New World Wine Awards 2016 – The Top 50 and Gold Medal Winners

The results of the 2016 New World Wine Awards have been released. Of the 1,319 wines entered, there were 88 (6.67%) gold medals awarded, 192 (14.56%) silver and 499 (37.83%) bronzes, making a total of 779 (59.06%) wines taking a medal award. The New World Wine Awards are unique in that the wine entered must retail at $25.00 or less, and that there must be at least 5,000 bottle available for sale. The wines are judged to the same standards and internationally recognised points system as all other major wine shows. The Top 50 wines are then made available nationwide through the chain of New World supermarkets. www.newworld.co.nz

This year’s judging was held 1-3 August in Wellington with a 13 judge team led by Jim Harre, with Sue Hodder of Wynns Coonawarra Estate, Australia as the guest overseas judge. The other judges were Jane Boyle, Terry Copeland, Simon Fell, Jack Glover, Sam Kim, Dr Alastair Leggat,Alastair Maling MW, Olly Masters, Simon Nunns, Barry Riwai and James Rowan. Eight associate judges were selected from personnel from New World stores nationwide.

The New World Wine Awards has grown in importance for the wine industry, this year seeing a record number of entries. The results of the judging are well-accepted, with over 320.000 bottles worth $4.6m retail sold in the first six weeks of the promotion. The full results of the 2016 New World Wine Awards are available on www.newworld.co.nz/media/7431342/nwwa_2016_a4_medal_results_web_lr__1_.pdf The website has plenty of information on the judging process with wine and food matches and other related subjects.

The Shiraz/Syrah class was the most successful with the most medals, 119, awarded overall, with 13 golds as well. Sauvignon Blanc wines won 13 gold medals, and Pinot Noirs took 12 gold medals, followed by 11 for Chardonnay. And there were 9 golds for Pinot Gris.

Here are the Top 50 Wines listed by variety. All are gold medal winners. The Champion Wine of each variety or category is noted:

Rapaura Springs Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2016

Thornbury Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2016

Clearview Estate Beachhead Hawkes Bay Chardonnay 2015 – Champion Chardonnay

McWilliam’s Markview Chardonnay 2015

Saint Clair James Sinclair Marlborough Chardonnay 2014

Seppelt Jaluka Chardonnay 2015

Te Kairanga Martinborough Chardonnay 2014

Mount Riley Marlborough Pinot Gris 2015

Sherwood Estate Stoney Range Pinot Gris 2016

Thornbury Waipara Pinot Gris 2016 – Champion Pinot Gris

Waimea Nelson Pinot Gris 2015

Wither Hills Marlborough Pinot Gris 2015

Woven Stone Single Vineyard Ohau Pinot Gris 2015

Giesen Riesling 2015 – Champion Riesling

Old Coach Road Nelson Lighter Riesling 2015

Brancott Estate Brut Cuvée NV – Champion Sparkling Wine

De Bortoli DB Sparkling Brut NV

Seppelt Salinger 2012

Soljans Estate Fusion Sparkling Muscat NV

Verde Gisborne Brut NV

The Ned Marlborough Pinot Rosé 2016

Esk Valley Marlborough Pinot Noir 2015 – Champion Pinot Noir

Goldfields Central Otago Pinot Noir 2014

Pick & Shovel Central Otago Pinot Noir 2015

Rapaura Springs Reserve Marlborough Pinot Noir 2015

Thornbury Central Otago Pinot Noir 2015

Tohu Awatere Valley Pinot Noir 2015

Vidal Reserve Marlborough Pinot Noir 2015

Waipara Hills Waipara Valley Pinot Noir 2015

Henry’s Drive Pillar Box Red Shiraz Cabernet Sauvignon 2013

Kirrihill Regional Selection Shiraz 2015

Mission Estate Reserve Gimblett Gravels Syrah 2015 – Champion Shiraz & Syrah

Ngatarawa Glazebrook Regional Reserve Hawkes Bay Syrah 2015

VNO Shiraz 2014

Wolf Blass ‘Blass’ Shiraz 2015

Brancott Estate Hawke’s Bay Merlot 2015

Mesta Tempranillo 2015

Mission Estate Reserve Hawkes Bay Cabernet Sauvignon 2014

Sandalford Estate Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2014 – Champion Single Varietal Red

Villa Maria Private Bin Hawkes Bay Merlot 2015

Church Road Hawke’s Bay Merlot Cabernet Malbec 2014

Esk Valley Hawkes Bay Merlot Cabernet Sauvignon Malbec 2015

Robert Oatley GSM 2015 – Champion Red Blend

The other 38 gold medal winners, not in the Top 50, may have met the price or volume requirements, are as follows:

Ara Select Blocks Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2014

Black Cottage Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2016

Harwood Hall Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2015

Vidal Estate Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2016

Villa Maria Reserve Wairau Valley Sauvignon Blanc 2015

Bird in Hand Chardonnay 2016

Bird in Hand Nest Egg Chardonnay 2015

Charles Wiffen Marlborough Chardonnay 2015

Delegat Crownthorpe Terraces Hawke’s Bay Chardonnay 2015

Houghton Margaret River Chardonnay 2015

Wolf Blass Gold Label Chardonnay 2015

Farmers Market Pinot Gris 2016

Sherwood Estate Waipara Valley Pinot Gris 2015

Yalumba Y Series Pinot Grigio 2015

Mud House The Mound Vineyard Riesling 2014

The Doctor’s Marlborough Riesling 2014

Te Hana Reserve Cuvee NV

Hunter’s Hukapapa Marlborough Dessert Riesling 2014

Stanley Estates Noble Harvest Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2014

Dawn Ghost Central Otago Pinot Noir 2013

The Ned Marlborough Pinot Noir 2015

Tinpot Hut Marlborough Pinot Noir 2014

Villa Maria Cellar Selection Marlborough Pinot Noir 2014

30 Mile Shiraz 2015

Chateau Tanunda The Chateau Single Vineyard Shiraz 2013

d’Arenberg d’Arrys Original Shiraz Grenache 2013

Grant Burge 5^th Generation Shiraz 2015

Norfolk Rise Vineyard Shiraz 2015

Trinity Hill Hawke’s Bay Syrah 2015

Zonte’s Footstep Chocolate Factory Shiraz 2015

Bird in Hand Nest Egg Cabernet Sauvignon 2013

Johnny Q Cabernet Sauvignon 2013

Grant Burge 5^th Generation Cabernet Merlot 2014

Saint Clair Premium Gimblett Gravels Cabernet Merlot 2015

Chapel Hill ‘The Parson’ Grenache Shiraz Mourvedre 2015

Pirramimma Vineyard Select GSM 2013