Since 2001, this race combines the exhilaration yacht racing with the excitement of releasing a new vintage of Marlborough wines. Celebrating two of icons of the region; the Marlborough Sounds and Marlborough wine.

Each yacht carries a new release wine from a Marlborough winery, racing through the outer Queen Charlotte Sound to take out line honours at Resolution Bay. The event finishes ashore with prize-giving, a wine tasting and music.

This race was inspired by the traditional “Beaujolais Nouveau” where the first Beaujolais wines were transported from France to the UK. The early format of the Marlborough Wine Race, saw yachts sailing across the unpredictable Cook Strait to ‘release’ the new vintage wines into our capital city from the mainland.

The 2026 race takes place on January 31 – full event information is available at waikawaboatingclub.co.nz or contact events@waikawaboatingclub.co.nz