The New World Wine Awards are an exciting three-day event where a diverse panel of experts—including winemakers, industry pros, and wine scientists—blind taste and score wines to uphold the highest standards. Each wine is judged without knowledge of its brand or price, focusing solely on its variety, vintage, and country of origin.
Using a rigorous 100-point scoring system, wines are organized into flights for assessment. Judges individually score and discuss the wines, with Gold medal winners undergoing further random tastings to determine the Top 50. The highest-ranked wine in each variety earns the title of Champion.
Winning a Gold medal means a wine has been tasted and graded at least 19 times by 11 different judges, while Champion wines receive at least 36 tastings. There’s even a unique opportunity for aspiring judges—like liquor managers and store owners—to train alongside the experts, contributing their opinions while learning the ropes.
Behind the scenes, logistics are key: 24 pallets of wine, glasses, and equipment are set up by a dedicated team of stewards. Each bottle is meticulously checked to ensure accuracy before tasting. It’s an engaging experience full of discussion and discovery among some of the country’s best winemakers!
Fun facts
20 pallets of wine, glasses and equipement were needed for the 3-day judging event.
~100 wines were swirled, sniffed, spat and scored by the judges each day.
~60% of entries were from NZ-based vineyards; international entries included wines from Autralia, France, Italy, Spain, Argentina and the US.
~140 wineries and distributors, representing 350+ brands, entered over 1,280 wines to be judged.
The stewarding team of 15 placed 5,100+ bottles in position and poured 10,000+ glasses of wine samples.
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Meet the judges of the New World Wine Awards 2024 edition
Jen Parr, Chair
Jen Parr has extensive winemaking experience, including in the United States, France, South Africa, and Australia. She is the winemaker for Valli Vineyards and was named the 2020 Winemaker of the Year by Gourmet Traveller Wine Magazine New Zealand.
Murray Cook, Deputy Chair
Murray brings more than two decades of wine industry experience, gathered everywhere from Australia’s Yarra Valley to France’s Champagne and Burgundy regions. He has been the winemaker at Dog Point since 2013. He and his wife Rachel also run their own label, Nous.
Helen Morrison, Panel Leader
Since graduating as the top female student in her Bachelor of Viticulture and Oenology Degree at Lincoln University in 2005, Helen has worked across many New Zealand wineries, including Forrest Wines, Villa Maria. Helen is currently Chief Winemaker at Booster Wine Group.
Jannine Rickards, Panel Leader
Jannine's love of hospitality blossomed into a 20+ year winemaking career and after plenty of international experience and working at Ata Rangi and Pegasus Bay, she's now focusing on her own label, Huntress.
Natalie Christensen, Panel Leader
Natalie Christensen has 17 years’ experience in the wine industry and holds a Post Graduate Diploma in Oenology. She is the Chief Winemaker at Yealands Wine Group in Marlborough.
Stu Marfell, Panel Leader
Stu Marfell was born and raised in the Awatere Valley and holds a Bachelor of Viticulture and Oenology from Lincoln University. Stu joined Foley Family Wines in 2003 and has been Chief Winemaker there since 2007.
Jane Cooper
Jane has worked in wine in NZ and internationally for more than three decades and is an experienced senior judge. She now runs her own wine label, Alexia, alongside an urban winery and cellar door in Wairarapa.
John-Paul Henderson
John-Paul Henderson is co-owner of Salty Pidgin Bar and Bistro, recognised for its award-winning wine list which he has written for the past 17 years. His passion of the industry has led him become an experienced and respected wine judge.
Kate Bennett
Kate Bennett has been in the wine industry for more than 20 years and judging wine for 15. She’s spent vintages across the world, from Burgundy to Tasmania, and is now Production winemaker at te Pā Family Wines.
Laura Hutchinson
Laura has run and established hospitality businesses in New Zealand and abroad. She holds qualifications from the World Wine & Spirit Education Trust and International Sommelier Guild and has been judging wine for over 15 years.
Leah Kirkland
Leah spent 15 years in London at Michelin-starred restaurants before returning to NZ in 2020. Since then, she's worked at Mr Morris and done vintages in Burgundy and Rippon. Leah is currently the Group Beverage Manager where she oversees Onslow, The Oyster Inn and Gilt Brasserie.
Oliver Masters
Oliver Masters is an internationally renowned winemaker with over 30 years’ experience, including as a senior wine judge and chair at local and international competitions. He is the winemaker at Misha’s Vineyard.
Richard Painter
Richard has worked in vineyards across various regions before settling in Hawke's Bay in 2008. He's since made wine at Vidal and Te Awa Estate, and currently leads Villa Maria Hawkes Bay.
Sam Smail
Sam Smail is an experienced winemaker and judge. He honed is winemaking skills during harvests in the United States and Italy and has been director of Sea Level Wines since its establishment in 2011.
Simon Fell
Simon Fell has over 25 years of winemaking experience working for wineries in Bordeaux, Gers, Oregon, Napa, Chile, Western Australia, and New Zealand. He is currently the Operations Winemaker for Trinity Hill in Hawkes Bay.
Simon Nunns
Simon Nunns is a consulting winemaker and experienced senior judge. He was the head winemaker at Coopers Creek for over 20 years and has worked vintages in the United States and France, in Oregon, Bordeaux, and Burgundy.
Terry Copeland, Panel Leader
Terry Copeland has over 20 years' experience judging wine both in NZ and internationally. He was previously New Zealand Supply & Export Manager for Treasury Wine Estates and Wine Editor for Wine & Dine magazine in Hong Kong. Terry is currently the CEO of Federated Farmers.
Associate judges
• Alena Kamper, Sacred Hill, 2023 Young Winemaker of the Year
• Callum Withington, Valli Wine
• Calum Jamieson, New World Turangi
• Diana Brown, New World Kumeu
• Heidi Brittenden, New World Te Kuiti
• Jackie Jubel, EIT
• Jordan Robinson, Sacred Hill
• Josh Lee, Huia Vineyards
• Krystal Palmer, Accolade
• Mary-Therese Blair, wine writer
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