New Zealand Sommelier of the Year Competition 2025

Rachel Nui

New Zealand Sommelier of the Year Competition 2025

Our annual New Zealand Sommelier of the Year Competition was held on July 27, 2025 with Suraj G.C. taking top honours again. Suraj will now travel to Kuala Lumpur to compete in the ASI Asia Pacific Best Sommelier Competition on September 7 2025.

With sommeliers travelling from as far as Central Otago and Northland, along with guest competitors from Melbourne, Sydney, and Japan, this made for a very competitive competition! Our local candidates were:

Giulio Barducci: Toast & Oak, Queenstown
Michael Tully: The Gables, Russell
Craig Beattie: Hello Beasty, Viaduct, Auckland
Suraj G C: Park Hyatt, Auckland
Miguel Borges: Glengarry Wines
Karan Patyal: International Sommelier
João Marreiros: Negociants NZ, Auckland

Celia Hay, Cameron Douglas MS, Joao Marreiros -runner up, Andrea Martinisi, Suraj GC - New Zealand Sommelier of the Year 2025, Marek Przyborek

We were very excited to welcome two candidates from Sommeliers Australia and Japan Sommelier Association.

Roberto Lombardo

Originally from the island of Ischia, Italy, currently Head Sommelier at Maison Bâtard and a Master Sommelier candidate.

Addy Lam:

Addy has built an impressive career across some of Sydney’s most iconic restaurants, including Neil Perry’s Original Rockpool, Pier, Aria, Tetsuya’s, Quay. He is currently Head Sommelier at Woodcut Restaurant, Crown Sydney.

Read more here

Momoka Mitake:

In 2024, Momoka won the prestigious Ruinart Sommelier Challenge 2024 and is currently sommelier at Hotel Toranomon Hills | ホテル虎ノ門ヒルズ

Kaneko Toshiyuki (Yuki):

Kaneko Toshiyuki began his career as a waiter in a French restaurant in Tokyo before becoming a sommelier in 2020. He will soon embark on his next chapter as a sommelier at Sketch London Gallery.

Read more here

The Programme

Competitors completing the theory exam.

Following our well-tested competition model, with a few deviations, we started with the theory exam. This year, we embraced technology by using NZ School of Food and Wine laptops for the theory paper, allowing automatic marking for many questions. This simplified the marking of the theory exam which was out of 90 points. Celia Hay was the lead assessor in this task.

Blind Tasting

The next task was the blind tasting. This year we chose three wines and one beer. Candidates needed to complete the tasting notes for all four beverages in 30 minutes. Committee members Nick Hewitt and Cashias Gumbo were assessors in this task.

The wines:

Amisfield Fume Blanc 2022, Catena Malbec 2022, Hans Herzog Estate Spirit of Marlborough 2017.

Decantation

Assessors of the decanting task were Cameron Douglas MS and Larissa Muller, Cuisine Best Sommelier 2024 and sommelier of Palate Restaurant, Hamilton. Andrea Martinisi coordinated this task.

Giulio Barducci decants wine for the assessors

Suraj presents his recommendation to the assessors

The decanting task asked sommeliers to recommend a wine to best pair with a Rack of Canterbury Lamb served with mustard, thyme and portobello mushrooms. The wine selection was Burn Cottage Moonlight Race Pinot Noir 2017 from Central Otago or Te Mata Awatea 2023 from Hawke’s Bay.

Candidates had six minutes to complete the decanting task. See more photos from the Decanting Challenge.

Selection of spirits assessed in the Blind Spirit Tasting

The candidates then went to the Spirit Tasting where they were given three beverages and one beer to identify.

They were also asked to compose a cocktail from a beverage and a black glass. This was maraschino, a sweet liqueur based on cherries. Oliver Hay and Nick Hewitt were responsible for judging this task.

In another room we had a food and wine pairing and this was overseen by Marek Przyborek. Candidates had to pair one international wine, one New Zealand wine and one non-alcoholic beverage with a plate of chicken liver parfait, gherkins with sourdough bread. They did get to eat it as well!

Assessors marking the tests

The marking of these events always takes some time. The morning wrapped up around 1:15 pm. The New Zealand candidates were asked to stay on for the Annual General Meeting of the New Zealand Sommeliers and Wine Professionals.

National Blind Wine Tasting Competition.

Nick Hewitt helps pour the first wines during the National Blind Wine Tasting Competition

The next challenge was our annual Blind Wine Tasting Competition, open to the public as well as members of the Association.

Here are the winners: See more photos and the wines here.

Finalists Announced!

For the four finalists there are a number of tasks including Precision Pouring of Quartz Reef Methode Traditionnelle. See more photos here.

Andrea briefs the finalists

Suraj, Joao, Yuki set up

The Personalities of Wine task and Winelist Correction tasks were shared with the audience as well.

We also enjoyed some fine wines from Clearview Estate and Villa Maria.

Welcome to Janet Blackman-Douglas, Cameron Douglas, Charlotte Reid (NZ Winegrowers) Karen Fistonich (NZ Somm Committee member).

Suraj, Momo, Yuji and Friend.

Villa Maria tasting team

Awards Dinner

The Awards Dinner was created by Chef Des Harris and the New Zealand School of Food and Wine Level 4 Cookery students.

The fish entrée was a delicate fresh dish impaired with Clearview Chardonnay.

The beef, cooked in two ways: slowly braised and lamb rump along with Jerusalem artichokes this was paired with the Stonecroft Syrah 2022 from Hawke’s Bay.

Karen Fistonich presents the Stonecroft Syrah 2022.

The dessert was a crème brûlée infused with Pedro Ximenez and paired with the delicious Pedro Ximenez Nectar from Gonzalez Byass and Negociants New Zealand.

During the dinner Cameron Douglas MS was awarded a life membership for the New Zealand Sommeliers and Wine Professionals. This award is in recognition of his significant efforts to build the sommelier profession in New Zealand, and his personal mentoring of so many people over many years. Celia spoke of his long journey, since being awarded the Master Sommelier in 2007. Andrea acknowledged Cameron‘s mentoring and support of so many people.