6 of 14 Wine Prizes go to NZ Wines

Six of the total 14 prizes in the Wine of the Year for Australia & New Zealand went to NZ wines in the 2013 Winestate Awards announced this week.

Australia's Wolf Blass Platinum Label Barossa Shiraz 2010 was declared Wine of the Year for Australia & New Zealand.

Winestate NZ Winery of the Year 2013: Villa Maria Ltd Highest scored results audited across the year with wines achieving points across all categories.

Winestate Winemaker of the Year, NZ: Chris Scott (Church Road) Highest score from the top 10 different wines judged throughout the year.

South Australian winery, Wolf Blass Wines, demonstrated the depth of its winemaking credentials by taking out the Wine Of The Year honours at the 2013 Australasian WINESTATE Awards.

"As a finalist from over 11,000 wines judged this year, where less than 5% of wines entered reached the finalist stage, and with undoubtedly the toughest peer reviewed blind judging in Australia or NZ, any Winestate Medal is truly deserved," said Winestate Publisher Peter Simic.

Winestate's Editor for NZ, Michael Cooper confirmed there were over 3,000 NZ wines tasted and reviewed in 2013. Mr Cooper is New Zealand's most acclaimed wine writer and is chairman of Winestate's New Zealand tasting panel.

Trophies have been presented in Australia to local winners of each of the 14 categories with Matt O'Leary (Treasury Wine Estates Ltd) accepting the Trophy for Wine of the Year, Australia & NZ for 2013, for the Wolf Blass Barossa Medlands Vineyard Platinum Label 2010 Shiraz. In all 14 awards were presented, including Runner Up Wine of the Year. Eight awards went to Australian wines, with six awarded to wines from NZ.

"To be overall winner of the competition a wine has to be head and shoulders above the other category winners in terms of peer review, and the Wolf Blass Medlands Vineyard Platinum Shiraz 2010 did this in spades. "This was a wonderfully vibrant wine in both colour and also in fruit intensity," said Mr Simic.

Overall Judging Comments: Mr Simic said; "Across the board we saw world class wines, with Australia continuing to excel in medium and heavyweight reds and fortifieds whilst sharing the spoils with New Zealand across a number of varietal whites. "Not surprisingly NZ continued to dominate with Sauvignon Blancs and Pinot Gris/Grigio and Pinot Noir wines."

RESULTS ~ WINESTATE 'WINE OF THE YEAR' AWARDS 2013 Wine of the Year: Wolf Blass Medlands Vineyard Platinum Label Barossa Shiraz 2010 Runner up: Coldstream Hills Yarra Valley Sparkling Chardonnay Pinot Noir 2009

Australasian ~ category winners: Winners of a final taste-off of the top 5 in each class Shiraz / Syrah: Wolf Blass Medlands Vineyard Platinum Label Barossa Shiraz 2010 (Aust) Cabernet & Blends: Devil's Lair Margaret River Cabernet Sauvignon 2010 (Aust) Pinot Noir: Lowburn Ferry Skeleton Creek Central Otago Pinot Noir 2011 (NZ) Merlot & Blends: Leconfield Coonawarra Merlot 2012 (Aust) Alternative Red: Palmer Margaret River Malbec 2011 (Aust) Chardonnay: Fromm La Strada Marlborough Chardonnay 2010 (NZ) Semillon: Pokolbin Estate Semillon 2004 (Aust) Sauvignon Blanc: Selaks Winemakers Favourite Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2012 (NZ) Sweet: Vidal Legacy Series Noble Semillon 2011 (NZ) Riesling: Richmond Grove Watervale Riesling 2012 (Aust) Pinot Grigio/Gris: Hawkshead Gibbston Central Otago Pinot Gris 2012 (NZ) Alternative White: Tahbilk 1927 Marsanne 2004 (Aust) Fortified: Morris of Rutherglen Old Premium Rare Liqueur Tokay NV (Aust) Sparkling: Coldstream Hills Yarra Valley Sparkling Chardonnay Pinot Noir 2009 (Aust)

(A list of top five winners per category is available.)

Winestate NZ Winery of the Year 2013: Villa Maria Ltd Highest scored results audited across the year with wines achieving points across all categories.

Winestate Winemaker of the Year, NZ: Chris Scott (Church Road) Highest score from the top 10 different wines judged throughout the year.

ENDS

© Scoop Media