New Zealand Junior Sommelier of the Year Awards 2026

New Zealand Junior Sommelier of the Year Award 2026

Junior Sommeliers will be aged under 26 years on July 1st 2026.

You may be eligible for $500 Travel Scholarship - read more here

Sunday, 2 August 2026

9:00 am - 10.30am   Tasting and Theory 

Taste and write notes for one white and one red wine New Zealand wine
Theory: Answer questions on New Zealand wine regions and styles (70%) + International wine regions and styles (30%)

10.45 am - 1 pm Service Practical

Task 1 Present and serve a wine to the judges

Task 2 Offer a food pairing recommendation

This concludes the assessment for the New Zealand Junior Sommelier of the Year Competition.

You will be free to join and watch the other activities through the day including the awards dinner.

Cost $85 includes all event activities, dinner + 1 year membership of NZ Sommeliers and Wine Professionals

 

1 pm - 2 pm - Annual General Meeting

3 pm - 4.30pm  - New Zealand National Wine Tasting Competition: Teams of 4 people - This is a fun event and you will be put into a group for the competition

4:30 pm - 6.30 pm -  NZ Sommelier and Wine Professional Partners Wine POP UP Tasting

5pm NZ Sommelier Final with 3 Finalists competing together 

Task 1. Precision Pouring - Method Traditional poured in 5 minutes

Task 2. Wine list - spot the mistakes

Task 3. Recognize this photo? A series of images of people and places to test your general knowledge of international wines

6.30 pm - 10 pm New Zealand Sommeliers and Wine Professionals Awards Dinner

Winners announced during dinner

New Zealand Sommelier 
New Zealand Junior Sommelier 
 

Venue: New Zealand School of Food and Wine

Level 3, 104 Customs Street West, Viaduct, Auckland