Best New Zealand Wine Producer Of The Year

3 November 2005

BEST NEW ZEALAND WINE PRODUCER OF THE YEAR
Saint Clair Awarded Prestige International Trophy

Saint Clair Estate Wines has just added its most prestigious trophy to its awards cabinet since Neal and Judy Ibbotson founded their Marlborough winery in 1994.

At a gala awards dinner in London on 1 November, Saint Clair Estate Wines was awarded 'The Anglo Overseas Trophy' for the Best New Zealand Wine Producer of the Year at the International Wine and Spirit Competition 2005.

This family-owned winery headed off strong competition from the two giants of the New Zealand wine industry - Montana Wines and Villa Maria Estate.

The winery was also awarded the 'Silverado Trophy' for the top Sauvignon Blanc in the Show for Saint Clair Wairau Reserve Sauvignon Blanc 2004. This is the second time in three years that Saint Clair has won this trophy.

It is proving a bumper year for Saint Clair, which in September was awarded the Champion Sauvignon Blanc trophy at the Decanter World Wine Awards 2005 and the Champion Pinot Noir trophy at the London International Wine Challenge 2005. This is the first time that a New Zealand winery has won two major international trophies for a Sauvignon Blanc and a Pinot Noir in the same year.

Neal Ibbotson, managing director of Saint Clair Estate Wines comments: 'These four prestigious international trophies reinforce Saint Clair's commitment to producing the highest quality wines and build upon our growing reputation as one of New Zealand's top quality wine producers.'

The International Wine and Spirit Competition has been promoting the quality and excellence of the world's best wines, spirits and liqueurs for 36 years. The primary motivation behind the awards is to provide wine drinkers with simple guidelines for quality purchasing. Visit www.iwsc.net for further background to this Show and the latest awards.

ENDS

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