Reserve Wine of Show At Prestigious Air NZ Awards

Saint Clair Wins Reserve Wine of the Show
At Prestigious Air New Zealand Wine Awards

Saint Clair Estate Wines has scooped a major award at the prestigious 2006 Air New Zealand Wine Awards (11 November), winning the trophy for Reserve Wine of the Show ahead of more than 1700 wines entered.

The company’s flagship wine, Saint Clair Wairau Reserve Sauvignon Blanc, also won the prestigious Champion Sauvignon Blanc for the best Sauvignon Blanc at the Show. This wine has now won 24 trophies and 33 gold medals over the last five vintages.

This is the second time the Marlborough winery has claimed the Sauvignon Blanc trophy at the Air New Zealand Wine Awards since it was founded by Neal and Judy Ibbotson in 1994.

Saint Clair collected a total of two trophies and seven gold medals, the highest number awarded to a single winery label at the Show, making them the most successful Sauvignon Blanc exhibitor and setting a new benchmark as New Zealand’s leading Sauvignon Blanc producer.

Neal Ibbotson, managing director of Saint Clair Estate Wines comments: ‘These Air New Zealand trophies will certainly take pride of place in our awards cabinet. We’ve won many local and international awards, but to have our Sauvignon Blanc recognised at New Zealand’s premiere wine show is very special indeed.’

Saint Clair won six of the 19 Gold medals awarded to Sauvignon Blanc, which included medals for:
- Saint Clair Wairau Reserve Sauvignon Blanc 2006 ($29.95)
- Saint Clair Pioneer Block 1 Sauvignon Blanc 2006 ($24.95)
- Saint Clair Pioneer Block 3 Sauvignon Blanc 2006 ($24.95)
- Saint Clair Pioneer Block 6 Sauvignon Blanc 2006 ($24.95)
- Saint Clair Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2006 ($19.95)
- Saint Clair Vicar’s Choice Sauvignon Blanc 2006 ($16.95)

These awards reflect Saint Clair’s ability to make excellent wines at each price point of the market, and their commitment to providing world-class wines that continually exceed the expectations of both their customers and the judges.

This latest award tops of an enormously successful year for Saint Clair, which has won the Champion Sauvignon Blanc at three other major New Zealand wine shows in 2006 (the New Zealand International Wine Show, the Liquorland Top 100 International Wine Show and the International Aromatic Wine Competition).

Saint Clair also won one of three gold medals awarded to Merlot for its Saint Clair Rapaura Reserve Merlot 2005.

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RECENT TROPHY & GOLD MEDAL AWARDS
Saint Clair Wairau Reserve Sauvignon Blanc

Saint Clair Wairau Reserve Sauvignon Blanc 2006
Trophies
- Reserve Champion Wine of the Show – Air New Zealand Wine Awards 2006
- Champion Sauvignon Blanc – Air New Zealand Wine Awards 2006

Gold medals
- Air New Zealand Wine Awards 2006
- NZ International Wine Show 2006
- International Aromatic Wine Competition 2006
- Bragato Wine Awards 2006
- Sydney International Wine Competition 2007
- Casino First Taste Awards 2006

Saint Clair Wairau Reserve Sauvignon Blanc 2005
Trophies
- Champion Sauvignon Blanc - NZ International Wine Show 2005
- Top Wine of Cuisine Sauvignon Blanc Tasting 2005

Gold medals or equivalent
- Cuisine Sauvignon Blanc Tasting 2005 (5 stars)
- NZ International Wine Show 2005
- Royal Hobart International Wine Show
- Christchurch Casino First Taste Awards 2005

Saint Clair Wairau Reserve Sauvignon Blanc 2004
Trophies
- International Sauvignon Blanc Over £10 – Decanter World Wine Awards 2005
- Regional NZ Sauvignon Blanc Over £10 – Decanter World Wine Awards 2005
- Champion Sauvignon Blanc – International Wine and Spirit Competition 2005
- Best in Class Regional Sauvignon Blanc – International Wine and Spirit Competition 2005
- Runner Up trophy Champion Sauvignon Blanc - Winestate magazine 2005
- Best Sauvignon Blanc – International Aromatic Wine Competition 2004
- Supreme Sauvignon Blanc – Casino First Taste Awards 2004
- Top of Sauvignon Blanc Class – Tri-Nations Awards 2004

Gold medals
- International Wine & Spirits Competition 2005
- Decanter World Wine Awards 2005
- Royal Easter Show Wine Awards 2005
- Air New Zealand Wine Awards 2004
- Royal Hobart International Wine Show 2004
- International Aromatic Wine Competition 2004
- Casino First Taste Sauvignon Blanc Awards 2004
- NZ Home & Entertaining magazine – 2004

Saint Clair Wairau Reserve Sauvignon Blanc 2003
Trophies
- Champion Sauvignon Blanc – Winestate magazine 2004
- International Sauvignon Blanc Trophy – International Wine Challenge 2004
- NZ Regional Sauvignon Blanc Trophy – International Wine Challenge 2004
- International Sauvignon Blanc – Decanter World Wine Awards 2004
- NZ Regional Sauvignon Blanc – Decanter World Wine Awards 2004
- Champion Sauvignon Blanc – Royal Easter Show Wine Awards 2004

Gold medals
- International Wine Challenge 2004
- Decanter World Wine Awards 2004
- Royal Easter Show Wine Awards 2004
- NZ Home & Entertaining magazine – 2004
- Air New Zealand Wine Awards 2003
- Sydney International Wine Competition 2004
- Casino Sauvignon Blanc Awards 2003

Saint Clair Wairau Reserve Sauvignon Blanc 2002
Trophies
- Silverado Trophy for Champion Sauvignon Blanc : International Wine and Spirit Competition London 2003
- Champion Sauvignon Blanc – Bragato Wine Awards 2002
- First Taste Trophy - Casino South Island Awards 2002
- People’s Choice Trophy – Casino South Island Awards 2002
- Best Sauvignon Blanc – The Wine Review Annual Challenge Singapore

Gold medals
- Air New Zealand Wine Awards 2003
- NZ Wine Society Royal Easter Show 2002
- International Wine and Spirit Competition London 2003
- Sydney Top 100 International Wine Competition 2003
- The Wine Review Annual Challenge Singapore 2003
- Bragato Wine Awards 2002
- Liquorland Top 100 2002
- Casino South Island Awards 2002
- Cusine Sauvignon Blanc Tasting 2002 (5 stars)

ENDS

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