The medal results of the 11th New Zealand International Wine Show have been released. This show, run by the indefatigable Kingsley Wood of First Glass Wines & Spirits in Takapuna, is this country’s largest wine show requiring incomparable logistical and organisation skills, but the results give a wonderful overview of the wine market in New Zealand, giving excellent recommendations on crowded shelves.
Of 2,103 entries from 10 countries, there were 221 (10.51%) gold medals awarded by a team of 28 judges led by Bob Campbell MW, with assistant chief judges John Hancock, Larry McKenna and Kim Milne MW. The wines were judged over 7-9 September in Auckland, and the trophy winners, as well as the ‘Legend of New Zealand Wine’ recipient of the Sir George Fistonich medal will be announced at the awards dinner on Saturday 26 September. www.nziws.co.nz
Analysis of the Results
Chardonnay continues its dream run as a category with 26 gold medals. Of these, 11 were from Hawke’s Bay and 7 from Marlborough. 2014 appears to be an excellent vintage for the variety with 18 golds. Of the gold medals for Chardonnay, 7 were awarded to the Villa Maria group.
As usual in this show, Shiraz/Syrah was the other top category, with 39 gold medals. This represents the burgeoning numbers of Shiraz wines available on the market, and the extremely high quality of the Australian offerings seen here. The Australian wines are not necessarily expensive and top-end labels, indicating the great value to be had here. Of the Shiraz/Syrah golds, there were 6 from New Zealand, 4 from Hawke’s Bay and 2 from Waiheke Island.
Pinot Noir put up 25 golds, no doubt from a large contingent of entries, with Central Otago taking 11 golds and Marlborough winning 7 golds. It is good to see the Martinborough/Wairarapa region with 5 golds with this variety. The 2014 and 2013 vintages have proven to be successes, with 15 and 9 golds in Pinot Noir respectively.
Also from large numbers of entries, there were 20 golds for Sauvignon Blanc, 19 from the 2015 vintage, and predominantly from Marlborough, confirming the talk about the quality of the vintage there. I particularly enjoy these wines, seeing them with a marvellous array of aromas and flavours, feeling they will show their best relatively early.
It is good to see successes in Riesling with 13 golds, 9 from Marlborough, and a number from older vintages, indicating their ability to age well. In the aromatic arena, Pinot Gris took 9 golds with 6 of these from Marlborough.
In the Champagne and Sparkling class, there were 18 golds, it being no surprise that half of the golds being French Champagne. Rosé wines have made a strong showing with 6 golds, when last year there was only one gold awarded. This is a growing segment of the market, and the standard of the wines being made is clearly rising.
The Bordeaux varietal results show the usual dichotomy. The Australian Cabernet Sauvignon-based wines taking 8 of the 10 gold medals, whereas New Zealand took 11 of the 12 Merlot-based gold medals, all of these from Hawke’s Bay. The outstanding 2013 vintage was rewarded here, and 2014 also looks very good.
Relatively disappointing were Gewurztraminer with only 4 golds and the specialty whites including Viognier with 2 golds. However, with 5 golds for Sweet Wines, 16 International golds and 13 Fortified golds, there’s variety being rewarded.
As far as a single producer looking on top, it appears the Villa Maria group continues to shine, with 22 golds in this show, that’s just about 10% of them.
Following are the 221 gold medal wines:
Chardonnay
Askerne Reserve Chardonnay2014
Black Barn Vineyards Reserve Chardonnay2014
Church Road Grand Reserve Hawke’s Bay Chardonnay2013
Church Road Hawke’s Bay Chardonnay2014
Cumulus Chardonnay2014
Delegat Crownthorpe Terraces Hawkes Bay Chardonnay2014
Esk Valley Winemakers Reserve Hawkes Bay Chardonnay2014
Giesen The Fuder Clayvin Chardonnay2013
Invivo Central Otago Michelle’s Chardonnay2013
Iron Cloud Rock of Solitude Chardonnay2014
Lochiel Estate Chardonnay2014
Matua Single Vineyard Marlborough Chardonnay2014
Milcrest Estate Reserve Chardonnay2014
Mission Estate Reserve Chardonnay2014
Saint Clair Pioneer Block 10 Twin Hills Chardonnay2013
Saint Clair Pioneer Block 11 Cell Block Chardonnay2013
Seifried Nelson Chardonnay2014
The Landing Chardonnay2014
Theory & Practice Chardonnay2014
Vidal Legacy Hawkes Bay Chardonnay2010
Vidal Legacy Hawkes Bay Chardonnay2014
Villa Maria Reserve Gisborne Barrique Fermented Chardonnay2014
Villa Maria Reserve Hawkes Bay Chardonnay2013
Villa Maria Single Vineyard Taylors Pass Chardonnay2013
Villa Maria Single Vineyard Taylors Pass Chardonnay2014
Whitehaven Marlborough Chardonnay2014
Sauvignon Blanc
Ana Sauvignon Blanc2015
Aotea by Seifried Nelson Sauvignon Blanc2015
Brancott Estate Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc2015
Giesen The August 1888 Sauvignon Blanc2012
Lake Chalice “The Raptor” Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc2015
Lake Chalice Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc2015
Mount Riley Limited Release Sauvignon Blanc2015
Music Bay Spring Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc Light Alcohol2015
Paddy Borthwick Sauvignon Blanc2014
Savee Sea Sauvignon Blanc2015
Selaks Founders Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough2015
Sileni Cellar Selection Sauvignon Blanc2015
Sileni Estate Selection ‘The Straits’ Sauvignon Blanc2015
Stoneleigh Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc2015
Stoneleigh Rapaura Series Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc2015
Sugar Loaf Sauvignon Blanc2015
The Kings Favour Sauvignon Blanc2015
The Sounds Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc2015
Vidal Estate Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc2015
Villa Maria Reserve Wairau Valley Sauvignon Blanc2015
Riesling
Charles Wiffen Riesling2012
Forrest Dry Riesling2007
Forrest The Valleys Brancott Riesling2007
Forrest The Valleys Brancott Riesling2009
Forrest The Valleys Brancott Riesling2010
Hunter’s Marlborough Riesling2014
Hunter’s Marlborough Riesling2015
John Forrest Collection Wairau Riesling2007
Lone Goat Winemaker’s Collection Canterbury Riesling2009
Peregrine Rastasburn Riesling2010
Peregrine Riesling2010
SOHO Betty Lower Alcohol Riesling2015
Waipara Hills Waipara Valley Riesling2014
Gewurztraminer
Domaines Schlumberger Les Princes Abbes Gewurztraminer2012
Johanneshof Cellars Marlborough Gewurztraminer2014
Spy Valley Gewurztraminer2014
Whitehaven Marlborough Gewurztraminer2014
Viognier & Other White Varieties
Babich Family Estates Fernhill Viognier2014
Yealands Estate Single Vineyard Gruner Veltliner2014
Pinot Gris
Esk Valley Hawkes Bay Pinot Gris2015
Framingham Pinot Gris Marlborough2014
Johanneshof Cellars Marlborough Pinot Gris2015
Johner Estate Pinot Gris Wairarapa2014
SOHO Jagger Pinot Gris2015
Starborough Family Estate Pinot Gris2015
te Pa Pinot Gris2015
Villa Maria Cellar Selection Marlborough Pinot Gris2015
Villa Maria Private Bin East Coast Pinot Gris2015
Sweet Wines
Mudbrick Vineyard Reserve Noble Riesling2014
Riverby Estate Noble Riesling2014
Spy Valley Noble Riesling2014
Tohu Raiha Limited Release Noble Riesling2014
Villa Maria Reserve Marlborough Noble Semillon2011
Champagne, Methode Traditionelle & Sparkling
Champagne Ayala Brut MajeurNV
Champagne Bollinger Special CuvéeNV
Champagne de Castelnau Brut ReserveNV
Champagne de Castelnau RoséNV
Champagne Laurent-Perrier Cuvee RoseNV
Daniel Le Brun Methode Traditionelle Blanc de Blanc2009
Daniel Le Brun Methode Traditionelle BrutNV
Daniel Le Brun Methode Traditionelle RoseNV
Deutz Marlborough Prestige Cuvée2012
Drappier Carte d’Or ChampagneNV
Eight Carat Sparkling ShirazNV
Hawkesbridge Marlborough Methode Traditionelle2011
Lindauer Classic BrutNV
Lindauer Special Reserve BrutNV
Louis Roederer Brut Premier ChampagneNV
Louis Roederer Brut Vintage Champagne2008
Piper Heidsieck Cuvee Brut ChampagneNV
Verde Methode Traditionelle BrutNV
Rosé and Blush
Clearview Estate Black Reef Blush2015
Left Field Hawkes Bay Rose2015
MIDDLE-EARTH Pinot Meunier Rosé2015
The Ned Pinot Rose2015
Tiki Estate Marlborough Pinot Noir Rosé2015
Tono Rosado2015
Cabernet Sauvignon & Cabernet Predominant Blends
Church Road Grand Reserve Hawke’s Bay Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot2013
Kirrihill Wines, Regional Range, Clare Valley Cabernet Sauvignon2014
Newton Forrest Cornerstone2013
Pillar Box Cabernet Sauvignon2012
Pillar Box Cabernet Sauvignon2013
Shingleback D Block Reserve McLaren Vale Cabernet Sauvignon2012
Shingleback Davey Estate Reserve McLaren Vale Cabernet Sauvignon2013
Taylors Cabernet Sauvignon2014
Thorn Clarke William Randell Cabernet Sauvignon2012
Zonte’s Footstep Avalon Tree Cabernet2013
Merlot & Merlot Predominant Blends
Bird in Hand Merlot2013
Church Road Hawke’s Bay Merlot Malbec Cabernet2013
Church Road McDonald Series Hawke’s Bay Merlot2013
Delegat Crownthorpe Terraces Hawkes Bay Merlot2014
Elephant Hill Le Phant2014
Esk Valley Gimblett Gravels Hawkes Bay Merlot Cabernet Sauvignon Malbec2014
Matua Single Vineyard Matheson Merlot2013
Sileni Estate Selection ‘The Triangle’ Merlot2013
Squawking Magpie SQM Merlot/Malbec2013
Te Awa Single Estate Gimblett Gravels Hawkes Bay Merlot Cabernet Sauvignon2013
Villa Maria Reserve Gimblett Gravels Hawkes Bay Merlot2013
Villa Maria Single Vineyard Braided Gravels Organic Merlot2013
Malbec, Cabernet Franc or Petit Verdot Predominant
Matua Single Vineyard Hawkes Bay Malbec2013
Shiraz/Syrah and Shiraz/Syrah Predominant Blends
Cape Barren Native Goose Shiraz2013
Chalk Hill Shiraz2013
Chapel Hill ‘McLaren Vale’ Shiraz2013
Coopers Creek Reserve Hawkes Bay Syrah2013
Coopers Creek SV Hawkes Bay Syrah ‘Chalk Ridge’2013
d’Arenberg The Dead Arm Shiraz2012
Dead Letter Office2013
Eden Trail Shiraz2014
Gemtree Bloodstone Shiraz2014
Gemtree Ernest Allan Shiraz2013
Gemtree Obsidian Shiraz2013
Gemtree uncut Shiraz2013
Haselgrove First Cut Shiraz2013
Heirloom Vineyards McLaren Vale Shiraz2014
Kilikanoon ‘Killermans Run’ Shiraz2013
Kirrihill Wines, Vineyard Selection, Clare Valley, Tullymore Vineyard Shiraz2013
Landaire Shiraz, Single Vineyard Estate Grown2012
Lavina Grand Royale McLaren Vale Shiraz2012
Matua Single Vineyard Matheson Syrah2013
Morambro Creek Shiraz2013
Mudbrick Vineyard Reserve Syrah2014
Nest Egg Shiraz2012
Nest Egg Shiraz2013
Penny’s Hill Cracking Black Shiraz2013
Pillar Box Shiraz2013
Pirramimma Katunga Shiraz2012
Serafino Sharktooth Shiraz2012
Serafino Shiraz2013
Shingleback D Block Reserve McLaren Vale Shiraz2012
SOHO Valentina Syrah2014
Squid Ink Shiraz2013
Taylors Eighty Acres Shiraz2014
Taylors St Andrews Shiraz2013
Thorn Clarke William Randell Shiraz2012
Three Dark Horses Shiraz2014
Villa Maria Reserve Gimblett Gravels Hawkes Bay Syrah2011
Willunga 100 Shiraz Viognier2013
Yalumba Hand Picked Shiraz Viognier2012
Zonte’s Footstep Z Force Shiraz Petit Sirah2013
Blends with Shiraz
Rolling Grenache Shiraz Mourvedre2013
Willunga 100 Cabernet Shiraz2013
Pinot Noir
8 Ranges “Tussock Ridge” Pinot Noir2014
Akarua Pinot Noir2013
Alexander Dusty Road Pinot Noir2014
Alexander Martinborough Pinot Noir2014
Ara Select Blocks Pinot Noir2012
Bannock Brae Goldfields Pinot Noir2013
Black Grape Society Central Otago Pinot Noir2013
Freeland Central Otago Pinot Noir2014
Gibbston Valley Glenlee Pinot Noir2014
Johner Estate Pinot Noir Reserve2013
Lake Hayes Pinot Noir2014
Lawson’s Dry Hills Reserve Pinot Noir2013
Matua Lands & Legends Central Otago Pinot Noir2014
McManis Family Vineyards Pinot Noir2014
Mystery Creek Reserve Waikato Pinot Noir2013
Nanny Goat Vineyard Central Otago Pinot Noir2014
Nautilus Marlborough Pinot Noir2013
RUA Pinot Noir2014
SOHO Havana Pinot Noir2014
Te Kairanga John Martin Pinot Noir2014
Te Kairanga Runholder Pinot Noir2014
The Crossings Pinot Noir2014
Villa Maria Single Vineyard Southern Clays Pinot Noir2013
Villa Maria Single Vineyard Taylors Pass Pinot Noir2013
Wooing Tree Beetle Juice Pinot Noir2014
International & Other Red Varieties
Altacena Tempranillo2014
Artero Tempranillo2014
Bird in Hand Montepulciano2014
Caravan Petite Sirah2014
Chalk Hill Barbera2013
Elefante Tempranillo Shiraz2014
Farnese Edizione – Edition 152010
Gonzalez Byass Finca Constancia Parcela 23 Tempranillo2013
Landaire Tempranillo, Single Vineyard Estate Grown2014
Mr Riggs Montepulciano d’Adelaide2014
Perrin Reserve Rouge Cotes du Rhone2012
Sebastiani Sonoma Zinfandel2012
Serafino Bellissimo Lagrein2013
Villa Maria Cellar Selection Hawkes Bay Grenache2014
Zabu Chiantari Nero d’Avola Terre Siciliane IGT2014
Zabu II Passo2014
Fortified Wines
Buller Fine OldMuscat
Buller Fine OldTokay
Campbells RutherglenMuscat
Campbells RutherglenTopaque
Croft Vintage Port2011
GalwayPipe
Grahams 10YOTawny
Grahams SixGrapes
Krohn QRN 2009 Vintage Port2009
Osborne 10YOPort
Osborne LBV Port2009
Osborne Pedro XiminexSherry
Williams & Humbert collection 12 year oldPX
