interest in wine growing up in the family retail liquor business. He went on to study horticulture and winemaking, and worked vintages around Australia and France, before coming to New Zealand in 2006. Michael has been winemaker at Rapaura Springs since 2012, and is passionate about Marlborough wines and developing new varieties and styles within the region. He is an experienced wine judge, having participated in all the major wine competitions in New Zealand.

Richelle Tyney

Born and raised in Nelson, Richelle’s family belong to a confederation of iwi that have centuries-old connections to the land of Te Tauihu (top of the South Island). Richelle firmly believes in minimal intervention winemaking and that wine should express its tūrangawaewae (a place to stand). Her special vinous passion is pinot noir and the hillside terroir of Marlborough’s Southern Valleys holds a very special place in her heart.

Josh Hammond

Josh is Tiraki's winemaker. Born and raised on Longfield Farm, he's spent his career learning his craft both at home and abroad, from Marlborough wineries including Villa Maria and Isabel Estate to launching an urban winery beneath a railway arch in London. Today, he's back where it all began, making the wines and helping shape the future of the family farm. When he's not in the vineyard or winery, you'll usually find him diving, fishing, or exploring the Marlborough outdoors. It's the same connection to nature that inspires the wines he makes.

Tom Dixon

Tom Dixon is a Winemaker at Villa Maria’s Marlborough Winery. His first vintage was with Vidal Wines in 2010 and has spent time gaining experience with other notable New Zealand wineries. He joined Villa Maria in 2012 as a Cellar Hand in Auckland before doing a stint as Nightshift Pinot Winemaker in 2014. He was then given the opportunity to relocate to Marlborough permanently in 2015 as the Assistant winemaker before moving into the role of Winemaker.

Associate Judges

David Foes

David is the Operations Winemaker for The Coterie - a small Organically focused winery in Marlborough. He has lived in Marlborough for 12 years with stints at Yealands, NZ Wineries and Marisco before joining The Coterie in 2023. He has overseas experience in Oregon, Burgundy and the Yarra Valley.

Lan Zhang

Lan Zhang is a Winemaker with Vinarchy in Marlborough. She has gained experience across vineyards, wineries, and cellar doors throughout Marlborough and Central Otago, building a broad understanding of New Zealand wine. Holding both WSET and Court of Master Sommeliers (CMS) certifications, Lan has a keen interest in wine quality, sensory evaluation, and continuous learning.

Lan is excited to be involved in the Marlborough Wine Show as an associate judge.

Josh Lee

Josh Lee is the winemaker at Huia and has also worked with VinLink, Whitehaven, Dog Point and Greywacke in Marlborough. He has been a wine judge in both New Zealand and Burgundy and he is passionate about traditional method sparkling wine and loves Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir. Although he has worked all over the world, Marlborough is his tūrangawaewae, his place to stand.

Ruby McManaway

Ruby McManaway is a Winemaker at Seaview Estate, part of Yealands Wine Group, and has spent more than a decade working in the Marlborough wine industry. A Marlborough local, Ruby has built her career across winemaking and cellar operations, working with a wide range of varieties and wine styles. In 2025, she was named the Tonnellerie de Mercurey New Zealand Young Winemaker of the Year.

Michele Pedron

Michele Pedron grew up in Trentino, Italy, in a valley renowned for its winemaking heritage. After spending six years travelling internationally for harvests and gaining experience across diverse wine regions, he arrived in New Zealand in 2012 and made Marlborough his permanent home in 2016. Passionate about the wine industry, Michele is driven by the challenge of expressing a wine's unique sense of place through winemaking while staying closely attuned to evolving market trends, consumer preferences, and innovations shaping the future of wine.

Mary Schneier

Mary Schneier was born and raised in America's most idyllic destination, St. Louis, Missouri. She earned a Bachelor of Food Science with an emphasis in Viticulture and Enology at the University of Missouri-Columbia. Soon after, she fell in love with Chardonnay during her first vintage in California. Mary crossed hemispheres in 2016 to work a vintage with Rose Family Estate. In 2017, she joined the Rose Family Estate team permanently, and in 2020, she officially started living the dream as their Chardonnay Winemaker.