Villa Maria has triumphed at the 2015 Bragato Wine Awards, taking out the top two awards. The Villa Maria ‘Single Vineyard – Ihumatao’ Auckland Chardonnay 2013 won the Bragato Trophy for Champion Single Vineyard Wine (95% of the juice from a single vineyard) and the Bill Irwin Trophy for Champion Chardonnay. The wine was grown by Brett Donaldson. Joining this was the Villa Maria ‘Reserve’ Gimblett Gravels Hawke’s Bay Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot 2013, winning the Richard Smart Trophy for Champion Domaine Wine (85% of the juice from a single vineyard). It was grown on the ‘Vidal’ vineyard by Phil Holden.
The Bragato Wine Awards has always been a special wine judging competition. Having judged it for many years, I enjoyed the smaller classes of wines and the higher quality of the wines entered. These ae directly a result of the objective of the show: to give recognition to viticultural excellence and to recognise the influence of grapegrowers and their vineyards in creating unique, quality wines. In essence, this is a step to recognising site and that magical notion of terroir.
The 2015 Bragato Wine Awards were judged in Napier over 22-23 August, with the results announced straight away, with the award winners announced at the Bragato Dinner on night of Thursday 27 August. This year’s judging has convenors Shona White and Mark Compton calling in Ben Glover as the Chairman of Judges, with Barry Rewai, Dave McKee, Emma Jenkins MW, James Millton, James Rowan, Rod Easthope, Sarah-Kate Dineen and Simon Nunns as seniors. Dan Sims from Australia was the international judge, and Liz Wheadon and Francis Hutt served as associates. www.bragato.org.nz
An Analysis of the Gold Medal Results
There were 49 gold medals awarded. A perusal of the gold medal results indicates that Chardonnay was the most successful class with 10 gold medals. 6 of these wines were from the Villa Maria stable. It is promising to see wines spread the length of the country from Auckland north to Central Otago. Pinot Noir took 9 gold medals, though no doubt from larger numbers, and 7 of these were from Central Otago.
Syrah and Riesling were also strong performing varieties, with5 and 4 golds respectively. The success of the 2013 vintage in Hawke’s Bay can be seen from the 3 golds each in the Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon-based classes.
The lesser performing classes were Sauvignon Blanc with 4 golds and Pinot Gris with only 1 gold.
It is another exceptional result for the Villa Maria group who took 15 golds, nearly a third of the total. It is promising to see Pernod-Ricard with 5 golds, one of our largest companies showing viticultural excellence. Saint Clair, the single vineyard specialist took 4 gold medals, this being a great result for a smaller producer.
The Bragato Wine Awards 2015 Trophy Winners
Bragato Trophy and Champion Single Vineyard Wine
Villa Maria ‘Single Vineyard – Ihumatao’ Auckland Chardonnay 2013
Ihumatao Vineyard, Auckland
Brett Donaldson
Richard Smart Trophy and Champion Domaine Wine
Villa Maria ‘Reserve’ Gimblett Gravels Hawke’s Bay Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot 2013
Vidal Vineyard, Hawke’s Bay
Phil Holden
Friedrich Wohnsiedler Trophy Winner and Champion Riesling
Thornbury Waipara Riesling 2015
Waiata Vineyard, Waipara
Royce McKean
Brother Cyprian Trophy Winner and Champion Pinot Gris
Church Road Pinot Gris 2015
Matapiro Estate, Hawke’s Bay
Max Bixley
Champion Gewürztraminer
Blackenbrook Nelson Gewürztraminer 2014
Blackenbrook Vineyard, Nelson
Daniel Schwarzenbach
Champion Other White Wine
Saint Clair Marlborough ‘Premium’ Grüner Veltliner 2014
Hawkesbury Farm Ltd, Marlborough
Robert & Heather Goulter
Champion Sweet Wine
Villa Maria ‘Reserve’ Marlborough Noble Semillon Botrytis Selection 2011
Hammond Vineyard, Marlborough
Rob Hammond
New Zealand Wine Cellars Spence Brothers Trophy Winner and Champion Sauvignon Blanc
Stoneleigh ‘Rapaura Series’ Sauvignon Blanc 2015
Stoneleigh, Marlborough
Rod Brailsford
Champion Sparkling Wine
Akarua Vintage Brut 2010
Akarua Wines, Central Otago
Mark Naismith
Bill Irwin Trophy Winner and Champion Chardonnay
Villa Maria ‘Single Vineyard – Ihumatao’ Auckland Chardonnay 2013
Ihumatao Vineyard, Auckland
Brett Donaldson
Champion Rosé
Whitehaven Rosé 2015
Whitehaven Wine Company Limited, Marlborough
Sioban Harnett
Mike Wolter Memorial Trophy Winner and Champion Pinot Noir
Maude ‘Mt Maude Vineyard’ Pinot Noir 2014
Mount Maude Vineyard, Central Otago
Terry Wilson
Tom McDonald Memorial Trophy Winner and Champion Classical Red Wine
Villa Maria ‘Reserve’ Gimblett Gravels Hawke’s Bay Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot 2013
Vidal Vineyard, Hawke’s Bay
Phil Holden
Alan Limmer Trophy Winner and Champion Syrah
Talisman Syrah 2013
Elms Vineyard, Hawke’s Bay
Peter Yealands
The Bragato Wine Awards 2015 Gold Medal Winners
Chardonnay
Hunter’s Succession Marlborough Chardonnay 2013, Jane Hunter, Mertop
Saint Clair Pioneer Block 10 Twin Hills Chardonnay 2014, Neal & Judy Ibbotson, Omaka Vineyard
Stoneleigh Rapaura Series Chardonnay 2014, Rod Brailsford, Stoneleigh
Villa Maria Reserve Barrique Fermented Gisborne Chardonnay 2014, Tony Green, McDiarmid Hill Vineyard
Villa Maria Reserve Gisborne Barrique Fermented Chardonnay 2013, Tony Green, McDiarmid Hill Vineyard
Villa Maria Single Vineyard Ihumatao Chardonnay 2013, Brett Donaldson, Ihumatao Vineyard
Villa Maria Single Vineyard Ihumatao Chardonnay 2014, Brett Donaldson, Ihumatao Vineyard
Villa Maria Single Vineyard Keltern Chardonnay 2014, Phil Holden, Keltern Vineyard
Villa Maria Single Vineyard Taylors Pass Chardonnay 2012, Ian Buck, Taylors Pass Vineyard
Wooing Tree Chardonnay 2014, Geoff Bews, Wooing Tree Vineyard
Sauvignon Blanc
Clearview Reserve Sauvignon Blanc 2014, Tim Turvey, Helma van den Berg, Clearview Farm and Retail
Stoneleigh Rapaura Series Sauvignon Blanc 2015, Rod Brailsford, Stoneleigh
Villa Maria Single Vineyard Southern Clays Sauvignon Blanc 2014, Rod Maxwell, Maxwell Vineyard
What the Funk Sauvignon Blanc 2015, Karen Sims
Riesling
Anthem Central Otago Riesling 2014, Ata Mara, Ata Mara Estate Vineyard Ltd
Domain Road Vineyard The Water Race Dry Riesling 2013, Graeme Crosbie, Domain Road Vineyard
Thornbury Waipara Riesling 2015, Royce McKean, Waiata Vineyard
Saint Clair Pioneer Block 9 Big John Riesling 2013, John & Lynne Walsh,Woodbourne Farm Ltd
Pinot Gris
Church Road Pinot Gris 2015, Max Bixley, Matapiro Estate
Gewurztraminer
Waipara River Estate Gewurztraminer 2013, Tina Besley & Michael Peters, Waipara River Estate
Blackenbrook Nelson Gewurztraminer 2014, Daniel Schwarzenbach, Blackenbrook Vineyard
Other Whites
Saint Clair Marlborough Premium Grüner Veltliner 2014, Robert & Heather Goulter, Hawkesbury Farm Ltd
Sparkling
Akarua Vintage Brut 2010, Deborah Adams, Akarua Wines
Sweet Wines
Jules Taylor Wines Marlborough Late Harvest Sauvignon Blanc 2014, Craig Plunkett, Ferry Road Vineyard
Villa Maria Reserve Marlborough Noble Riesling Botrytis Selection 2013, Christine Fletcher, Rocenvin Vineyard
Villa Maria Reserve Marlborough Noble Semillon Botrytis Selection 2011, Rob Hammond, Hammond Vineyard
Rose
Whitehaven Rosé 2015. Sioban Harnett, Whitehaven Wine Company Limited
Pinot Noir
Akarua Pinot Noir 2013, Deborah Adams, Akarua Wines
Aravin Pinot Noir 2014, Evan & Kay Moore, Aravin
Brancott Estate Showcase Series Pinot Noir 2014, John Argyle, Brancott Estate
Brightwater Vineyards Pinot Noir 2014, Gary Neale, Brightwater Vineyards
Maude, Mt Maude Vineyard, Pinot Noir 2014, Terry Wilson, Mount Maude Vineyard
Rockburn Pinot Noir 2013, Chris James, Richard Bunton, Paul Halford, Rockburn Wines Ltd
The Remarkables Central Otago Pinot Noir 2014, Steve and Sheila Morris, St Bathans Range Vineyard
Thornbury Central Otago Pinot Noir 2014, Grant Rolston, Vinewise
Two Degrees Pinot Noir 2013, Chris Hill, Two Degrees
Merlot and Merlot Predominant
Clearview Enigma 2013, Tim Turvey, Helma van den Berg, Clearview Farm and Retail
Squawking Magpie The Nest 2013, Gavin Yortt, Squawking Magpie Wines
Villa Maria Single Vineyard Braided Gravels Organic Merlot 2013, Jonathan Hamlet, Joseph Soler Vineyard
Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Sauvignon Predominant
AD The Aviator 2013, Ham Family, Alpha Domus
Church Road Grand Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot 2013, Neil Watson, Redstone Vineyards
Villa Maria Reserve Gimblett Gravels Hawkes Bay Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot 2013, Phil Holden, Vidal Vineyard
Syrah
Church Road McDonald Series Syrah 2013, Neil Watson, Redstone Vineyards
Harmony Syrah 2014, Tom Carpenter
Saint Clair Pioneer Block 17 Plateau Syrah 2014, Neal & Judy Ibbotson, Plateau Vineyards
Talisman Syrah 2013, Peter Yealands, Elms Vineyard
Vidal Reserve Gimblett Gravels Hawkes Bay Syrah 2013, Phil Holden, Omahu Gravels Vineyard
Other Reds
Obsidian The Mayor 2013, Mike Wood, Obsidian Vineyard
Villa Maria Reserve Gimblett Gravels Hawkes Bay Malbec 2013, Phil Holden, Ngakirikiri
