Hawke’s Bay Wine Awards 2015 – Trophies and Gold Medals

The trophy and major award results of the Hawke’s Bay A&P Bayleys Wine Awards 2015 were announced at the awards dinner last night. The Champion Wine of Show was the Esk Valley Winemakers Reserve Hawke’s Bay Chardonnay 2014 with the Villa Maria Cellar Selection Hawke’s Bay Syrah 2013 the Reserve Champion Wine of Show.

It was another Villa Maria group fest with the company’s labels of Villa Maria, Esk Valley and Left Field picking up 13 of the 20 major awards. Including Vidal and Te Awa, the Villa Maria group took 13 of the 27 gold medals awarded.

As can be expected for a Hawke’s Bay focussed show, Chardonnay was the most successful varietal with 7 golds, followed by Syrah with 5. Merlot and Merlot Dominant wines won 4 golds.

This is the fifteenth year of the competition and was judged at the end of September. The Chairman of Judges was Rod McDonald with Steve Smith MW, Mark Robertson, Joelle Thomson, Chuck Hayward, Cameron Douglas MS, Rod Easthope and Yvonne Lorkin as the senior judges.

The 27 golds were 7.1% of the 380 wines judged. Student wines are accepted for judging, and these are judged alongside the commercial entries, and awarded medals, but not included with the commercial results. Including the student wines, there were 407 wines judged in total.

Here are the trophy and major awards, as well as the gold medal winners. For the full list of awards, go to www.hawkesbaywineawards.co.nz

Champion Wine of Show: Esk Valley Winemakers Reserve Hawke’s Bay Chardonnay 2014

Reserve Champion Wine of Show: Villa Maria Cellar Selection Hawke’s Bay Syrah 2013

Champion Commercial Red:Villa Maria Reserve Gimblett Gravels Hawke’s Bay Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot 2013
Champion Commercial White: Esk Valley Hawke’s Bay Pinot Gris 2015
Champion Export Wine of Show: Villa Maria Cellar Selection Hawke’s Bay Merlot Cabernet Sauvignon 2013
Merlot: Villa Maria Single Vineyard Braided Gravels Organic Merlot 2013 (Trophy)
Cabernet Sauvignon Dominant Blends: Villa Maria Reserve Gimblett Gravels Hawke’s Bay Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot 2013 (Trophy)
Merlot Dominant Blends: Villa Maria Cellar Selection Hawke’s Bay Merlot Cabernet Sauvignon 2013 (Trophy)
Syrah: Villa Maria Cellar Selection Hawke’s Bay Syrah 2013 (Trophy)
Pinot Noir: Sileni Exceptional Vintage Pinot Noir 2014 (Trophy)

Other Premium Red Varietals and Blends: Villa Maria Reserve Gimblett Gravels Hawke’s Bay Malbec 2013 (Trophy)
Chardonnay: Esk Valley Winemakers Reserve Hawke’s Bay Chardonnay 2014 (Trophy)
Sauvignon Blanc and/or Semillon: Matua Hawke’s Bay Sauvignon Blanc 2014 (Trophy)
Pinot Gris: Esk Valley Hawke’s Bay Pinot Gris 2015 (Trophy)
Viognier: Saint Clair Hawke’s Bay Premium Viognier 2014 (Best in Class)
Premium White Varietals: Farmgate Chenin Blanc 2009 (Best in Class)
Sweet Wine: Ngatarawa Proprietors Reserve Noble Riesling 2014 (Trophy)
Rose: Left Field Hawke’s Bay Rosé 2015 (Trophy)
Museum: Sacred Hill Riflemans Chardonnay 2010 (Trophy)
Sparkling: Black Barn Vineyards Blanc de Blanc’s 2010 (Best in Class)

Best Student Wine: Harminder Singh

Young Vintners Scholarship: Lucas Percy

Hawke’s Bay Cellar Door of the Year: Sileni Estates

Villa Maria Single Vineyard Braided Gravels Organic Merlot 2013
Villa Maria Cellar Selection Hawke’s Bay Organic Merlot 2013

Villa Maria Reserve Gimblett Gravels Hawke’s Bay Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot 2013
Saint Clair Pioneer Block 17 Plateau Cabernet Merlot 2014

Villa Maria Cellar Selection Hawke’s Bay Merlot Cabernet Sauvignon 2013
Elephant Hill Merlot Malbec Cabernet Franc 2013

Villa Maria Cellar Selection Hawke’s Bay Syrah 2013
Matua Hawke’s Bay Syrah 2014
Te Awa Single Estate Gimblett Gravels Hawke’s Bay Syrah 2013
Villa Maria Reserve Gimblett Gravels Hawke’s Bay Syrah 2013
Crossroads Talisman Syrah 2013

Villa Maria Reserve Gimblett Gravels Hawke’s Bay Malbec 2013

Esk Valley Winemakers Reserve Hawke’s Bay Chardonnay 2014
Beach House Levels Chardonnay 2014
Church Road Grand Reserve Chardonnay 2013
Clearview Estate Beachhead Chardonnay 2014
Mills Reef Elspeth Chardonnay 2014
Vidal Legacy Hawke’s Bay Chardonnay 2014
Villa Maria Library Release Hawke’s Bay Chardonnay 2010

Matua Hawke’s Bay Sauvignon Blanc 2014

Esk Valley Hawke’s Bay Pinot Gris 2015
Selaks Reserve Pinot Gris 2015

Ngatarawa Proprietors Reserve Noble Riesling 2014

Left Field Hawke’s Bay Rosé 2015

Sacred Hill Riflemans Chardonnay 2010
Newton Forrest Estate Cornerstone 2005