In late April 2026, I went to Susie and Peter’s New Zealand Wines of the Year tasting in London.
For the uninitiated, Susie Barrie MW and Peter Richards MW are a married, UK-based pair of Masters of Wine. They are well known as television and radio presenters, wine writers, event hosts, consultants and podcasters.
For this showcase, they had preselected the producers, then spent time last November tasting hundreds of New Zealand wines in order to choose their Wines of the Year. The selection covered a broad range of varieties, regions and price points, with the aim of showcasing modern New Zealand wine in all its diversity. Only wines that received a consensus score of 93 points or above made the final list.
To be fair, almost all the wines in the tasting were of a standard that would have stood out had I encountered them at other events. This was, after all, a carefully selected line-up of excellent wines. Nevertheless, the following are the wines I personally liked the most, with indications on how they differed from the others:
No. 1 Family Estate Reserve NV, Marlborough 12.5% POA
Made from Chardonnay using the méthode traditionnelle, this is very much in a Champagne-like Blanc de Blancs style, though it comes across drier. It has an intense bready aroma, with extreme apple character. The finish is long and clean.
Babich Classics Sauvignon Blanc 2025, Marlborough 12.5% £13.50
Pale lemon in colour, this is a typical Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc with gooseberry, passion fruit, red pepper, cut grass and citrus. It is dry, light to medium in body, with high acidity and explosive aromatics. Crisp citrus and tropical fruit have a rounded feel in the mouth, followed by a zesty, pungent finish. I have chosen here for its great value.
Yealands Estate Single Block L5 Sauvignon Blanc 2025, Marlborough 13% £18.00
A favourite estate of mine, this Sauvignon Blanc is almost colourless. It has great balance, with a more extreme and intense tropical flavour, yet it avoids becoming muddled as some examples can. Bright, focused and expressive.
te Pa The Reserve Collection “Seaside” Sauvignon Blanc 2023, Marlborough 13% £18.95
Again almost clear in colour, this is actually similar in style to the Yealands. It has the same bright Sauvignon Blanc character, but with more mouth feel and hence a slightly fuller impression. Fresh, defined and satisfying.
Dog Point Sauvignon Blanc 2024, Marlborough 13.5% £21.50
This has the usual Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc character, but with an added very flinty edge and a slight salinity. The fruit remains bright and recognisable, while the mineral feel gives it extra interest. Crisp, dry and distinctive.
Blank Canvas ‘Tano’ Chardonnay 2023, Marlborough 13% £35.99
This Chardonnay has grapefruit and a hazelnut character and has one of the more restrained oak profiles. It felt softer than many of the other Chardonnays, but it still keeps plenty of freshness. Refined, balanced and not over-oaked.
Domaine Rewa “The French Potter Series” Pinot Gris 2023, Central Otago 13.5% £30.50
Floral in aroma, with ripe apricot and almond on the taste. This is dry, softer than usual and less acidic, with a pleasingly low level of residual sugar. The finish is not zesty or pungent like some other Pinot Gris examples, which makes it feel different.
Tiki Single Vineyard North Canterbury Pinot Noir 2023, North Canterbury 13% £19.00
A fruit-forward Pinot Noir with a pale to medium ruby colour and a strong red cherry aroma. It is dry, light to medium in body, with red fruit, bright acidity and low to medium tannins. The finish is elegant and long. Chosen for its great value compared with some of the others.
Hunter’s Marlborough Pinot Noir 2024, Marlborough 13.8% £19.95
An excellent oaked Pinot Noir with a lively oaky cherry aroma. The taste brings oaky, smoky cherry character, medium tannins and a medium length finish. Again, it competed well with much more expensive examples.
Akitu A2 Pinot Noir 2021, Central Otago 13.5% £35.00
Slightly browning in colour, with cherry, savoury and earthy character. It has medium tannins, with cherry, savoury notes and mushroom on the taste. Despite the developed elements, there is still some freshness and fruit.
Schubert Pinot Noir Block B 2022, Wairarapa 13% £44.95
Pale brown in colour, with an extreme aroma of cherry and savoury notes. It has low to medium tannins and a lighter feel, but the finish is long. An elegant Pinot Noir with good length.
The full results, including scores, tasting notes, talking points, vintage summaries, statistics and maps, can be found in the New Zealand Wines of the Year 2026 Report, which is free to download. There is also a dedicated Wine Blast podcast episode, in which Susie and Peter interview leading winemakers and explore some of the key themes behind this year’s selection.
