The results of the fifth Spiegelau International Wine Competition have been announced. Of 1,263 wines entered for judging, there were 83 (6.57%) gold medals, 248 (19.64%) silver and 519 (41.09%) bronzes awarded, making a total of 850 (67.3%) of the total winning a medal.
The most successful class was Chardonnay with 14 golds from 145 wines entered for judging. Half of these were from Hawke’s Bay, and half were from the 2014 vintage. There were 13 golds awarded to Pinot Noir from 225 wines judged. Central Otago and Marlborough shared the honours, and both 2013 and 2014 wines showed well. There were 9 Sauvignon Blanc golds from 160 entered, the winners all from Marlborough and 2014, bar one from Nelson and one wine a 2015.
Low gold medal winning categories were Pinot Gris, with 4 golds from 102 wines judged, and Shiraz/Syrah, with 5 golds from 107 entries. In the latter class, only one of the five golds was a New Zealand wine. The Merlot class, with 5 golds were all from Hawke’s Bay, from both 2013 and 2014. In the 4 Cabernet Sauvignon golds, there were 2 each from Australia and New Zealand. Of the 6 sparkling golds, 3 were French Champagne.
The most successful exhibitor was the Villa Maria Estates group, with 12 golds for Villa Maria, 3 for Vidal Estate and 2 each for Esk Valley and Te Awa. The 19 golds are almost a quarter of the total awarded at the show. Saint Clair took 4 golds and Giesen won 3 gold medals.
The Spiegelau IWC is owned and operated by Belinda Jackson and Margaret Cresswell of Wine Competition Ltd, and with Spiegelau as the principal sponsor, style-specific stemware are used for the judging. The judging was conducted over 16-14 July with Mike de Garis as chairman of judges, and Jeff Clarke, Warren Gibson, Olly Masters, Simon Nunns, Kate Radburnd, Jane Skilton MW, Jane Boyle, Jo Burzynska, Sam Kim, Simon Waghorn, Tyson Stelzer and Patrick Haddock as senior judges, the latter two as guests from Australia. www.spiegelauiwc.co.nz
Here is a list of the gold medal wines. The full medal results will be posted on www.spiegelauiwc.co.nz and on www.wineshow.co.nz in due course. The trophy winners will be announced at the awards dinner on Friday 7 August.
Sparkling
Champagne Billecart-Salmon Brut Reserve NV
Piper Heidsieck Cuveé Brut NV
Champagne Billecart-Salmon Brut Rosé NV
Hunter’s ‘MiruMiru’ Reserve 2010
Lindauer ‘Classic’ Brut NV
Daniel Le Brun Methode Traditionnelle Rosé NV
Gewurztraminer
Giesen ‘The Brothers’ Marlborough Gewurztraminer 2014
Lawson’s Dry Hills Gewurztraminer 2014
Spy Valley Gewurztraminer 2014
Pinot Gris
Mud House Marlborough Pinot Gris 2014
Giesen Marlborough Pinot Gris 2015
Wither Hills Marlborough Pinot Gris 2014
Sea Level ‘Home Block’ Pinot Gris 2014
Riesling
Dashwood Riesling 2014
Loveblock Vintners Bone Dry Riesling 2011
Peregrine Riesling 2010
Saint Clair ‘Pioneer Block – 9 Big John’ Riesling 2013
Sauvignon Blanc
Mount Ara Sauvignon Blanc 2014
Twin Islands Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2014
Saint Clair ‘Pioneer Block 20 – Cash Block’ Sauvignon Blanc 2014
Saint Clair ‘Wairau Reserve’ Sauvignon Blanc 2014
Aotea Nelson Sauvignon Blanc 2015
Rapaura Springs ‘Reserve’ Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2014
Stanley Estates Sauvignon Blanc 2014
Tinpot Hut Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2014
Villa Maria ‘Cellar Selection’ Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2014
Chardonnay
Elephant Hill Chardonnay 2014
Esk Valley ‘Winemakers Reserve’ Hawke’s Bay Chardonnay 2013
Wither Hills Marlborough Chardonnay 2013
Marsden Estate ‘Black Rocks’ Chardonnay 2014
Matua ‘Lands & Legends’ Hawke’s Bay Chardonnay 2014
Mudbrick Vineyard ‘Reserve’ Chardonnay 2014
Saint Clair ‘Pioneer Block 11 – Cell Block’ Chardonnay 2014
Seifried Nelson Chardonnay 2014
Te Awa ‘Single Estate’ Hawke’s Bay Chardonnay 2014
Vidal ‘Legacy’ Hawke’s Bay Chardonnay 2014
Villa Maria ‘Reserve’ Gisborne Barrique Fermented Chardonnay 2014
Villa Maria ‘Reserve’ Hawke’s Bay Chardonnay 2014
Villa Maria ‘Reserve’ Hawke’s Bay Chardonnay 2013
Villa Maria ‘Single Vineyard – Ihumatao’ Chardonnay 2013
Viognier and Other Whites
Askerne Viognier 2014
Echo Viognier 2014
Bimbadgen ‘Signature’ ‘Palmer’s Lane’ Semillon 2014
Matawhero ‘Church House’ Chenin Blanc 2014
Mystery Creek Muscat 2014
Yealands Estate Grüner Veltliner 2014
Sweet wines
Giesen ‘The Brothers’ Marlborough Late Harvest Sauvignon Blanc 2012
Seifried Nelson ‘Winemakers Collection’ ‘Sweet Agnes’ Riesling 2015
Villa Maria ‘Reserve’ Marlborough Noble Riesling Botrytis Selection 2013
Rosé
Villa Maria ‘Private Bin’ Hawke’s Bay Rosé 2015
Pinot Noir
Mud House Central Otago Pinot Noir 2014
Bannock Brae “Barrel Selection” Pinot Noir 2013
Brightwater Vineyards Nelson Pinot Noir 2014
HãHã ‘Reserve’ Marlborough Pinot Noir 2014
Te Kairanga ‘Runholder’ Pinot Noir 2014
Maude Pinot Noir 2014
Saddleback Pinot Noir 2014
SOHO ‘McQueen’ Pinot Noir 2014
Summerhouse Marlborough Pinot Noir 2013
Tiki ‘Koro’ Central Otago Pinot Noir 2013
Tinpot Hut Marlborough Pinot Noir 2014
Villa Maria ‘Reserve’ Marlborough Pinot Noir 2012
Villa Maria Single Vineyard – Taylors Pass’ Pinot Noir 2012
Merlot
Sileni Estate ‘Selection’ ‘The Triangle’ Merlot 2013
Villa Maria ‘Private Bin’ Hawke’s Bay Merlot 2014
Villa Maria ‘Single Vineyard – Braided Gravels’ Organic Merlot 2013
Esk Valley Hawke’s Bay Merlot/Cabernet Sauvignon/Malbec 2014
Vidal ‘Reserve’ Hawke’s Bay Merlot/Cabernet Sauvignon 2013
Cabernet Sauvignon
Dandelion Vineyards ‘Pride of the Fleurieu Peninsula’ Cabernet Sauvignon 2014
Shingleback ‘Davey Estate Reserve’ Cabernet Sauvignon 2013
Vidal ‘Legacy’ Gimblett Gravels Hawke’s Bay Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot 2010
Villa Maria ‘Reserve’ Gimblett Gravels Hawke’s Bay Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot 2013
Shiraz/Syrah
Krondorf ‘Growers’ Barossa Shiraz 2013
Sandalford Margaret River Shiraz 2014
Shingleback ‘Davey Estate Reserve’ Shiraz 2013
Brown Brothers ‘Limited Release’ Shiraz 2012
Te Awa ‘Single Estate’ Gimblett Gravels Hawke’s Bay Syrah 2013
Other Reds
Vigne Vecchie Primitivo di Manduria 2012
Yalumba ‘The Strapper’ Grenache/Shiraz/Mataro 2012
Obsidian ‘The Mayor’ 2013
Red Knot McLaren Vale Grenache/Shiraz/Mourvedre 2014
Flying Solo Grenache Syrah 2014
Fortified
Buller Fine Old Muscat
