The best wines of New Zealand

Discover the best wines of New Zealand as well as the best winemakers of New Zealand and estates of New Zealand to visit. Explore the popular grape varieties of New Zealand and the best vintages to taste in this region.

Top wines by regions >New Zealand

Top wines of New Zealand by region

Looking for a good wine of New Zealand among the top wines in the region? Check out our tops of the best red, white or effervescent wines of New Zealand. Also find some food and wine pairings that may be appropriate with these exceptional wines. Learn more about the region and the wines of New Zealand with technical and enological descriptions.

Great red wines of New Zealand

See the top 100 best red wines of New Zealand

Want to buy a red wine of New Zealand cheap or sell a red wine of New Zealand at the best price on the market? Find out which ones are popular and which ones to keep in your cellar for a few more years.

Food and wine pairing with a red wine of New Zealand

Red wines from the region of New Zealand go well with generally quite well with dishes of beef, pasta or veal such as recipes of braised beef with carrots, pasta with walnuts and treviso red salad or veal tagine with prunes.

Organoleptic analysis of red wine of New Zealand

On the nose the red wine of the region of New Zealand. often reveals types of flavors of cherry, savory or tropical fruit and sometimes also flavors of ripe blackberries, baking spice or cigar box. In the mouth the red wine of the region of New Zealand. is a powerful with a nice freshness.

The best vintages in red wine of New Zealand

  • 1996With an average score of 4.71/5
  • 1998With an average score of 4.65/5
  • 1995With an average score of 4.61/5
  • 1997With an average score of 4.58/5
  • 2000With an average score of 4.51/5
  • 2005With an average score of 4.48/5

The most used grape varieties in red wine of New Zealand

  • Pinot Noir
  • Merlot
  • Cabernet Sauvignon
  • Cabernet Franc
  • Malbec
  • Petit Verdot

The best wineries and winemakers for red wine of New Zealand

A wine route planned in the region of New Zealand? Here are the wineries to visit and the winemakers to meet during your trip in search of the best red wine of New Zealand.

Discovering the wine region of New Zealand

New Zealand is an isolated island nation in the Pacific Ocean, about a thousand kilometres Southeast of Australia. It Lies between latitudes 36°S and 45°S, making it the southernmost wine producing country in the world. New Zealand has ten major wine-producing regions spread between the North and South Islands, the most important of which is Marlborough. New Zealand produces a wide variety of wines, the best known of which are the zesty, grassy whites made from Marlborough Grape/sauvignon">Sauvignon blanc.

Pinot noir has also proven to be well suited to New Zealand's Terroir and has made a name for itself in Martinborough, Marlborough and especially Central Otago, where the wines can be described as Dense and muscular with strong black fruit Flavours. The AromaticRiesling, Pinot Gris and Gewurztraminer varieties have found their way into the cooler regions of the South Island, and the Syrah, Bordeaux Blend varieties (Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc) do well in the warmer regions of the North Island. The first vines arrived in Northland in 1819 and were planted by the father of antipodean viticulture, James Busby (who went on to establish the Hunter Valley region of Australia). Missionaries brought vines to Hawkes Bay in the 1850s, and in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Dalmatian gum-digging settlers planted vines throughout Auckland and Northland, laying the foundation for New Zealand's modern wine industry.

For much of the 20th century, the country's vineyards were mainly confined to the east coast of the North Island, and most wines were produced solely for local consumption. It wasn't until the 1970s that wine-growing areas began to expand and New Zealand wines began to be exported. In 1973, Auckland-based wine producer Montana (now Brancott Estate) bought land in Marlborough's Wairau Valley. After some problems with poorly chosen grape varieties and the scourge of phylloxera, Marlborough sauvignon blanc took off in the 1980s and 1990s, producing a style of wine praised for its earliness and grassy, sweaty character.

Great white wines of New Zealand

See the top 100 best white wines of New Zealand

Want to buy a white wine of New Zealand cheap or sell a white wine of New Zealand at the best price on the market? Find out which ones are popular and which ones to keep in your cellar for a few more years.

Food and wine pairing with a white wine of New Zealand

White wines from the region of New Zealand go well with generally quite well with dishes of shellfish, vegetarian or goat cheese such as recipes of phad thai (thai style fried noodles), cream and tuna quiche or tagliatelle with pesto, goat cheese and bacon.

Organoleptic analysis of white wine of New Zealand

On the nose the white wine of the region of New Zealand. often reveals types of flavors of pineapple, floral or lemon zest and sometimes also flavors of straw, savory or guava. In the mouth the white wine of the region of New Zealand. is a with a nice freshness.

The best vintages in white wine of New Zealand

  • 2008With an average score of 4.50/5
  • 2001With an average score of 4.50/5
  • 2019With an average score of 4.37/5
  • 2018With an average score of 4.35/5
  • 2011With an average score of 4.32/5
  • 2009With an average score of 4.30/5

The most used grape varieties in white wine of New Zealand

  • Sauvignon Blanc
  • Chardonnay

The best wineries and winemakers for white wine of New Zealand

A wine route planned in the region of New Zealand? Here are the wineries to visit and the winemakers to meet during your trip in search of the best white wine of New Zealand.

Discover the grape variety: Touriga nacional

Most certainly Portuguese, not to be confused with the Touriga Franca also of the same origin. In Portugal, where it is widely cultivated, it is used to produce, among other things, the famous red Porto. It is also found in Uzbekistan, Australia, South Africa, Cyprus, Spain, etc... very little known in France, although it is listed in the Official Catalogue of A1 vines.

Great sparkling wines of New Zealand

See the top 100 best sparkling wines of New Zealand

Want to buy a sparkling wine of New Zealand cheap or sell a sparkling wine of New Zealand at the best price on the market? Find out which ones are popular and which ones to keep in your cellar for a few more years.

Food and wine pairing with a sparkling wine of New Zealand

Sparkling wines from the region of New Zealand go well with generally quite well with dishes of veal, pork or game (deer, venison) such as recipes of filet mignon with prunes and white wine, quiche lorraine or rabbit good woman.

Organoleptic analysis of sparkling wine of New Zealand

On the nose the sparkling wine of the region of New Zealand. often reveals types of flavors of pineapple, biscuits or nutty and sometimes also flavors of honey, lemon zest or straw.

The best vintages in sparkling wine of New Zealand

  • 1999With an average score of 4.20/5
  • 2019With an average score of 4.05/5
  • 2017With an average score of 4.03/5
  • 1991With an average score of 4.00/5
  • 2011With an average score of 3.97/5
  • 2018With an average score of 3.97/5

The most used grape varieties in sparkling wine of New Zealand

  • Sauvignon Blanc
  • Chardonnay
  • Pinot Noir
  • Pinot Gris
  • Riesling

The best wineries and winemakers for sparkling wine of New Zealand

A wine route planned in the region of New Zealand? Here are the wineries to visit and the winemakers to meet during your trip in search of the best sparkling wine of New Zealand.

The word of the wine: Bouchy

See cabernet franc.

Great pink wines of New Zealand

See the top 100 best pink wines of New Zealand

Want to buy a pink wine of New Zealand cheap or sell a pink wine of New Zealand at the best price on the market? Find out which ones are popular and which ones to keep in your cellar for a few more years.

Food and wine pairing with a pink wine of New Zealand

Pink wines from the region of New Zealand go well with generally quite well with dishes of veal, pork or game (deer, venison) such as recipes of chicken in sauce, pizza cone or stuffed rabbit in the oven.

Organoleptic analysis of pink wine of New Zealand

On the nose the pink wine of the region of New Zealand. often reveals types of flavors of pineapple, tropical fruit or earth and sometimes also flavors of microbio, vegetal or oak.

The best vintages in pink wine of New Zealand

  • 2021With an average score of 4.30/5
  • 2020With an average score of 4.24/5
  • 2019With an average score of 4.17/5
  • 2016With an average score of 4.15/5
  • 2018With an average score of 4.12/5
  • 2017With an average score of 4.10/5

The most used grape varieties in pink wine of New Zealand

  • Sauvignon Blanc
  • Pinot Noir

The best wineries and winemakers for pink wine of New Zealand

A wine route planned in the region of New Zealand? Here are the wineries to visit and the winemakers to meet during your trip in search of the best pink wine of New Zealand.

Discover the grape variety: Malbec

Malbec, a high-yielding red grape variety, produces tannic and colourful wines. It is produced in different wine-growing regions and changes its name according to the grape variety. Called Auxerrois in Cahors, Malbec in Bordeaux, it is also known as Côt. 6,000 hectares of the Malbec grape are grown in France (in decline since the 1950s). Malbec is also very successful in Argentina. The country has become the world's leading producer of Malbec and offers wines with great potential.

Great sweet wines of New Zealand

See the top 100 best sweet wines of New Zealand

Want to buy a sweet wine of New Zealand cheap or sell a sweet wine of New Zealand at the best price on the market? Find out which ones are popular and which ones to keep in your cellar for a few more years.

Food and wine pairing with a sweet wine of New Zealand

Sweet wines from the region of New Zealand go well with generally quite well with dishes of pork, shellfish or spicy food such as recipes of chinchards with white wine and grapes, baeckeoffe with fish or lamb tagine with prunes.

Organoleptic analysis of sweet wine of New Zealand

On the nose the sweet wine of the region of New Zealand. often reveals types of flavors of pineapple, butter or tropical fruit and sometimes also flavors of cream, tropical or musk. In the mouth the sweet wine of the region of New Zealand. is a powerful with a good balance between acidity and sweetness.

The best vintages in sweet wine of New Zealand

  • 2020With an average score of 4.40/5
  • 2007With an average score of 4.20/5
  • 2005With an average score of 4.20/5
  • 2012With an average score of 4.16/5
  • 2018With an average score of 4.11/5
  • 2009With an average score of 4.05/5

The most used grape varieties in sweet wine of New Zealand

  • Riesling
  • Sauvignon Blanc
  • Müller-Thurgau

The best wineries and winemakers for sweet wine of New Zealand

A wine route planned in the region of New Zealand? Here are the wineries to visit and the winemakers to meet during your trip in search of the best sweet wine of New Zealand.

The word of the wine: Cellar

A place for storing and ageing wines in bottles. This term designates both the cellar of a private individual and that of a restaurant. It is also a store dedicated to the retail sale of wine.

Great natural sweet wines of New Zealand

See the top 100 best natural sweet wines of New Zealand

Want to buy a natural-sweet wine of New Zealand cheap or sell a natural-sweet wine of New Zealand at the best price on the market? Find out which ones are popular and which ones to keep in your cellar for a few more years.

Food and wine pairing with a natural-sweet wine of New Zealand

Natural sweet wines from the region of New Zealand go well with generally quite well with dishes of beef, lamb or pork such as recipes of stuffed zucchini, traditional tagine (morocco) or coconut from paimpol.

Organoleptic analysis of natural-sweet wine of New Zealand

On the nose the natural sweet wine of the region of New Zealand. often reveals types of flavors of non oak, microbio or oak and sometimes also flavors of dried fruit, earth or tree fruit. In the mouth the natural sweet wine of the region of New Zealand. is a powerful with a lot of tannins present in the mouth.

The best vintages in natural-sweet wine of New Zealand

  • 1980With an average score of 4.40/5
  • 2017With an average score of 4.00/5
  • 2014With an average score of 3.90/5

The most used grape varieties in natural-sweet wine of New Zealand

  • Shiraz/Syrah
  • Pinot Noir
  • Cabernet Sauvignon
  • Cabernet Franc
  • Chardonnay
  • Pinot Gris

The best wineries and winemakers for natural-sweet wine of New Zealand

A wine route planned in the region of New Zealand? Here are the wineries to visit and the winemakers to meet during your trip in search of the best natural-sweet wine of New Zealand.

Discover the grape variety: Sauvignon blanc

Originally from Bordeaux, Sauvignon, or Sauvignon Blanc, is reputed to be one of the best French grape varieties for white wine. It is a white grape variety, not to be confused with Sauvignon Gris and its pale yellow color, or with Cabernet Sauvignon which produces red wines. Particularly famous thanks to Sancerre, Sauvignon Blanc is cultivated as far as New Zealand, where it produces great wines whose reputation is well established.

News from the vineyard of New Zealand

The Saint-Véran appellation investigated through its geology and geography

The Bourgogne Wine Board (BIVB) invites you to enjoy this video in which Jean-Pierre Renard, Expert Instructor at the Ecole des Vins de Bourgogne, explains the topographical and geological characteristics of the Saint-Véran appellation.The exercice is particularly complex as there are so many variables that make up the terroir throughout its geographical area. This video is taken from the “Rendez-vous avec les vins de Bourgogne” program broadcasted in June 2021. Retrouvez-nous sur les réseaux so ...

Geographical denomination: The first step towards the notion of terroir – Focus Bourgogne

We created this photomontage, to show you the landscapes and the different characteristics of the 14 geographical denominations of the Bourgogne appellation: Wine colors, grape varieties, soil specificities, surface area and production. You’ll become an expert on the Bourgogne appellation! Our social media: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BourgogneWines​ Twitter: https://twitter.com/BourgogneWines/​​ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vinsdebourgogne/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/comp ...

Bourgogne wines : The fundamentals

Understand (or almost) everything about Bourgogne wines in less than a minute? Just do it! Our social media: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BourgogneWines/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/BourgogneWines/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vinsdebourgogne/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bivb Find out more on our website: https://www.bourgogne-wines.com/ #BourgogneWines #Bourgogne ...

Discover other regions and appellation of New Zealand