懷得天堂酒莊勇奪多項大獎．資深釀酒師榮獲殊榮
資料來源提供：紐西蘭懷得天堂酒莊 WHITEHAVEN
懷得天堂酒莊（Whitehaven）資深釀酒師Diana Katardzhieva在享譽盛名的2025年日本櫻花女子國際葡萄酒大賽（Sakura Japan Women's Wine Awards）中，被評選為靜態白酒類別「最佳女性釀酒師（Best Woman Winemaker）」。此外，懷得天堂白蘇翁2024白葡萄酒與霞多內2023白葡萄酒更榮獲最高榮譽「鑽石獎（Diamond Trophy）」。
這項備受矚目的國際比賽旨在表彰品質卓越的葡萄酒，而懷得天堂酒莊今年在評選中大放異彩。該賽事至今已邁入第12屆，今年共吸引來自36個國家，共計3,969件作品參賽，並由430位女性評審進行評選（東京280人，大阪150人）。
懷得天堂自2015年起便開始參賽，但酒莊團隊最引以為傲的，莫過於資深釀酒師Diana Katardzhieva獲選為靜態白酒類別「最佳女性釀酒師」，其獲獎作品為懷得天堂霞多內2023白葡萄酒。Diana是全球僅九位獲此殊榮的女性釀酒師之一，同時也是唯一入選的兩位紐西蘭女性釀酒師之一。
Diana在懷得天堂已深耕20餘年，對於這次的肯定，她感到驚喜，並表示：「這證明了多年來不斷地品鑑、調整，以及偶爾與橡木桶「對話」，終究是有所回報的！」她特別感謝廣大的女性及整個團隊的努力，並說：「這個獎項是對女性在葡萄酒產業中卓越成就的美好認可。偉大葡萄酒的誕生需要整個團隊的合作，因此這項榮譽不僅是屬於我個人，更要歸功我們葡萄園及種植者的優質果實，還有懷得天堂團隊的努力不懈。更特別的是，這項評選是由一群才華橫溢的女性評審進行，更顯意義非凡……尤其值得一提的是，我們都知道，通常選擇葡萄酒的都是女性！」
懷得天堂共同創辦人Sue White也對這項殊榮感到無比自豪，並讚揚Diana在釀酒技藝上的卓越表現與穩定性。她表示：「這般成功完全歸功於Diana和她的團隊，他們始終致力於打造品質優異的葡萄酒。」
所有獲獎酒款現已在懷得天堂官方網站www.whitehaven.co.nz上發售。
來自保加利亞的Diana原本在醫學領域發展，但後來決定轉攻釀酒。她投入六年時間完成學業，隨後在保加利亞的釀酒產業工作15年，之後便帶著年幼的兒子移居紐西蘭展開新的生活。由於她對舊世界葡萄藤擁有豐富經驗，2004年她在馬爾堡迎來首個釀酒季時，不論在釀酒規模或釀造方式上，都與她過去習慣的一切截然不同，這對她而言是一次巨大的轉變。
Diana擁有普羅夫迪夫食品科技大學（University of Food Technologies in Plovdiv）微生物與發酵產品技術專業的碩士學位。她對細節的高度關注在她主導生產的葡萄酒所獲得的眾多獎項中顯而易見。她笑說：「即便過了這麼多年，我仍然覺得我的葡萄酒比我的英語更能表達自己！」
Diana於2004年加入懷得天堂酒莊，最初擔任實驗室經理兼釀酒師。
在2025年櫻花女子國際葡萄酒大賽（Sakura Women's Wine Awards）中，懷得天堂酒莊榮獲兩座鑽石獎（Diamond Trophy）、兩面雙金牌（Double Gold Medal）及一面金牌（Gold Medal）。懷得天堂自2015年首次參賽以來，便持續獲得高度評價。
此外，懷得天堂所有葡萄酒均通過馬爾堡法定葡萄酒產區認證（Appellation Marlborough Wine）和SWNZ（Sustainable Winegrowing New Zealand）認證，展現品牌對品質與永續發展的承諾。
完整獲獎名單將於2月27日公佈，詳見：SAKURA AWARDS。
Diana Katardzhieva擁有與生俱來的釀酒天賦，對葡萄的直覺來自她的家族傳承。身為一位來自保加利亞、現居紐西蘭的釀酒師，她的家族世世代代在故鄉從事葡萄種植與釀酒，而保加利亞也被部分歷史學家認為是葡萄酒的發源地之一。
除了家族傳承，Diana同時擁有普羅夫迪夫食品科技大學（University of Food Technologies in Plovdiv）微生物與發酵產品技術專業的碩士學位。 在1980年代末期，保加利亞共產政權瓦解後，家族葡萄園得以復興之際，Diana選擇離開原本的醫學領域，轉而投身釀酒學習。花了六年時間，系統性地習得科學釀酒知識，而非僅僅沿襲傳統鄉間技法，這些奠定了她日後的專業基礎。
在保加利亞的葡萄酒產業深耕15年後，Diana移居紐西蘭。她擁有舊世界葡萄藤的豐富經驗，但2004年在馬爾堡的第一個釀酒季，無論是釀酒規模、產量，甚至釀造方式，都與她過去的經驗大相徑庭。然而，憑藉深厚的專業背景與對葡萄的直覺掌握，她逐步適應，並年復一年釀造出品質卓越、屢獲殊榮的佳釀。
Diana笑說：「即便過了這麼多年，我仍然覺得我的葡萄酒比我的英語更能表達自己！」 2025年，她憑藉懷得天堂霞多內2023白葡萄酒，在2025年日本櫻花女子國際葡萄酒大賽（Sakura Japan Women‘s Wine Awards）中榮獲靜態白酒類別「最佳釀酒師殊榮」，進一步鞏固她在國際葡萄酒界的地位。
www.whitehaven.co.nz
WHITEHAVEN WINES TRIUMPH WITH MULTIPLE AWARDS AND TOP FEMALE WINEMAKER ACCOLADE.
WHITEHAVEN WINES TRIUMPH WITH MULTIPLE AWARDS AND TOP FEMALE WINEMAKER ACCOLADE. Whitehaven Senior Winemaker Diana Katardzhieva has been named ‘Best Woman Winemaker’ for still white wines at the prestigious 2025 Sakura Women's Wine Awards. Both the 2024 Whitehaven Sauvignon Blanc and 2023 Chardonnay were awarded the top accolade of Diamond Trophy.
This prestigious competition celebrates wines that exemplify quality, and Whitehaven wines have shined brightly at this year’s tasting. 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 has submitted wines to this competition since 2015.
However, the Whitehaven team's greatest pride comes from seeing winemaker, Diana Katardzhieva, recognised as the Best Winemaker in the still white wines category for Whitehaven’s 2023 Chardonnay. Diana is one of just nine female winemakers to receive this honour, and one of only two New Zealand female winemakers to make this prestigious list.
Diana, 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.” Diana goes on to credit women in general and her wider team saying the award is a “wonderful reminder of the amazing things women are accomplishing in the wine industry. Great wine is a team effort, and I see the award as recognition not only of myself, but of the fruit quality from our vineyards and growers, and the effort of the Whitehaven team. The fact this wine is judged by a talented group of women, makes this even more special…especially since we all know women are usually the ones choosing the wine anyway!”
Sue White, co-founder of Whitehaven, expresses her pride in the accolade, crediting Diana for her winemaking skill and consistency in winemaking, “This level of success is a credit to Diana and her team who work hard to create wines of exceptional quality.”
Each award-winning wine is now available on Whitehaven’s website at www.whitehaven.co.nz
Notes:
Originally from Bulgaria, Diana started studying winemaking after leaving a career in medicine. Then, having successfully completed six years of study, Diana spent 15 years working in Bulgaria’s winemaking industry before departing for New Zealand with her young son. Experienced with old world vines, Diana’s first vintage in Marlborough in 2004 was a huge shift away from all she’d been accustomed to, in terms of size and scale and the approach to wine making.
Diana holds a Master qualification specialising in technology for microbiological and fermentation products from the University of Food Technologies in Plovdiv. Her attention to detail is apparent in the many accolades awarded to the wines she takes a leading hand in producing “even after all these years I can express myself better in my wines than I can with my English language,” she laughs.
Diana joined Whitehaven Wine Company initially as Lab Manager and Winemaker in 2004.
View the full list here: SAKURA AWARDS (available 27 February).
Whitehaven received two Diamond Trophies, two Double Gold Medals, and a Gold Medal at the 2025 Sakura Womens’ Wine Awards this year.
All Whitehaven wines are AMW and SWNZ accredited.
Whitehaven first entered the Sakura Awards in 2015.
Diana Katardzhieva is a winemaker whose instinctive touch with the grape comes from her family heritage. A Bulgarian winemaker in New Zealand, she has generations of grape growers and winemakers before her in her homeland, said by some historians to be the birthplace of wine.
But Diana also holds a Master qualification specialising in technology for microbiological and fermentation products from the University of Food Technologies in Plovdiv.
When family vineyards were restored at the end of the Communist regime in Bulgaria in the late 1980s, Diana left her medical career to study winemaking, choosing to spend the six years required for these formal science qualifications rather than simply follow the traditional methods employed in the Bulgarian countryside.
After 15 years working in Bulgaria’s wine industry Diana arrived in New Zealand. Experienced with old world vines, her first vintage in Marlborough in 2004 was a huge shift away from all she’d been accustomed to, in size and scale and the approach to wine making.
But with her background, Diana is able to rely on her instinct and expertise to make exceptional and award-winning wines vintage to vintage.
“Even after all these years I can express myself better in my wines than I can with my English language,” she laughs.
In 2025 Diana was recognised as the Best Winemaker in the still white wines category for Whitehaven’s 2023 Chardonnay at the 2025 Sakura Japan Women’s Wine Awards in Japan.
www.whitehaven.co.nz
