Top accolade for Whitehaven winemaker

Whitehaven Senior Winemaker Diana Katardzhieva has been named ‘Best Woman Winemaker’ for still white wines at the prestigious 2025 Sakura Women's Wine Awards in Japan.

She is one of just nine female winemakers to receive this honour, and one of only two New Zealand female winemakers to make the prestigious list.

Diana Katardzhieva was recognised as the Best Winemaker in the still white wines category for Whitehaven’s 2023 Chardonnay.

Whitehaven Senior Winemaker Diana Katardzhieva

The 2024 Whitehaven Sauvignon Blanc and 2023 Chardonnay were also awarded the top accolade of Diamond Trophy.

Now in its 12th year, the event attracted 3,969 entries from 36 countries, judged by 430 female wine judges (280 in Tokyo and 150 in Osaka).

Whitehaven says it has submitted wines to this competition since 2015.

Katardzhieva, who has been at Whitehaven for over 20 years, says the recognition is a shock, but “proof that years of tasting, tweaking, and the occasional barrel pep talk can pay off.” She has paid tribute to her wider team, saying the award is a “wonderful reminder of the amazing things women are accomplishing in the wine industry.”