Top 100 Sommeliers New Zealand Announced


https://sommelieredit.com/nz/top-100-sommeliers/results-2025/

The Champagne Louis Roederer Top 100 Sommeliers of Aotearoa New Zealand has released its first ranking of the country’s best sommeliers – the most comprehensive list ever, of top wine professionals in hospitality.

The Champagne Louis Roederer Top 100 Sommeliers has ranked the very best professionals on the restaurant scene in New Zealand for the first time. Never before has such a list been compiled; highlighting outstanding wine service and food pairing skills of the very best sommeliers and wine wait staff in the country

Number one New Zealand sommelier in 2025 is Leah Kirkland, Group Beverage Director, Emett Group.

Over 50% of the very best sommeliers in New Zealand are based outside of the Auckland region, and 40% are women, making this the most democratic and inclusive listing of wine service professionals across Aotearoa. In fact, four of the Top 20 Sommeliers in 2025 are women.

The Champagne Louis Roederer Top 100 Sommeliers is an annual ranking of the New Zealand top sommelier talent, celebrating the art and savoir faire of those professionals who epitomise service in wine and beverages.

Their status and achievement is honoured with a lapel pin and certificate.

The ranking invites nominations from sommeliers and their hospitality peers from across New Zealand making it possibly the most democratic and accurate ranking of its kind.

Based on the nominees’ experience, career and educational achievements, day-to-day responsibilities and performance in competitions, Top 100 Sommeliers uses an infallible, aggregated points system to assess and analyse each sommeliers’ professional successes.

Special awards are also presented to Sommeliers in New Zealand who have gone above and beyond in the promotion of this aspirational profession and in the pursuit of excellence during their careers:

  • 2025 Top 100 Sommelier Legend Award: Stephen Morris, Yu Group, Wellington.

  • 2025 Top 100 Sommelier Inspiration Award: Suraj GC, Park Hyatt, Auckland.

  • Top 5 Female Sommeliers: Nora Blackburne, Embra; Liz Buttimore, Arbour, Marlborough; Jacqueline Jubel, No 7 Balmac; Larissa Muller, Palate; Katie Woodhead, Cellar 495.

  • Top 5 Ones to Watch: Giulio Barducci, Toast & Oak; Ben Carmine, Paris Butter; Joseph Costello, The Wine Room; Samira Kakh, Normanby, Gary Pluck, 11 Woodard Street.

  • Top 5 Young Sommeliers - with less than 10 years experience: Victoria Birsen, Cellar 495; Jieuxe-Snow He, The Northern Club; Alexa Soriano, Metita Sky City; Micheal Tully, The Gables; Katharina Ziehe, Onslow.

The Top 20 Sommeliers are:

https://sommelieredit.com/nz/top-100-sommeliers/results-2025/

To see the full Champagne Louis Roederer Top 100 Sommeliers New Zealand 2025 ranking, click here.

Cameron Douglas