2018 Hawke’s Bay Wine Awards winners announced
17th October 2018
Last night, the annual Hawke’s Bay Wine Awards wine awards were held in the picturesque Waikoko Gardens of the Showgrounds Hawke’s Bay Tomoana in Hastings. Now in its 18th year, the black-tie awards attracted a sell-out crowd of 500 of Hawke’s Bay’s winemaking and wine-loving community to celebrate the region’s winemaking champions.
Church Road and Villa Maria Group were front runners of the night, picking up 6 and 9 trophies respectively with the Villa Maria Single Vineyard Keltern Chardonnay 2017 taking out the prestigious “Champion Wine of Show”.
New for this year was the Hawke’s Bay Winegrowers “Hall of Fame”, introduced to celebrate those who have demonstrated exemplary commitment, innovation and dedication to growing the Hawke’s Bay wine industry. The inaugural 2018 winner was John Buck, owner and founder of Te Mata Estate whose announcement was met with a standing ovation from the floor.
Sally Jackson, General Manager of the Hawke’s Bay A & P Society who own and event manage the Bayleys Hawke’s Bay Wine Awards said they were very proud of the awards success to date. “This is New Zealand’s longest running regional competition and is vital to the overall objectives of the Hawke’s Bay A&P Society. By being able to facilitate the celebration of winemaking excellence in Hawke’s Bay we are also able to endorse the valued contribution of viticulture and the primary sector to the economic, cultural and social wellbeing of Hawke’s Bay which is really what the A&P Society is all about”.
Rod Easthope, Winemaker and Owner of Easthope Family Winegrowers, in his second year as Chairman of Judges said that having judged many wine shows in New Zealand and abroad, it is fair to say that the Hawke’s Bay A&P Bayley’s Wine Awards are the most exciting to be involved in. He stated, “The sheer diversity of wines from our vast region of differing soils and microclimates make for two full days of fascinating evaluation.”
Easthope
explained “There are two prime roles of a Wine Show,
firstly to recognise the region’s best wines and secondly,
to help promote the region’s best to the wine loving
public here and in our export markets. This can’t happen
without a thoughtfully assembled panel of judges. In the
past, local winemakers dominated the panels, however, the
trend in recent years is to utilise a greater diversity of
wine experience, whether that be geographical or
vocational.
Having a balance of technical palates
alongside commentators, who often have more contemporary
knowledge of what works in the market, is now critical to
ensure relevant results. We were fortunate to be able to
assemble a panel of 13 judges from Hawke’s Bay, greater
New Zealand and overseas who did a fantastic job selecting
worthy winners”
Official
Results:
Hawke’s Bay A & P Bayleys Wine Awards
Champion Wine of the Show
Villa Maria Single
Vineyard Keltern Chardonnay 2017
Hawke’s
Bay A & P Bayleys Wine Awards Reserve Champion Wine of the
Show
Villa Maria Reserve Gimblett Gravels
Hawkes Bay Syrah 2016
Jenny Nillson House of
Travel Hawke’s Bay Cellar Door
Trinity
Hill
Logan Stone – Champion
Merlot
Church Road McDonald Series Merlot
2015
No9 – Champion Re Blends Cabernet
Sauvignon Dominant
Trinity Hill Gimblett
Gravels “The Gimblett” 2016
Bay Mazda
Hawke’s Bay – Champion Red Blends Merlot
Dominant
Te Awa Single Estate Gimblett
Gravels Hawkes Bay Merlot Cabernet Sauvignon
2016
Fluidex Transport Ltd – Champion
Syrah
Villa Maria Reserve Gimblett Gravels
Hawkes Bay Syrah 2016
Moore Stephens
Markham’s – Champion Pinot Noir
Best in
Class: Sileni Estates Estate Selection Plateau Pinot Noir
2017
Great Things Grow Here – Champion
Other Premium Red Varietals and Blends
Church
Road 1 Malbec 2016
ATI Engineering Ltd –
Champion Chardonnay
Villa Maria Single
Vineyard Keltern Chardonnay 2017
Hawke’s
Bay Wine Company – Champion Sauvignon Blanc and / or
Semillon
Best in Class: Church Road Sauvignon
Blanc 2017
Somerset Smith Partners –
Champion Pinot Gris
Esk Valley Hawkes Bay
Pinot Gris 2018
Kauri NZ Ltd – Champion
Premium White Varietals
Villa Maria Single
Vineyard Braided Gravels Albariño
2017
Hurford Parker Insurance Brokers Ltd –
Champion Sweet Wines
Leveret Reserve
Hawke’s Bay Late Harvest Viognier
2016
Langley Twigg – Champion Outstanding
Wine of the Provenance Class
Sacred Hill
Special Selection Riflemans Chardonnay 2016 / 2009/
2006
Connec+ - Champion
Rosé
Esk Valley Hawkes Bay Rosé
2018
Wineworks HB – Champion Sparkling
Wine
Church Road Blanc de Noir
2014
NZ Frost Fans – Champion Export Wine
of the Show
Church Road McDonald Series
Merlot 2015
Vintech Pacific Wine Technologies
– Champion Commercial White or Rosé
Wine
Esk Valley Hawkes Bay Rosé
2018
O-I New Zealand – Champion Commercial
Red Wine
Church Road McDonald Series Merlot
2015
EIT – Best Student
Wine
Sanne Witteveen Methode
Rosé
ENDS