OPINION: There will be many who have noted with sadness the recent death of Peter Taylor, who established Scenic Cellars, the legendary lakefront wineshop in Taupō, in 1981; a vinous treasure trove where customers were as likely to discover a vertical of Cook’s or Mazuran’s as that of DRC or Lafite.

New Zealand's wine industry has undergone a significant shift over the past few decades, with increasing numbers of talented women found throughout vineyards and wineries. In celebration of International Women's Day on 8 March, Emma Jenkins MW speaks to five inspiring winemakers who have helped pave the way, thanks to perserverance, passion, and some of New Zealand's best wines.

In the late 1970s, Ann Pinckney defied the prevailing view that Central Otago's climate was too extreme for viticulture, establishing its first commercial vines since Jean Désiré Féraud’s first efforts more than a century later.

Huntress, Novum, and The Marlborist embody an evolution of small producers in New Zealand.
Winemaking begins with intention, says Central Otago's Jen Parr, both winemaker at Valli and a consultant.
The concept of single vineyard wines has become fundamental to Pinot Noir, largely due to the Cistercian Burgundian model.
On the cusp of Pinot Noir New Zealand 2025, to be held in Christchurch Ōtautahi 11-13 February, Emma Jenkins MW reflects on the current state of New Zealand Pinot Noir and where it could and should be heading.

The route to vintage seldom runs smooth, with the vagaries of nature and market dictating every turn. With a resplendent flowering talled by a gloomy summer, and some supply lines still in surplus, Sophie Preece learns that vintage 2025 will require careful navigation.

Nick Pett is Committee Co-chair for the Organic & Biodynamic Winegrowing Conference, taking place in Marlborough from 16-18 June.
Marie Cundari is Senior Director of New World Wines in the Ontario Liquor Control Board, one of the world’s largest buyers and retailers of alcoholic beverages. In the lead up to a visit to New Zealand in February, as a guest of New Zealand Winegrowers, she shares some insights into…
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