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Hunter’s MiruMiru vintage 2020 has won Best in Show at the Chance Voight Aotearoa Regional Wine Awards 2025, which took place in Christchurch from Thursday, November 13 to Saturday, November 15.
The Marlborough sparkling wine also secured Best in Sparkling, while Paritua Vineyards and Winery won Best in Red (Syrah/Shiraz) for its Paritua Syrah 2024. Isabel Estate took Best in White (Chardonnay) for its Isabel Estate Single Vineyard Chardonnay 2024.
Hunter’s Wine Marlborough head winemaker James Macdonald says the award acknowledges decades of refinement in the company’s sparkling programme.
“This wine is the culmination of more than 40 years of refining our site selection, vineyard work, and méthode traditionnelle craft. It’s a style we’ve quietly chipped away at for decades, so it’s special to see it recognised like this. The 2020 vintage was released in memory of the late Dr Tony Jordan, who mentored our winemaking team and played a major role in establishing our sparkling programme. His influence is very much part of this wine.”
Chair of judges Jim Harré, who has worked with the awards for more than 10 years, says this year’s entries reflected the ongoing evolution of New Zealand winemaking.
“When we saw the result of the blind tastings, we saw some very good labels, which reflects the quality of our judging panel.”
For the first time, the public was able to view the judging process directly, with the awards held at the Royal A&P Show in Christchurch. The event drew more than 75,000 visitors, giving wineries the opportunity to meet attendees and share their winemaking stories.
Jim says bringing judging into the public eye added a valuable dimension. “People usually just see a tag on the bottle at their wine bar or outlet. By taking the wine judging process to the people, they can see what’s happening, while still maintaining the integrity of blind tastings.”
Event manager Karl Howarth says showcasing the journey “from grape to glass” helped highlight New Zealand’s winemaking talent.
“The Aotearoa Regional Wine Awards are the ultimate stage for New Zealand winemakers to showcase their craft and gain recognition for their labels. We’re grateful to Chance Voight Investment Partners for coming on board as naming sponsors to make this event possible.”
Chance Voight head of business Laura Patterson says: “New Zealand’s wine industry is a source of national pride and economic strength. We’re delighted to partner with this event in recognising the outstanding winemakers who continue to elevate our country’s reputation on the world stage.”
