Marlborough

Marlborough grows about three-quarters of New Zealand’s vines, nearly all Sauvignon Blanc, on the gravel plains of the Wairau and Awatere valleys. It is unusual in having a published benchmark: the Ministry for Primary Industries values a model vineyard each year. Values peaked in 2023 and have eased as returns were squeezed by a large 2024 crop and softer export prices.

Economics in brief

The 2025 Vineyard Monitoring Report values the model Marlborough vineyard at NZ$283,000 a planted hectare, down from NZ$312,000 in 2023; small, well-placed Sauvignon blocks with a strong cropping history have sold above NZ$400,000. Yields are high (the model vineyard crops around 12–14 tonnes a hectare), grapes are mostly sold under contract to large wineries, and the business is one of volume and consistency rather than scarcity: Marlborough Sauvignon is New Zealand’s biggest export earner in wine by far.