Nick Lamain Wins 2026 Young Winemaker of the Year

"I told myself, 'if I actually want to have a good career in wine, I really need to start challenging myself to become better'."

He honed the areas he'd struggled with, "scoured" every single New Zealand Winegrowers resource he could get his hands on, and grew his ability to make, assess, judge, market and talk about wine.

Five years after that attempt, Nick is the 2026 Tonnellerie de Mercurey Young Winemaker of the Year, Isabel Estate Winemaker, a confident public speaker and a passionate proponent of the regional and national Young Winemaker initiatives. "I got so much out of this competition," he says, urging his peers to push through what can be an overwhelming first attempt. "I really want more young people in the wine industry to recognise how much they can get out of it."

Growing his skills for the competition has gone hand in hand with growing his experience as a winemaker and communicator, and has directly boosted his career, says Nick, who was asked to join Isabel Estate after winning the regional competition for the first time in 2024. His abilities have burgeoned at the vertically integrated Marlborough vineyard and winery, where he has a hand in every aspect of production, from tasting grapes on the vine to talking to clients about the company and region. He's also exposed to a range of wines from New Zealand and abroad, which he says is key to growing New Zealand's wine styles and reputation. "We need to be constantly looking at the wines around us, not just from New Zealand, but internationally as well."

That came in handy at the national final held in Martinborough in late August, where Nick won the Constellation Brands Laboratory section and the Indevin Wine Judging section, showcasing key winemaker skills. But beyond technical ability, he says the competition's biggest gift has been developing his public speaking and storytelling skills, which is something judges have noticed year on year. "That's what I love about it. It challenges you in that way and makes you a lot more confident in how you present yourself."

As part of the competition, Nick delivered a presentation on the carbon footprint of a bottle of wine travelling from Marlborough to a shelf in Europe, covering everything from solar power and efficiency gains in the winery, to electrifying vineyard processes. He also focused on packaging and distribution, which make up the largest share of emissions. "I do love the heavy premium burgundy bottles and how good they look, but I can make a bit of a trade-off now for a lighter bottle, knowing it's a lot better for the planet."

Reducing emissions is about doing what's right for the environment and for the market, Nick says, noting that "consumers want to know that there is sustainability behind the products they buy". Meanwhile, lowering an operation's footprint often goes "hand in hand" with running more efficiently and reducing costs, he adds. "For me, it's just a win-win situation. You're doing better for yourself by saving money and then making a better story as well."

His presentation called for the industry to be more vocal in market about how well it does in that realm. "Because, in my opinion, we're probably one of the best countries in the world in terms of how sustainably we make our wine... It's something I'm incredibly proud of."

Having won the competition and turned 30 in the same year - each of which put the brakes on further entries - Nick hopes to join the organising committee to support the next generation. Speaking minutes after his win was announced at the New Zealand Wine 2026 Celebration Dinner, Nick said it had been five "incredible" years. "I have loved every moment and part of me will miss it a lot... I hope it can keep on going for a long time because it's the most valuable tool we have for promoting young talent in the industry at the moment."