NEW ZEALAND’S NEW FACES

Although it's best known around the world for established brands of Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir, New Zealand's wine scene is being driven by the creativity and innovation of a diverse new wave of winemaking. We introduce six names to know

- STORY & SELECTION EMMA JENKINS MW

New Zealand's wine scene is too often defined by its established styles and names. One of the frustrations of living here is recognising the gap between what's happening on the ground and what consumers abroad actually see. While tiny volumes and the tyranny of distance are perennial challenges, a fresh wave of winemakers and producers is injecting new energy, ideas and diversity, pushing boundaries and reshaping perceptions of what New Zealand wine can be. Some are familiar names in new settings, others are newcomers to the scene. Many embrace low-intervention or regenerative practices, offer fresh perspectives, or draw inspiration from working vintages around the globe, returning home to craft wines that expand the sense of what’s possible.

In the pages that follow we highlight six such producers, but there are many more worth seeking out - Atípico, Cambridge Road, Forager, Huntress, Mélange, Three Fates, Vita and Vilaura, to name just a handful. Together, they're inviting wine lovers to reconsider what the label 'New Zealand wine' really means.

Oraterra

Martinborough

When longstanding Martinborough winery Dry River changed hands in 2022, passing from the estate of the late US billionaire Julian Robertson to Wellington-based businessman Charlie Zheng, also owner of nearby Luna Estate, Dry River's core team saw a chance to create something new together. Led by chief winemaker Wilco Lam and backed by a wine-loving European family, they purchased what was previously the On Giants' Shoulders winery and vineyards, and launched Oraterra, dedicating themselves to making the sort of wines that Lam hopes 'touch a sense of wonder in people'.