Pinot noir wines have claimed the champion title for two years in a row at the Air New Zealand wine awards.
The top award this year went to the Peregrine Central Otago Pinot Noir 2009, which the chair of judges Steve Smith described as "the finest example of the finest red wine variety in this country".
A pinot noir from Martinborough won top honours last year.
Another Central Otago pinot noir, the Gibbston Valley China Pinot Noir 2009, gained the Champion Sustainable Wine trophy.
This year's awards attracted 1579 entries from 10 wine-growing regions.
Hawke's Bay wines won six of the 19 trophies awarded, and Marlborough and Central Otago five each.
