Marlborough pair claim national wine titles

Marlborough’s wine industry has a fresh reason to celebrate after two local rising stars claimed New Zealand’s top honours in winemaking and viticulture.

The double success highlights the strength of the region’s emerging talent.

Isabel Estate winemaker Nick Lamain has been named the 2026 Tonnellerie de Mercurey Young Winemaker of the Year, while Cloudy Bay assistant vineyard manager Kris Godsall has been crowned the 2026 Young Viticulturist of the Year.

The winners were announced at the New Zealand Wine 2026 Celebration Dinner in Wellington on Thursday after a week of demanding national finals in Martinborough.

For Nick, the victory marked the culmination of a five-year journey through the Young Winemaker competition.

“Honestly, it still feels a little surreal,” Nick says.

“I’ve been part of this competition for the past five years, and it has challenged me, built my confidence, and played a huge role in shaping my career. To cap off that journey by taking out the national title is an incredible honour, and a moment I’ll be proud of for a very long time.”

The national final tested competitors across a wide range of winemaking disciplines. Nick won both the Constellation Brands Laboratory section and the Indevin Wine Judging section, while finalists were also required to present on reducing the wine industry’s carbon footprint and deliver speeches on regional wine tourism opportunities at the New Zealand Wine 2026 Wine Business Forum.

Raised among Marlborough’s vineyards, Nick’s connection to the industry began with summer jobs in the vines as a teenager. After graduating from the University of Otago, he returned home for a harvest that confirmed wine as his career path. He later gained experience with respected producers in Australia’s Clare Valley, Oregon in the United States and Germany’s Mosel region, while completing a winemaking degree at Lincoln University.

Now the winemaker at Isabel Estate, Nick has previously credited the guidance of his team and fellow winemaker Jeremy McKenzie for helping shape his career.

His national title comes with a substantial prize package, including a trip to Burgundy to visit Tonnellerie de Mercurey, tickets to industry conferences, an opportunity to serve as an associate judge at the New World Wine Awards and wine reviewing opportunities with Drinks Biz Magazine.

Kris faced an equally demanding challenge in the Young Viticulturist final. Competitors were tested on machinery, leadership, interviews, report writing and vineyard management before presenting on vineyard cost savings and preparations for a potential super El Niño.

Kris also won the BioStart Hortisports section before securing the national title.

“It’s a lot to take in,” Kris says.

“Becoming the Ormond Nurseries Young Viticulturist of the Year is a prestigious title to win, and all the hard work has paid off.”

Kris’ interest in viticulture began with a childhood fascination for Marlborough’s tractors. After earning a bachelor’s degree in Viticulture and Oenology from Lincoln University, he built his career at Cloudy Bay, where he now serves as assistant vineyard manager.

Cloudy Bay viticulture manager John Flanagan says Kris is a highly valued member of the team and an outstanding role model.

“Everyone at Cloudy Bay is absolutely thrilled for Kris following his win in the National Young Viticulturist of the Year competition. He is well-respected and does a fantastic job for us in his role as an Assistant Vineyard Manager, but he also goes above and beyond by contributing to many different aspects of the business.”

Marlborough Young Viticulturist of the Year committee co-chair David Bullivant says claiming both national titles is a significant achievement for the region.

“It tells us that despite a challenging period for the wine industry at the moment we still have great people and smart energetic young viticulturists and winemakers in our region. The future for the Marlborough wine industry looks promising.”

The double success also highlights the strength of Marlborough’s collaborative wine community and the importance of developing the next generation of industry leaders.