Air New Zealand Wine Awards 2017 – Trophy Winners

The trophy winners from the 2017 Air New Zealand Wine Awards were announced at the awards dinner held in Hawke’s Bay last night. The trophy for Champion Wine of the Show was awarded to the Isabel Marlborough Chardonnay 2016 made by Jeremy McKenzie. Isabel Estate was purchased in 2015 by Australian group Pinnacle Drinks, a subsidiary of Woolworths. With the installation of Jeremy McKenzie, the label has seen a return to very high quality, as endorsed by this award. The trophy for Reserve wine of the Show was awarded to the Dashwood Marlborough Pinot Noir 2016 made by Stu Marfell, chief winemaker of Foley Family Wines in Marlborough.
I list the trophy awards below. For a list of the 80 gold medal winners of the show, and my analysis of the results, click here. For all the medal winners, go to www.airnewzealandwineawards.co.nz

Air New Zealand Champion Wine of the Show
Isabel Chardonnay Marlborough 2016

O-I New Zealand Reserve Wine of the Show
Dashwood Pinot Noir Marlborough 2016

Label and Litho Limited Champion Sauvignon Blanc
Goldwater Sauvignon Blanc Wairau Valley Marlborough 2017

Rabobank Champion Chardonnay
Isabel Chardonnay Marlborough 2016

Plant & Food Research Champion Riesling
Mount Riley Riesling Marlborough 2017

Guala Closures New Zealand Champion Pinot Gris
Saddleback Pinot Gris Central Otago 2017

Riedel New Zealand Champion Gewürztraminer
Lawson’s Dry Hills Gewürztraminer Marlborough 2016

Quay Connect Champion Other White Styles
Nautilus Albariño Marlborough 2017

WineWorks Champion Sparkling Wine
Aotea by the Seifried Family Méthode Traditionnelle Nelson NV

New Zealand Winegrowers Champion Sweet Wine
Forrest Botrytised Riesling Marlborough 2016

New World Champion Open White Wine
Goldwater Sauvignon Blanc Wairau Valley Marlborough 2017

JF Hillebrand New Zealand Champion Pinot Noir
Dashwood Pinot Noir Marlborough 2016

Bayleys Real Estate Champion Merlot, Cabernet and Blends
Villa Maria Cellar Selection Organic Merlot Hawke’s Bay 2016

Fruitfed Supplies Champion Syrah
Coopers Creek Reserve Syrah Hawke’s Bay 2016

Dish Magazine Champion Open Red Wine
Dashwood Pinot Noir Marlborough 2016

New Zealand Winegrowers Champion Exhibition White or Sparkling Wine
Isabel Wild Barrique Chardonnay Marlborough 2016

New Holland Agriculture Champion Exhibition Red Wine
Falcon Ridge Estate Syrah Nelson 2016

In addition to the trophy wine winners, the new Fellows of New Zealand Winegrowers were announced. They were Joe Babich, Lorraine Rudelj, Bill Spence and Geoff Thorpe. The Roll of Fellows is as follows, firstly under the Wine Institute of New Zealand, and then under New Zealand Winegrowers:

Wine Institute of New Zealand Fellows
1982: Alex Corban, George Mazuran, Tom McDonald, Bob Sokolich
1987: Mate Brajkovich
1988: Peter Fredatovich
1990 Mate Selak
1991: Joe Corban
1992: Frank Yukich
1993: Jock Graham
1994: Bob Knappstein
1995: Peter Babich
1996: Terry Dunleavy
1997: Don Maisey
1998: Tony Soljan
1999: John Buck
2003: Kerry Hitchcock

New Zealand Winegrowers
2006: Reid Fletcher, Ross Spence
2008: Tim Finn, John Webber
2012: Robin Dicey
2013: Sir George Fistonich, Stuart Smith
2014: Richard Riddiford, Agnes Seifried, Hermann Seifried
2015: Alan Brady, Kate Radburnd, Mike Trought
2016: Larry McKenna
2017: Joe Babich, Lorraine Rudelj, Bill Spence, Geoff Thorpe