Lynnette Hudson Named 2026 NZ Winegrowers Fellow

That obsession was fuelled over two decades at Pegasus Bay in Waipara, and through 25 years helping organise the Southern Pinot Workshop, at which she and her obsessive ilk talk Pinot for three days straight.

It's not an easy variety to adore, she admits. "Pinot Noir is such a fickle beast, a challenge, and it keeps you guessing, no matter what." It can be "absolutely amazing" and "so disappointing" and there may be no rhyme or reason as to why. "When you make a great Pinot Noir, it's like the lights suddenly come on, the stars appear, and for a moment everything falls into place." Pinot Noir, Lynnette says, "pushes every boundary".

Now, 43 vintages and 33 years into her winemaking career, Lynnette has been recognised for her services to that fickle beast, having been named a 2026 New Zealand Winegrowers Fellow. "It's been a lot of work, and I have pushed myself to limits I didn't even know I had," Lynnette says, admitting to tears when she heard she'd been named a Fellow in recognition of a lifetime of dedication. "I did it because I love New Zealand wine, and I love New Zealand Pinot Noir. My goal is simply to ensure that this is an industry that is here forever."

A Long Love of Wine

Lynnette's fascination with wine began at just 16, watching her older brother write tasting notes. Later, while completing a Bachelor of Science at the University of Auckland, a tight student budget and limited local options kept wine out of reach. But the moment she enrolled in a six-month night class at Auckland Polytech, exploring the wines of the world, the die was cast.

In 1988, a move to Christchurch opened up a whole new world of education. She jumped at every opportunity to taste at Wilson Neill Fine Wines (owned by Sam Neill's family). For just $2 a session, often twice a week, she would taste 10 different bottles served blind, eagerly working to decipher the variety, region, country and vintage. Her obsession further expanded when she moved to Sydney in 1991 to work for fine wine retailer Richard Baldwin, a veteran winemaker from Lindeman's. He shared stories of vineyards, ferments, and vintages, and Lynnette was "completely hooked".

She returned to New Zealand in 1992 to complete a postgraduate diploma in winemaking at Lincoln University, before her first vintage in 1993, working with Danny Schuster at Omihi Hills. She also helped with winemaking at Pegasus Bay and soon became part of the winemaking team. Never one to stand still, Lynnette left Pegasus Bay every year to chase harvests abroad. She headed to England in 1993, followed by the Hunter Valley in Australia, and then Hungary - an experience she remembers as "enlightening, challenging, and daunting". There was even a vintage in Romania that involved long, midnight drives across international borders to supervise production. Those overseas stints were "wild" and "unforgettable", teaching her a sense of adaptability that she still considers one of the most valuable skills a winemaker can possess.

Then a 1995 trip to Burgundy changed everything. "It blew my mind," she says. During the visit, she met Christophe Roumier of Domaine Georges Roumier in Chambolle-Musigny and boldly asked if she could return for a vintage. In 1997, she did just that, and as the harvest progressed her core winemaking philosophy was forged: great wines are "guided, not forced", she says. "From that point forward Pinot Noir became my obsession."

She did further vintages in Burgundy, but Lynnette always found herself returning to Pegasus Bay, where she built a 20-year career and developed a deep passion for Pinot Noir. Known for her meticulous approach, Lynnette tastes every vat daily to understand its evolution. But she also sees value in stepping back to gain perspective. "You suddenly go, 'Wow, I hadn't seen that before', because you've been so immersed in the winemaking process, thinking about tannin extractions, when to press and what to do, that sometimes to look at the wine once it's pressed as a whole, is truly enlightening."

After the 2010 Christchurch earthquake, Lynnette and five business partners set up Tongue in Groove, a wine label focused on small quantities and a "funky" label. The name referenced the needle of a record player sitting in a vinyl groove, reflecting the friends' complementary expertise in winemaking, marketing and finance. In 2013, Lynnette left Pegasus Bay and focused on the bespoke label. Then Covid-19 hastened the end of the partnership, and she once again turned adversity to opportunity, taking over the Tongue in Groove business and continuing its focus on small quantities of Pinot Noir from organic vineyards in Waipara.

New Zealand's Pinot Noir industry was built by passionate pioneers crafting small volumes of premium wine, Lynnette says. As global demand increased, the market sought a wider range of styles and more accessible price points, leading larger producers to expand production and introduce more affordable Pinot Noir offerings. But she cautions that Pinot Noir is "an inherently crop-sensitive variety, with higher yields often compromising quality".

She is also the Sales Manager for Bouchard Cooperages, representing some of France's most respected cooperages, including Damy and Billion, as well as amphorae and other premium winemaking vessels. Lynnette says that role has further broadened her expertise, deepening her understanding of how different oak origins, coopering techniques and alternative vessels influence wine style and quality across a diverse range of varieties and wine regions. It's "an exciting new chapter" in her wine journey, she says.

Sharing the Obsession

Passing on her experience and enthusiasm for wine has always been one of the most rewarding aspects of Lynnette's career. She has mentored and inspired many young cellar hands, helping them develop their skills and progress into accomplished winemakers. She has also worked with aspiring sommeliers and wine enthusiasts through her teaching at the Celia Hay School of Food and Wine. She's been a mentor for the Women in Wine Programme three times, and for the past 25 years has been integral to organising the Southern Pinot Workshop, serving as its chair for the past 12 years.

Lynnette attended her first workshop in Akaroa in 1994, just three years after Larry McKenna launched the inaugural event at Lake Rotoiti - inspired by Oregon's famed Steamboat Pinot Noir Conference. She recalls the awe she felt walking into a room packed with Pinot pioneers like Clive Paton and Phyll Pattie of Ata Rangi, Tim Finn of Neudorf, and Rudi Bauer of Quartz Reef.

The workshop is an "educational vehicle dedicated to elevating the quality of New Zealand Pinot Noir", she says. Each year, winemakers openly critique and discuss blind-tasted barrel samples alongside scientific research presentations and a dedicated Burgundy tasting. The closed format - strictly limited to winemakers and viticulturists - is key to its success. "The sole aim is to bring the current vintage for peer review, sparking vital conversations around improving viticulture and winemaking practices for the future."

Seeing the progression of attendees over the years is immensely rewarding, Lynnette says. While young winemakers often start out "completely overwhelmed and intimidated", they eventually grow in confidence, "speaking about their wines with authority". It's an "incredible journey", she says. "I love watching their knowledge, experience, and passion grow."