New Zealand Wines Scoop 4 Best Varietals

Friday, 09 July 2004

New Zealand Wines Scoop 4 Best Varietals at Top US Competition

New Zealand wines scooped Best Varietals for Pinot Noir, Sauvignon Blanc, Gewurztraminer and Chenin Blanc at America’s largest and most prestigious wine competition, the San Francisco International Wine Competition 2004 which took place on June 11-13 in San Francisco. Overall New Zealand wines secured 11 Double Golds out of a total 85 awarded and received 20% of the Best Varietals awards, more than any other importing nation. Of the 54 New Zealand wines entered into the competition, 20% gained Double Gold, the highest ratio for any country.

The four Best Varietals (and Double Golds) comprised: Amisfield Central Otago Pinot Noir 2002 by Amisfield (Lake Hayes Winery) (Double Gold & Best Pinot Noir) Whitehaven Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2003 by Whitehaven Wine Company (Double Gold & Best Sauvignon Blanc) Spy Valley Marlborough Gewurztraminer 2003 by Spy Valley Wines (Double Gold & Best Gewurztraminer) Millton Te Arai Vineyard Gisborne Chenin Blanc 2002 by The Millton Vineyard (Double Gold & Best Chenin Blanc)

Additionally in the Double Gold category, white wine showed well with Sauvignon Blanc capturing a further five medals, followed by Riesling, which gained two medals.

Seven further Double Golds were awarded to: Brancott Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2003 by Brancott Vineyards (Montana Wines) Seifried Nelson Sauvignon Blanc 2003 by Seifried Estate The Crossings, Catherine’s Run Reserve Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2002 by The Crossings Nobilo Icon Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2003 by House of Nobilo Wither Hills Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2004 by Wither Hills Vineyards Spy Valley Marlborough Riesling 2003 by Spy Valley Wines Seifried Nelson Riesling 2003 by Seifried Estate

The San Francisco International Wine Competition is organised by The Anthony Dias Blue Organisation in conjunction with leading food and wine magazine, Bon Appetit. Almost 3,800 wines were entered from 946 wineries in 21 countries, making the competition the most important international wine judging event in the United States. This year the competition awarded 20 Best Varietals and 85 Double Gold medals. The Double Gold medal is reserved for those wines that receive a unanimous vote for a gold medal by a particular panel of judges.

Chris Yorke, Marketing Manager for New Zealand Winegrowers comments on the results, “This is a stunning result for the individual brands, but also a great achievement for New Zealand wines as a whole. The USA is the second largest and fastest growing market for New Zealand wine. Winning four Best Varietals and gaining 11 Double Gold medals will certainly help anchor our premium image within the American trade and wine drinking public, which should in turn lead to even greater levels of sales growth”.

In addition to the 11 Double Golds, New Zealand wines won 3 further Golds: Newton Forrest Estate Cornerstone Hawkes Bay Syrah 2002 by Forrest Estate Winery Forrest Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2003 by Forrest Estate Winery Millton Opou Vineyard Gisborne Riesling 2002 by The Millton Vineyard Ends.

ENDS

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