21 August 2012
Clearview Estate wows USA Wine Enthusiast magazine
Clearview Estate Winery’s 2007 Reserve Chardonnay has been named as one of New Zealand’s “best white wines” by
prestigious American Wine Enthusiast magazine in its latest issue.
The wine scored 93 points (out of 100) in a review by managing editor Joe Czerwinski, and was awarded Editor’s Choice on
his “short list” of wines that reflected this country’s “blossoming diversity”.
The Reserve Chardonnay is made from grapes picked from vines that are more than 20 years old and from some newer
plantings from Te Awanga vineyards.
In his review, Czerwinski also described Clearview’s Te Awanga Chardonnay as “one of New Zealand’s most dramatic unoaked
Chardonnays – redolent of tropical fruit and citrus.”
Although not available in America, Clearview’s Endeavour also received rave comments in the six page article. It was
described as “luxurious” and noted that this wine is New Zealand’s most expensive white wine.
Mr Czerwinski, who is a wine journalist, editor and regular international wine panellist speaker and educator, was in
Hawke’s Bay earlier this year and spent some time with Clearview co owner and founder, Tim Turvey. He asked for samples
to taste and these were subsequently shipped to America.
That the samples had been reviewed favourably was unknown to the family-owned winery located on the Cape Coast of
Hawke’s Bay until the article was published and read by Barry Riwai, Clearview winemaker, on the New Zealand Winegrowers
website.
“It was a fantastic discovery,” says Mr Riwai. “Wine Enthusiast is one of the leading wine magazines in America and Joe’s endorsement is priceless.”
It was an exciting week for Clearview; in addition to the review, the winery featured in the inaugural episode of Thirsty Work, a television programme aired on Sky’s food channel for the first time on Wednesday (15 August).
The following day the cellar door and despatch teams were kept busy filling orders that had come in from viewers keen to
try Clearview wines for themselves.
“We had one gentleman place an order for six each of our premium Endeavour and Reserve Chardonnays as he thought he
needed to try them,” says Mr Riwai. “Thursday was a really good day!”
Established by Tim Turvey and Helma van den Berg in 1989, Clearview Estate continues as a family owned and operated
business – handcrafted wines are grown, produced and bottled onsite. Renowned for award-winning Chardonnays and full
bodied red wines, their rustic and iconic ‘red shed’ restaurant pioneered vineyard seaside dining in 1991 by combining a
cellar door in a leafy vineyard courtyard setting.
Situated on the coastline of Hawke's Bay at Te Awanga, the Estate enjoys a unique microclimate, virtually frost-free
with a warm, extended growing season and refreshing sea breezes. Clearview Estate focuses on quality; producing wines of
great fruit intensity with a strong commitment to sustainability in all aspects of the business.
ENDS