For Immediate Release

Wednesday 14th September 2011

Fresh Faces and New Classes Announced for 2011 HB A&P Mercedes-Benz Wine Awards.

A healthy 338 wine entries have poured in so far for the 2011 Hawke’s Bay A&P Mercedes-Benz Wine Awards and a shiny new team of judges has been assembled and will descend upon Napier’s Eastern Institute of Technology Sensory Laboratory on the 19th and 20th September.

Rod McDonald will again chair the judging, and senior judges include multi-award winning winemakers and experienced international judges Steve Flamsteed (Giant Steps/Innocent Bystander Wines – Yarra Valley), Warren Gibson (Trinity Hill), Cath Oats (Mudhouse) and Ant Mackenzie (Te Awa/Kidnapper Cliffs) along with wine writers Matt Deller and Joelle Thomson and four highly skilled associate judges.

“Hawke’s Bay is and always has been the most diverse wine region in New Zealand and the most consistent for outstanding Chardonnays and reds based on Cabernet and Merlot, so it makes a pleasant change from the pinot-saturation our country is going through to judge at this years show” says Joelle Thomson. “That said there are pockets of the ‘Bay’ which are moving into pinot noir with impressive results and I look forward to tasting the vinous fruits from this sunny and beautiful region”.

Responding to demand from local wineries, a new Sparkling wine class has been created and has already attracted a solid number of entries. Also from 2011, all wines that win a trophy will gain automatic and free entry into the Museum class. At the A&P Society’s cost, the wines will be carefully cellared and re-entered into the Museum Class category for the next 12 years. To ensure the highest calibre of Museum entries each year, a wine which wins a bronze or less will not be entered the following year.

“We are committed to developing the pedigree for Hawke’s Bay Wine and must develop not only the recognition but also understanding of how HB wine ages” says Max Morton, Chairman of the Hawke’s Bay A&P Mercedes-Benz Wine Awards Committee. “This is a major building block to cementing international, national and regional credibility for our wines”.

To ensure credibility and an improvement of the breed, an exhibitor tasting will be held on the 21st September where vineyard and winery staff can critically compare their own products with those of their peers. Medal results will be available that day and senior judges will also be on hand to discuss wine styles along with category highs and disappointments.

There will be no disappointments however for those fortunate enough to get tickets to the Awards Dinner at Hastings Waikoko Gardens on October the 18th because along with a slew of gold medal wines, the food and entertainment will be top notch – the details of which will be announced next week.

ENDS

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