When most people think of New Zealand wine, their minds likely drift to white wine, particularly Sauvignon Blanc. But the country produces a much more diverse range of styles, and the best New Zealand red wines are now getting the attention they deserve, even if they come at a slightly higher price point.
There’s plenty to explore within New Zealand’s dominant red variety, Pinot Noir, with nearly 6,000 hectares planted across the country. But fuller-bodied reds such as Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot also deserve recognition.
With vineyards sheltered by mountain ranges, long sunshine hours and significant diurnal temperature variation, New Zealand offers ideal conditions for producing fruit-forward wines that retain vibrant acidity. Regional diversity has become increasingly important, too. Pinot Noir, for example, takes on a savoury, Burgundian character in Martinborough, darker and more concentrated fruit profiles in Central Otago, and lighter, more fruit-driven styles in Marlborough.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, Pinot Noir impressed IWSC judges most in 2025, with the grape variety featuring in 11 of the 12 top-scoring wines.
At the top of the list is Sacred Hill’s Reserve Pinot Noir 2023, which impressed IWSC judges with a palate of ‘ripe, juicy blackberries balanced by refreshing acidity’. It was closely followed by Trinity Hill’s Homage Syrah 2018, the only non-Pinot Noir wine among the top 12. Judges were particularly impressed by its complex notes of candied fruit, raspberry jam and sweet oak spice.
Other high-scoring wines included Marlborough’s Saint Clair Family Estate, which secured a Silver medal for its Pioneer Block 15 Strip Block Pinot Noir 2022. Meanwhile, Central Otago was well represented, with Treasury Wine Estates Black Grape Society The Grand Master Pinot Noir 2022, Mora Wines Pinot Noir 2023 and Valli Vineyards’ Valli Pinot Noir 2023 all awarded Silver medals.
The wines were assessed by a panel of IWSC experts including broadcaster and journalist David Kermode, M&S Senior Wine Buyer Joseph Arthur, and Eric Zwiebel MS, Director of Wine at Bonheur by Matt Abe.
Read on to discover 12 of the best New Zealand red wines from the IWSC 2025, complete with tasting notes and scores from the competition’s expert judges.
HOW DO WE JUDGE THESE WINES?
We run a tightly structured, rigorous wine tasting process. That means that each wine sample is pre-poured into numbered glasses and assessed blindly by the judges. Most importantly, our IWSC wine judges are experts in their field, who work across all sectors of the wine industry. For evidence, see our full list of judges.
HOW DO WE SCORE THESE WINES?
Only the best wines sampled receive a Gold or Silver award. For example, to win Gold, wines have to score between 95 and 100 points. Meanwhile, Silver wines range from 90 to 94 points. Click here to read more on our scoring system.
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12 of the best New Zealand red wines from the IWSC
