Appellation Marlborough Wine

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Appellation Marlborough Wine

It is a promise of origin, integrity, authenticity and sustainability

The Appellation Marlborough Wine regional quality mark is a timely evolution for a major international wine region, established to protect the integrity of Marlborough wine.

09/09/2026

We are toasting Catalina Sounds today: a celebration 20 years in the making, of exceptional, site-driven Marlborough wine.⁠
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"The vision has never wavered," says Catalina Sounds winemaker, Matt Ward. "Our roots are deeply set in the Waihopai Valley, where we planted the vineyard that is now mature and producing stunning fruit. As a team, we understand much more about Marlborough, the subregions, individual sites, microclimates and how each influences the style of our wines." ⁠
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Every bottle of Catalina Sounds wears the AMW trust mark, they are wines crafted with veracity and genuine enthusiasm.⁠
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"Marlborough gives us extraordinary raw material; the environment does most of the talking and it's genuinely the reason why our wines taste the way they do," says Matt. "When someone opens a bottle of Catalina Sounds anywhere in the world, what's in that glass is a true reflection of this place. It's honest, it's true to its site, and that integrity is the thing I hope people taste." ⁠
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Congratulations Catalina Sounds. Here's to the next 20!

02/09/2026

With the warming days of spring, pinot noir will increasingly be the red wine we reach for. ⁠
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A quiet achiever in the NZ wine story, Marlborough's reputation for producing site-driven and attractive pinot noir is becoming more and more recognised.⁠ Several subregional pockets have been identified for growing distinctive and expressive pinot, including the Southern Valleys and Inland Awatere.⁠
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Not sure which Marlborough pinot noir to try next... look no further than the AMW Trust Mark!⁠
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Auntsfield, Blank Canvas, te Pā, Rapaura Springs, Zephyr, Greywacke, Framingham, Spy Valley, Tupari, Catalina Sounds, Whitehaven, Isabel Estate, Awatere River, Marlborough Heartland, Caythorpe, Hunky Dory, Sliding Hills, Settlement, Massey Dacta, Tinpot Hut, Dog Point, Koha, LV Wines & The Marlborist...⁠
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📷️ Hand modelling by Steve | Settlement Wine

28/08/2026

Appellation Marlborough Wine is in safe hands! Congratulations to Kris Godsall and Nick Lamain - AMW MEMBERS, OF COURSE! - for taking out the top prizes at yesterday's industry awards. ⁠
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The Young Viticulturist of the Year and Young Winemaker of the Year programmes are annual career-development initiatives designed to support, up-skill and celebrate emerging talent in the New Zealand wine industry⁠. ⁠
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Announced at NZ Winegrowers' Annual Celebration, the audience sat in awe listening while the next generation delivered their final speeches. The enthusiasm, knowledge and ambition on display was bountiful - and applause reverberated around the room as we showed support for our young colleagues. ⁠
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Congratulations to all the talented finalists. You have made your regions proud!⁠
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Young Viticulturist of the Year 2026 | Kris Godsall | Cloudy Bay ⁠
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NZ Young Winemaker 2026 | Nick Lamain | Isabel Estate

25/08/2026

We loved seeing the headline of Wine Spectator magazine's new article: 'New Zealand, Ahead of the (Wine) Curve'.⁠
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Having tasted near 150 New Zealand wines over the past eight months, MaryAnn Worobiec is well placed to share her thoughts on our country's impact on the global wine world. "New Zealand remains a bright spot in the wine world," says MaryAnn. "With New Zealand’s global reputation established, the country’s vintners look to the future".⁠
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Click the link below to read the full article and peruse Wine Spectator's reviews... in the meantime, here are a few eye-catching excerpts:⁠
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"Although the country produces only about 1% of the wine sold globally, it exports to more than 100 countries and continues to win over consumers with fresh, terroir-driven bottlings that consistently deliver excellent quality for the price."⁠
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"Distinctive Sauvignon Blancs put New Zealand on the map, but the country’s broader wine story continues to unfold."⁠
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"Although Sauvignon Blanc still makes up about 90% of Kiwi wines imported into the U.S., many of the top performers are Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs worthy of greater attention."⁠
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📷️ Huia Vineyards

🔗 https://bit.ly/4caeIzp

10/08/2026

No small feat, scooping Decanter's top five slots in its recent NZ Sauvignon Blanc panel tasting! Certified AMW wine is delivering on its promise of quality and authenticity.⁠
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Congratulations to all our members included in magazine's comprehensive round up, with a shout out to its cover models - GREYWACKE, Dog Point Vineyard, Framingham Wines, Cloudy Bay, Rimapere ⁠ 👏
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"New Zealand has arguably made Sauvignon Blanc its own," says Master of Wine, Anne Krebiehl. "Within the country itself, a pleasing diversity can be found across the regions" ⁠
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As far as standouts go, Anne Krebiehl said "Marlborough still rules the Sauvignon Blanc roost."⁠
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Read the full article here - https://bit.ly/4hZfL8Z

07/08/2026

Join us in welcoming Tohu Wines to Appellation Marlborough Wine. The world’s first Māori-owned wine company, Tohu is renowned for producing mineral-driven sauvignon blanc from Marlborough's cool and windswept Awatere Valley.

Keep your eyes peeled for the release of Tohu Awatere Valley Sauvignon Blanc 2026, the first (of several!) Tohu Wines you'll find proudly wearing the AMW trust mark.

"Provenance matters to us. Since the late 1990s, Tohu has been deeply connected to Marlborough — and more recently to the Awatere Valley, where our winery and vineyards are located. AMW certification gives us an independent way to stand behind that. When trade partners and consumers see the AMW mark on our Tohu wines, they can trust that the wine is 100% Marlborough-grown, bottled in New Zealand, and have met rigorous quality standards assessed by an independent panel."

"As tiaki of the whenua we work with, protecting the integrity of where our wines come from isn't something we take lightly. We're proud to be part of a collective of Marlborough producers who share that commitment."

📷️ Tohu Whenua Awa Vineyard x 2, Tohu Whenua Matua Vineyard, Chief Winemaker Bruce Taylor, Winemaker Anna McCarty

23/07/2026

Meet Our Members: HOLDAWAY ESTATE⁠
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In 1853, James Holdaway settled in Marlborough with the ambition of one day working his own land. 11 years later he purchased a block of land in Dillons Point on the lower Wairau plains which he named Lowlands. Fast forward a century, and James's descendants planted Lowlands' first grape vines (1980) - from which the 5th generation now make a suite of wines.⁠ ⁠
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Lowlands is farmed using innovative and biologically regenerative techniques. This mindset is also employed outside the vineyard and led to the establishment of Mount Impey Conservation Estate. A 2000ha property in the Wye Valley of Upper Wairau, Mount Impey encompasses a diverse array of ecosystems and habitats and is home to many threatened animal and plant species.⁠ A further 1000ha is planted in production forestry, which absorbs carbon while also providing a sustainable future timber resource.⁠
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The forests of Mount Impey completely offset all emissions associated with the Holdaway family's wine production (vineyard, winery, packaging and distribution to customers). In fact, they are actually offset by an order of magnitude.⁠
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To learn more about Holdaway Estate or to support the family's ongoing conservation efforts, visit www.holdawayestate.nz⁠

Mount Impey Conservation Estate
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🦜 - Brown Creeper; a social canopy-dwelling bird⁠
⛰️ - Landscape view from the back of Mt Impey

19/07/2026

Appellation Marlborough Wine was thrilled to see the inclusion of Kevin Judd in this year’s announcement of New Zealand Wine Fellows.

The honour is incredibly well deserved and recognises a pioneering member of our Marlborough wine industry.

Kevin and Kimberley Judd founded Greywacke in 2009, following Kevin’s important tender as Cloudy Bay’s founding winemaker - where he played a pivotal role in putting Marlborough on the global wine map.

The Judd's continue to produce site-driven, thoughtful and delicious wine - with the entire suite of GREYWACKE wines being AMW certified. OF COURSE!

Alongside winemaking, Kevin developed a parallel career in photography. For near three decades, his evocative images have appeared in global publications and have emphatically contributed to today’s international recognition of Marlborough.

Congratulations Kevin. 👏

02/07/2026

As caretakers from bud burst to glass, why risk degradation of our handcrafted wine by shipping it prior to bottling?

Beyond the obvious positives of supporting local, AMW has always know there are quality and control reasons to bottle wine in New Zealand!

Bragato Research Institute has recently undertaken a literature review to "consolidate current knowledge, best-practice recommendations where appropriate, and research gaps on preserving quality and style in unpackaged wines".

Read BRI's findings here... https://bit.ly/BRI_BulkWine

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23/06/2026

Huge congratulations to the team at Rapaura Springs!⁠
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ROHE Blind River Sauvignon Blanc 2025 has been named Best In Show at the recent Decanter World Wine Awards. An impressive and well deserved acknowledgement for a family winery committed to celebrating the quality and diversity of Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc. ⁠
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"This is a hugely impressive wine. Silver in colour, it has arresting vitality and energy on the nose, but unusual complexity, too: melon, mango, pear, Japanese citrus, resin, thyme and rue were among the notes our judges detected, woven together with great skill and discernment, and with no note dominating or lacking refinement. On the palate it's excitingly flavoury in all of the ways the aromas sketched out – yet it's also soft, complex, textured and hauntingly savoury as well as floral and fruity. 97 points." Decanter | 17 June 2026

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Blenheim

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http://www.appellationmarlboroughwine.co.nz/

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