The trophy awards and winners of the 2016 Hawke’s Bay A&P Bayleys Wine Awards were announced at the awards dinner on 18 October. The Champion Wine of the Show was the Boundary Vineyards Farm Lane Hawke’s Bay Syrah 2015, a wine under the Pernod-Ricard portfolio. The wine also won the Champion Syrah and Champion Commercial Red Wine trophies, and the sibling Church Road Winery took trophies for the Reserve Wine of Show for the Church Road Blanc de Noirs 2006, it also taking the Champion Sparkling Trophy, in addition to the Church Road McDonald Series Merlot 2013 winning the Champion Merlot Trophy. In all, it was a very successful showing by Pernod-Ricard.
In total, there were 380 entries, yielding 40 (10.53%) gold medals, 81 (21.32%) silver and 138 (36.32%) bronzes, with a total of 259 (68.16%) winning an award. The judging was held at EIT, Hastings over 26 and 27 September by a team chaired by Warren Gibson. The overseas judges were Patrick Comiskey of Los Angeles and Sue Bastian of Adelaide, the local panel members being Rod Easthope, Yvonne Lorkin, Emma Jenkins MW and Huw Kinch as senior judges, and, Murray Cook, Lydia Hartshorne, Richard Tollenar and Lucas Percy as associates.
The Hawke’s Bay Wine Awards are in their 16th year, making it the oldest regional wine show in New Zealand. I applaud these shows as they focus on the strengths and accept the character of the region. The work load for the judges is less demanding than the major shows, and as a result the wines receive more consideration in their assessment. www.showgroundshb.co.nz/hawkes-bay-wine-awards.php
The Major Award Winners
The Hawke’s Bay Wine Awards has a broad perspective in supporting the region’s industry, especially with students and up-and-coming personnel. Here I list the major award winners:
Champion Wine of Show
Pernod Ricard
Boundary Vineyards Farm Lane Hawke’s Bay Syrah 2015
Reserve Champion Wine of Show
Church Road
Church Road Blanc de Noirs 2006
Champion Commercial Red Wine
Pernod Ricard
Boundary Vineyards Farm Lane Hawke’s Bay Syrah 2015
Champion Commercial White Wine
Junction
Junction Pastime Pinot Gris 2015
Champion Export Wine of Show
Villa Maria
Villa Maria Private Bin Hawkes Bay Rosé 2016
Best Student Wine
Jascha Oldham-Selak
Hawke’s Bay A&P Society Young Vintners Scholarship
Ben Jones
House of Travel Hastings & Havelock North Hawke’s Bay Cellar Door of the Year
Black Barn Vineyards
Langley Twigg Outstanding Wine of Provenance
Newton Forrest Cornerstone
The Gold Medal and Trophy Winners
Here are the 40 gold medal winning wines. The trophy winner is listed first, the rest alphabetically. (One wine, the Viognier, is a silver medal winner, Best in Class) For full list of gold, silver and bronze medal winners, visit www.showgroundshb.co.nz/admin/uploads/file/wine-awards/2016-results.pdf
Merlot
Church Road McDonald Series Merlot 2013 – Trophy
Coopers Creek Hawkes Bay Merlot 2013
Montana Winemakers Series Hawke’s Bay Merlot 2015
Villa Maria Single Vineyard Braided Gravels Organic Merlot 2013
Red Blends – Merlot Dominant
Pask Small Batch Trilliant 2014 – Trophy
Askerne Merlot Cabernet Franc Cabernet Sauvignon Malbec 2015
Rod McDonald Wines Quarter Acre Merlot Malbec 2015
Squawking Magpie The Nest Merlot 2014
Red Blends – Cabernet Sauvignon Dominant
Beach House Cabernet Malbec 2014 – Trophy
Sacred Hill Helmsman 2014
Vidal Legacy Gimblett Gravels Hawkes Bay Cabernet Sauvignon 2014
Syrah
Boundary Vineyards Farm Lane Hawke’s Bay Syrah 2015 – Trophy
Alpha Domus The Barnstormer Syrah 2015
Church Road McDonald Series Syrah 2014
Clearview Estate Reserve Syrah 2015
Esk Valley Winemakers Reserve Gimblett Gravels Hawkes Bay Syrah 2014
Linden Estate Reserve Syrah 2015
Mills Reef Reserve Syrah 2015
Saint Clair Hawke’s Bay Premium Gimblett Gravels Syrah 2014
Vidal Legacy Gimblett Gravels Hawkes Bay Syrah 2014
Pinot Noir
Sileni Cellar Selection Plateau Pinot Noir 2015 – Trophy
Other Premium Red Varietals and Blends
Beach House Cabernet Franc 2014
Chardonnay
Clearview Estate Reserve Chardonnay 2015 – Trophy
Askerne Chardonnay 2015
Beach House Levels Chardonnay 2015
Elephant Hill Chardonnay 2015
Ngatarawa Proprietors Reserve Hawkes Bay Chardonnay 2014
Rod McDonald Wines Quarter Acre Chardonnay 2015
Leveret Estate Reserve Chardonnay 2014
Villa Maria Reserve Hawkes Bay Chardonnay 2015
Sauvignon Blanc and/or Semillon
Sileni Cellar Selection Cape Sauvignon Blanc 2015 – Trophy
Church Road Grand Reserve Sauvignon Blanc 2014
Pinot Gris
Petane Station Pinot Gris 2015 – Trophy
Junction Pastime Pinot Gris 2015
Viognier
Saint Clair Hawke’s Bay Premium Viognier 2015 – Silver, Best in Class
Premium White Varietals
Lime Rock Grüner Veltliner 2016 – Trophy
Sweet Whites
Alpha Domus AD Noble Selection 2015 – Trophy
Ngatarawa Proprietors Reserve Hawkes Bay Noble Riesling 2014
Rosé
Villa Maria Private Bin Hawkes Bay Rosé 2016 – Trophy
Left Field Hawkes Bay Rosé 2016
Sparkling Wine
Church Road Blanc de Noirs 2006 – Trophy
