2004 Air New Zealand Wine Awards

2004 Air New Zealand Wine Awards

For the fourth time in six years a Pinot Noir has secured the top spot at the Air New Zealand Wine Awards.

At last night’s presentation dinner in Blenheim, Villa Maria Reserve Pinot Noir 2003 from Marlborough was awarded the Air New Zealand Champion Wine of the Show Trophy.

Runner-up was the Villa Maria Single Vineyard Keltern Chardonnay 2003 from Hawke’s Bay which took home the Bell Gully Reserve Wine of the Show Trophy.

Additionally the Villa Maria Reserve Pinot Noir 2003 secured the Cospak New Zealand Champion Pinot Noir Trophy, and the Villa Maria Single Vineyard Keltern Chardonnay 2003 was awarded the ACI Glass Packaging New Zealand Champion Chardonnay Trophy.

In total, Pinot Noirs accounted for three of the trophies, with the third being awarded to Mt Difficulty Roaring Meg Pinot Noir 2003 from Central Otago for the Herald On Sunday Champion Open Red Wine Trophy, for wines with 1000 case availability.

In congratulating all trophy winners on their success, Air New Zealand’s Managing Director and CEO Ralph Norris commented on the exceptional quality of the winning wines.

“Pinot Noir is really going from strength to strength and it is also exciting to see the quality coming through in some new varieties.

“The record 1400 entries for consideration in this year’s Awards reflect a very strong wine industry which has come a long way since the Air New Zealand Wine Awards were introduced 18 years ago.”

New Zealand’s leading export wine, Sauvignon Blanc, also received three trophies. Gisborne’s Amor-Bendall Sauvignon Blanc 2004 was awarded the Esvin Wine Resources Champion Sauvignon Blanc Trophy, whilst Astrolabe Sauvignon Blanc 2004 from Marlborough won the Nissan New Zealand Limited Champion Open White Trophy and the Distinguished Vineyards Champion Export White Wine Trophy.

An exciting aspect of this year’s awards were the trophies given to three of New Zealand’s fastest growing new specialist varieties: Pinot Gris, Viognier and Syrah. Martinborough Vineyards Burnt Spur Martinborough Pinot Gris 2004 was awarded the Air Sea Global Champion Pinot Gris Trophy, Trinity Hill New Wave Viognier 2004 from Hawke’s Bay the Bayleys Realty Group Champion Other White Varieties Trophy and the Passage Rock Syrah 2003 from Waiheke Island, the Business World Travel Champion Syrah Trophy.

Chairman of Judges Brent Marris is excited to see Pinot Noir and our other red wines, Cabernet and Merlot blends and Syrah in the limelight.

“New Zealand has been historically known as a white wine producer and it is pleasing to see that the 2004 vintage has been awarded seven trophies for our vibrant white wines.

“International markets are only just waking up to our abilities with red wine. The selection of Pinot Noir as the competition’s leading wine will certainly help drive further awareness of our red wine capabilities.

“The success of the Cabernet and Merlot blends class and a relatively new speciality variety, Syrah, which was excellent, further highlights the exciting developments the industry is undergoing,” says Marris. “I am also pleased to see that New Zealand red wines are demonstrating a real ability to age well.”

In terms of regional performance, wines from Marlborough led the trophy haul taking eight of the 19 trophies awarded.

In addition to the four trophies Marlborough wines secured above, the following trophies were awarded to Marlborough wines:

• New World Champion Sparkling Wine Trophy for the Cardmember Paradox Marlborough Methode Traditionnelle

• AMPM Marketing Champion Riesling Trophy for the Villa Maria Cellar Selection Seddon Riesling 2002

• HortResearch Champion Rose or Blush Trophy for the Hunter’s Rose 2004

• Marlborough Bottling Company Champion Medium Sweet or Sweet Wine Trophy for the Forrest Estate Botrytised Riesling 2004

Hawke’s Bay also performed strongly winning six trophies. In addition to three trophies awarded for Chardonnay and Viognier as detailed above, Hawke’s Bay wines dominated the fuller bodied red wine trophies:

• Huka Lodge Champion Merlot Trophy for the Villa Maria Reserve Merlot 2002

• Carter & Associates Champion Cabernet Sauvignon and/or Merlot Predominant Blend Trophy for the Esk Valley Reserve Merlot Malbec Cabernet Sauvignon 2002

• BDO Spicers Champion Other Red Varieties Trophy for Villa Maria Single Vineyard Omahu Malbec 2002

In addition a Hawkes Bay/Gisborne blend captured the P&O Nedlloyd Champion Gewurztraminer Trophy - this was awarded to Villa Maria Reserve Gewurztraminer 2004.

Trophies are awarded from top gold medal winning wines. This year saw the number of gold medals awarded increase to 78. The wines were judged from 1-3 November by 21 experienced judges including two leading international wine experts – Matthew Jukes, UK wine correspondent for the Daily Mail Weekend magazine and BBC Radio, and Nick Stock a wine sommelier, consultant and writer from Australia.

The Air New Zealand Wine Awards are organised by New Zealand Winegrowers in conjunction with Air New Zealand.

Ends

Note:

Out of the record 1,403 entries, 53% were awarded a gold, silver or bronze medal.

For details on Gold, Silver and Bronze medals, please refer to www.wineshow.co.nz .

AIR NEW ZEALAND WINE AWARDS 2004

TROPHY WINNERS

Air New Zealand Champion Wine Of The Show Trophy

villa maria reserve pinot noir 2003

Bell Gully Reserve Wine of the Show Trophy

VILLA MARIA SINGLE VINEYARD KELTERN CHARDONNAY 2003

New World Champion Sparkling Wine Trophy

CARDMEMBER PARADOX MARLBOROUGH METHODE TRADITIONNELLE

P&O Nedlloyd Champion Gewurztraminer Trophy

VILLA MARIA RESERVE GEWURZTRAMINER 2004

AMPM Marketing Champion Riesling Trophy

VILLA MARIA CELLAR SELECTION SEDDON RIESLING 2002

Air Sea Global Champion Pinot Gris Trophy

MARTINBOROUGH VINEYARDS BURNT SPUR MARTINBOROUGH PINOT GRIS 2004

Esvin Wine Resources Champion Sauvignon Blanc Trophy

AMOR-BENDALL SAUVIGNON BLANC 2004

ACI Glass Packaging New Zealand Champion Chardonnay Trophy

VILLA MARIA SINGLE VINEYARD KELTERN CHARDONNAY 2003

Nissan New Zealand Ltd Champion Open White Wine Trophy

ASTROLABE SAUVIGNON BLANC 2004

Bayleys Realty Group Champion Other White Varieties Trophy

TRINITY HILL NEW WAVE VIOGNIER 2004

Distinguished Vineyards Champion Export White Wine Trophy

ASTROLABE SAUVIGNON BLANC 2004

HortResearch Champion Rose or Blush Trophy

HUNTER’S ROSE 2004

Cospak New Zealand Champion Pinot Noir Trophy

VILLA MARIA RESERVE PINOT NOIR 2003

Huka Lodge Champion Merlot Trophy

VILLA MARIA RESERVE MERLOT 2002

Business World Travel Champion Syrah Trophy

PASSAGE ROCK SYRAH 2003

Carter & Associates Champion Cabernet Sauvignon and/or Merlot Predominant Blend Trophy

ESK VALLEY RESERVE MERLOT MALBEC CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2002

Herald on Sunday Champion Open Red Wine Trophy

MT DIFFICULTY ROARING MEG PINOT NOIR 2003

BDO Spicers Champion Other Red Varieties Trophy

VILLA MARIA SINGLE VINEYARD OMAHU MALBEC 2002

Williams & Kettle/Fruitfed Supplies Champion Export Red Wine Trophy

NO AWARD

Marlborough Bottling Company Champion Medium Sweet or Sweet Wine Trophy

FORREST ESTATE BOTRYTISED RIESLING 2004

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