New Zealand wine has had another major moment, with leading wine authority The Real Review unveiling the Top Wineries of New Zealand 2026 rankings, celebrating the country’s most consistently exceptional producers.
After tasting close to 4,000 wines, North Canterbury’s Bell Hill has been named Winery of the Year for 2026, climbing from number 12 last year to take the top spot. The annual rankings are independently assessed by Masters of Wine Stephen Wong MW and Jane Skilton MW, and have become a respected benchmark for the country’s wine industry.
Rounding out the top five wineries are Felton Road, Prophets Rock, Bilancia and Quartz Reef.
“The Real Review Top Wineries of New Zealand celebrates the standout wine producers across the motu. This year’s selection continues to evolve, spanning both long-established favourites and exciting new entrants. The release of the stellar 2024 vintage across most regions heralds an exciting time for great quality in Aotearoa”, says Stephen Wong MW.
Bell Hill’s rise reflects the growing international attention on North Canterbury, a region increasingly recognised for wines shaped by limestone soils, meticulous vineyard practices and detail driven winemaking.
“Bell Hill has firmly established itself at the forefront of New Zealand winemaking with a series of releases that reflect both the precision of their site and the care taken at every stage of the process. Drawing on North Canterbury’s exceptional limestone soils, their wines show remarkable depth, structure and finesse. The consistency and calibre across the range this year made them a clear standout,” says Jane Skilton MW.
The awards also recognised some of the people helping shape the future of New Zealand wine. Rudi Bauer of Quartz Reef was named Vigneron of the Year, celebrating his longstanding contribution to organic and biodynamic winegrowing in Central Otago. Meanwhile, Jascha Oldham-Selak and Sanne Witteveen of Vilaura were awarded Rising Star of the Year.
This year also saw a spotlight placed on standout wines across several categories:
Wine lovers will also get the chance to experience many of the country’s top wines in one place at the upcoming Taste the Top Wineries event at The Glasshouse in Auckland on 15 August. More than 80 wines will be available to taste, alongside opportunities to meet the winemakers behind them. The Real Review will also host its Top Wineries of New Zealand 2026 dinner at Bistro Saine ahead of the tasting event.
Check out the full list and more from The Real Review here!