Rockburn Pinot Noir #1 in New Zealand with Cuisine Magazine

22 October 2014

Rockburn Pinot Noir Takes Number One Spot in New Zealand with Cuisine Magazine

Rockburn Wines have beaten stiff competition to take out the number one spot for Pinot Noir with Cuisine magazine’s just-released New Zealand Pinot Noir Tasting.

159 wines were tasted and judged by highly respected international wine judge, winemaker and consultant John Belsham and his panel. They awarded the Rockburn 2012 Pinot Noir 5-stars and No. 1 spot out of all the wines tasted.

The Rockburn 2012 Pinot Noir was praised by the panel as ‘a dark, dense wine that immediately seduces with the generosity and exuberance of its dark-fruit flavours. Behind that pretty face is real depth and structure, with fine tannins and acidity giving it focus and length.’

Rockburn winemaker Malcolm Rees-Francis’ first vintage at the winery was 2006, and his pinot of that year took the number-two spot in the Cuisine tasting. Since then, however, despite several Top 10 appearances, the top spot has proved elusive.

Rockburn Pinot Noir is a blend of fruit from its two vineyard sites at Gibbston and Parkburn in Central Otago. Over the past decade, Rockburn have consistently won Gold Medals and Trophies for their Pinot Noirs including seven gold medals for the 2012 vintage alone.

General Manager for Rockburn; Paul Donaghy commented “Rockburn Pinot Noir was in Cuisine’s Top 10 last year, but to take the number one spot this year is fantastic. The 2012 vintage just continues to amass awards and full credit to the entire Rockburn team for this award”.

Full results of the tasting will be published in Cuisine’s Christmas edition which will hit newsstands on 27 October.

Rockburn has two vineyards in Central Otago, one on the Gibbston Back Road in the Gibbston Valley, and the other at Parkburn in the Cromwell Basin with its state of the art winemaking facility based in Cromwell, Central Otago.

Recent awards for Rockburn Pinot Noir:
• Rockburn 2012 Pinot Noir, Gold Medal: Romeo Bragato Awards 2013
• Rockburn 2012 Pinot Noir, Blue-Gold & Top 100 Sydney International Wine Competition 2014
• Rockburn 2012 Pinot Noir, Gold Medal: Easter Show Wine Awards 2014
• Rockburn 2012 Pinot Noir, 5 Stars Winestate Magazine Nov/Dec 2013
• Rockburn 2012 Pinot Noir, 4.5 Stars Cuisine Magazine November 2013
• Rockburn 2011 Pinot Noir, Fairfax Media Champion Open Red Wine Trophy – Air New Zealand Wine Awards 2012
• Rockburn 2010 Pinot Noir, Gold medal - 2011 NZ International Wine Show;
• Rockburn 2010 Pinot Noir, Gold medal and ‘best in class’ - International Wine & Spirits Competition 2011, London
• Rockburn 2010 Pinot Noir, Pure Gold award - Air New Zealand Wine Awards 2011
• Rockburn 2010 Pinot Noir, Mike Wolter Trophy for Champion Pinot Noir and the Richard Smart Trophy for the Reserve Champion Wine - Bragato Wine Awards 2012

Available direct from the winery: www.rockburn.co.nz

Trade sales in New Zealand through Hancocks Wines & Spirits: www.hancocks.co.nz

ENDS

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