te Pā Sauvignon Blanc named on Wine Spectator Magazine Top 100
Acclaimed Marlborough winery, te Pā Family Vineyards, has secured a spot on the prestigious and influential Wine Spectator Magazine Top 100 list for the first time. te Pā 2024 Sauvignon Blanc was awarded 90 points, which is defined as ‘Outstanding: A wine of superior character and style’.
The Wine Spectator Top 100 list is decided by the magazine’s senior editors who meet at the end of each year (blind tasting some 10,200+ new release wines in 2025 alone) and select 100 bottles from those wines that earned 90 points and higher. The magazine noted; “This list comprises 100 bottles that really caught our attention – and are worthy of yours.”
The list is being promoted as ‘The Year’s 100 Most Exciting Wines’.
The wine was reviewed by Senior Editor and New Zealand wine critic, MaryAnn Worobiec, who shared the 90-point score and tasting note below:
“Appealing for its generous flavors of mandarin orange, passion fruit, lime zest and yuzu at the core. There's an appealingly fleshy, juicy texture and plenty of momentum on the finish, where lemon balm and ginger linger. Drink now.”
Speaking from the USA, te Pā owner and founder Haysley MacDonald says of the result; “What an incredible achievement for our team, topping off a major year for high scores, several trophies, and great international media coverage. To secure a spot on the Wine Spectator Top 100 has long been a goal of ours, so to see our flagship wine on the list gives us all a huge sense of pride.”
te Pā’s Chief Winemaker, Sam Bennett, says; “Being recognised in the Top 100 for the quality, value, availability, and X Factor of our flagship wine is a special moment for us as a team. 2024 was a fantastic vintage here in Marlborough. The unique location of our lower Wairau Valley vineyard means the wine has a distinctive tropical saline character and memorable style that we think makes it stand out in the Sauvignon Blanc category.”
Lia Tolaini-Banville, owner and founder of Banville Wine Merchants (te Pā’s US and Canadian importer) comments; “This incredible recognition from Wine Spectator speaks volumes about the exceptional quality of te Pā’s wines and the authenticity and dedication that define the estate. From day one, I have believed in te Pā’s potential to earn the utmost respect of critics and peers. This honor is a testament to the passion of Haysley and the entire te Pā team. Congratulations to te Pā on this well-deserved achievement.”
The te Pā Sauvignon Blanc is widely available in the USA, with on-premise and retail stockists, as well as many online direct to customer options. Sister brand Koha is also widely available across the USA. Our te Pā brand is also available widely in Aotearoa-New Zealand, as well as international markets including Ireland, UK, Western Australia, Germany, Canada, South Korea, Taiwan, and Thailand.
The complete Top 100 package, including detailed profiles for the full Top 100 list, will be in the magazine’s 31st December issue, on newsstands from the 2nd of December 2025.
For more information on the winery, or to arrange an interview, please contact Marketing Manager, Mikela Dennison-Burgess via mikela@tepawines.com
