PRESS RELEASE
Wither Hills Winery - Pinot Noir Excellence
The trophy for the Champion Pinot Noir at the Royal Hobart Wine Show has been won by Wither Hills Vineyards of
Marlborough, New Zealand.
The trophy was won by Wither Hills 2000 Pinot Noir with Wither Hills current release 2001 vintage being awarded a Gold
medal.
This accolade follows on from Wither Hills previous Pinot Noir success when it was awarded Champion Wine of the Show at
the 1999 Air New Zealand Wine Awards for its 1998 Pinot Noir.
Chairman of the Wine Show Committee, Mr Tony McDermott, said the 2002 Wine Show had been an outstanding success, with a
record 2836 entries from around Australia and New Zealand.
Winemaker Brent Marris said “It is very satisfying for Wither Hills to once again be rewarded a significant trophy for
Pinot Noir reflecting commitment and passion from a small dedicated grape-growing and winemaking team. Pinot Noir in
Marlborough is building an international reputation closely following that of Sauvignon Blanc which bodes well for the
future”.
Mr McDermott said the standard of the 141 Pinots this year was extremely high in quality and presentation. "The Pinots
were exceptional and are clearly improving with every vintage," he said.
The prize, provided by Qantas, of a trip for two to Burgundy, France's renowned wine-growing area, is one of the most
sought after on the Australian national wine show circuit.
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