The results of the 2017 Hawke’s Bay A&P Bayleys Wine Awards were announced at an awards dinner last night. The Champion Wine of the Show was the Te Awa ‘Single Estate’ Gimblett Gravels Hawke’s Bay Merlot/Cabernet Sauvignon, and the Reserve Wine of the Show was the Church Road ‘McDonald Series’ Hawke’s Bay Syrah 2015. To complete the top awards for the flagship Hawke’s Bay varieties, the Champion Chardonnay was the ‘Clearview Estate ‘Endeavour’ Hawke’s Bay Chardonnay 2015.
The Hawke’s Bay Wine Awards is now in its 17th year running, and is the largest of the regional wine judging competitions. The competition is open to wines made from a minimum of 85% Hawke’s Bay grapes, and showcases the best of the region’s wines. I’m a fan of regional shows, not only for their more manageable work loads on the on the judges, but the greater focus on the principle varieties and styles, these being the Bordeaux varieties and their blends, Syrah and Chardonnay. The results can be more representative of the diversity in the region.
This year’s results showed the quality of the 2015 wines according to Chairman of Judges Rod Easthope. While the quality of the 2013 and 2014 wines has been proven to demonstrate their superb growing seasons, there is growing recognition and evidence of the 2015s and now 2016s as joining the former two years as being superior vintages.
The judging took place on 25-26 September. The team of judges, chaired by Rod Easthope was Ralph Kyte-Powell of Australia, Phil Brodie, Ben Glover, Laura Hutchinson, Oliver Masters, Kate Radburnd and Richard Tollenaar.
Of the 295 wines judged, there were 36 (12.2%) gold medals, 78 (26.44%) silver and 117 (39.66%) bronzes awarded, with a total of 231 (78.3%) of the wines entered winning an award. This is somewhat higher than most other shows, and it reflects the entry of the better wines from the producers, and the excellent growing seasons from 2013 to 2016. Chardonnay garnered the most golds with 7 awarded, followed by 6 in the Syrah class and 5 for the Cabernet Sauvignon Predominant Blends.
The Top Award Winners and Gold Medal Winning Wines
Following are the top awards and trophies, and the gold medal winners. To see all the medal winners, go to www.hawkesbaywine.co.nz/events/hawkes-bay-ap-bayleys-wine-awards
Champion Wine of Show
Te Awa Single Estate Gimblett Gravels Hawke’s Bay Merlot Cabernet Sauvignon 2015
Reserve Champion Wine of Show
Church Road McDonald Series Syrah 2015
Champion Commercial Red Wine
Clearview Estate Cape Kidnappers Hawke’s Bay Merlot 2016
Champion Commercial White Wine
Church Road Pinot Gris 2017
Champion Export Wine of Show
Villa Maria Cellar Selection Hawke’s Bay Merlot Cabernet Sauvignon 2015
Outstanding Wine of Provenance
Sacred Hill Riflemans Chardonnay 2005, 2010, 2015
Best Student Wine
Kaoru Mizuguchi, Hyota Sato, Chris Borain, Yuji Masuo
4 Little Pigs Merlot 2016
Hawke’s Bay A&P Society Young Vintners Scholarship
Sanne Witteveen
House of Travel Hastings & Havelock North Hawke’s Bay Cellar Door of the Year
Church Road Winery
LOGAN STONE – MERLOT
Villa Maria Reserve Gimblett Gravels Hawkes Bay Merlot 2015 Gold Trophy
Church Road McDonald Series Merlot 2015 Gold
Clearview Estate Cape Kidnappers Merlot 2016 Gold
NO 9 – RED BLENDS – CABERNET SAUVIGNON DOMINANT
Beach House Cabernet Sauvignon Cabernet Franc Malbec 2015 Gold Trophy
Coopers Creek Reserve Gimblett Gravels Cabernet Sauvignon 2016 Gold
Mills Reef Elspeth Cabernet Sauvignon 2015 Gold
Trinity Hill Gimblett Gravels The Gimblett 2015 Gold
Vidal Legacy Gimblett Gravels Hawkes Bay Cabernet Sauvignon 2014 Gold
BAY MAZDA HAWKES BAY – RED BLENDS – MERLOT DOMINANT
Te Awa Single Estate Gimblett Gravels Hawkes Bay Merlot Cabernet Sauvignon 2015 Gold Trophy
Church Road Merlot Cabernet Sauvignon 2015 Gold
Sacred Hill Brokenstone 2015 Gold
Villa Maria Cellar Selection Hawkes Bay Merlot Cabernet Sauvignon 2015 Gold
FLUIDEX TRANSPORT LTD – SYRAH
Church Road McDonald Series Syrah 2015 Gold Trophy
Church Road Grand Reserve Syrah 2015 Gold
Esk Valley Winemakers Reserve Gimblett Gravels Hawkes Bay Syrah 2014 Gold
Mills Reef Reserve Syrah 2016 Gold
Squawking Magpie Stoned Crow Syrah 2015 Gold
Villa Maria Cellar Selection Hawkes Bay Syrah 2015 Gold
MOORE STEPHENS MARKHAMS – PINOT NOIR
Osawa Prestige Collection Pinot Noir 2014 Silver Best in Class
OTHER PREMIUM RED VARIETALS AND BLENDS
Church Road McDonald Series Tempranillo 2015 Gold Trophy
Church Road McDonald Series Marzemino 2015 Gold
Villa Maria Reserve Gimblett Gravels Hawkes Bay Malbec 2015 Gold
ATI ENGINEERING LTD – CHARDONNAY
Clearview Estate Endeavour Chardonnay 2015 Gold Trophy
Babich Irongate Chardonnay 2016 Gold
Esk Valley Winemakers Reserve Hawkes Bay Chardonnay 2016 Gold
Mills Reef Elspeth Chardonnay 2015 Gold
Te Awa Single Estate Hawkes Bay Chardonnay 2016 Gold
Vidal Legacy Hawkes Bay Chardonnay 2016 Gold
Villa Maria Single Vineyard Keltern Chardonnay 2016 Gold
HAWKE’S BAY WINE COMPANY – SAUVIGNON BLANC AND/OR SEMILLON
Quarter Acre Sauvignon Blanc 2016 Gold Trophy
SOMERSET SMITH PARTNERS – PINOT GRIS
Church Road Pinot Gris 2017 Gold Trophy
Selaks Reserve Pinot Gris 2017 Gold
FASTWAY COURIERS – VIOGNIER
Decibel Hawkes Bay Viognier 2016 Gold Trophy
KAURI NZ LTD – PREMIUM WHITE VARIETALS
Askerne Gewurztraminer 2016 Gold Trophy
HURFORD PARKER INSURANCE – SWEET WINES
One Off ‘One Oh One’ Noble Gewurztraminer 2016 Gold Trophy
Alpha Domus AD Noble Selection 2015 Gold
ATTN! MARKETING PR – ROSÉ
Left Field Hawkes Bay Rosé 2017 Gold Trophy
WINEWORKS – SPARKLING WINE
Alpha Domus AD Cumulus Methode Traditionelle 2015 Silver Best In Class
