Royal Easter Show Wine Awards 2006

ROYAL EASTER SHOW WINE AWARDS
in association with the New Zealand Wine Hall of Fame
Auckland Showgrounds, Greenlane Road. PO Box 26014 Auckland 3, New Zealand.

19 March 2006 For immediate release

2006 TROPHY LIST and
INDUCTEES TO NEW ZEALAND WINE HALL OF FAME

There were two flashbacks in history at the presentation in Auckland last night of the O-I New Zealand Trophy for the champion wine of show for the Royal Easter Show Wine Awards 2006. The winning wine, Vidal Estate Soler Syrah 2004 is named after pioneer Spanish immigrant winemaker Joseph Soler who made history when he entered five Wanganui wines in the 1906 Christchurch International Exhibition and won three gold medals. Australian entrants protested so strongly that the New Zealand Cabinet ordered a re-judging by a judge acceptable to the Australians. In the re-judging, Soler’s wines were awarded all five gold medals.

In the second flashback, Brian Slingsby, general manager of O-I New Zealand, in announcing the name of thew winning wine, asked that the trophy be presented on his behalf by Alex Corban, who had earlier been inducted to the New Zealand Wine Hall of Fame, and who had won the champion wine of show award at the first Easter Show Wine Competition in 1953 with Corbans Reserve Sauterne 1951.

The four industry personalities inducted to the Hall of Fame last night were:

MATE BRAJKOVICH OBE, Dalmatian migrant winemaker influential in founding of Wine Institute of New Zealand

ALEX CORBAN OBE, Innovator of modern winemaking techniques and long serving industry leader, first chairman of Wine Institute of New Zealand.

DAVID HOHNEN, Founder of iconic trail-blazing export winery, Cloudy Bay, in Marlborough

FRANK YUKICH, Visionary who built our largest wine company, Montana, and pioneered wine industry in Marlborough

The list of trophy winners follows.

Rod McDonald, of Vidal Estate, Hawkes Bay was named winemaker of the year.

Royal Easter Show Wine Awards 2006

Champion Wine of Show - O-I New Zealand Trophy
Vidal Estate Soler Syrah 2004

Champion Methode Champenoise - Soar Printing Co.Ltd Trophy
C J Pask Methode Traditionnelle Brut 1996

Champion Chardonnay - New World Trophy
Villa Maria Single Vineyard Waldron Chardonnay 2004

Champion Gewurztraminer - Bracu Restaurant Trophy
Corbans Private Bin Hawkes Bay Gewurztraminer 2004

Champion Sauvignon Blanc – Alvis Closures Trophy
Astrolabe Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2005

Champion Riesling - Red Badge Security Trophy
Gibbston Valley Central Otago Riesling 2005

Champion Pinot Gris – Datacom Trophy
Thornbury Pinot Gris Marlborough 2005

Champion Viognier - Herald on Sunday Trophy
Alpha Domus Viognier 2005

Champion Sweet White - winejobsonline.com Trophy
Saints Noble Semillon 2004

Champion Cabernet Sauvignon & Cabernet Predominant Blends - Rapid Labels Trophy
Villa Maria Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot 2002

Champion Merlot & Merlot Predominant Blends- Show Light & Power Ltd Trophy
Villa Maria Cellar Selection Merlot Cabernet 2004

Champion Syrah - Glengarry Trophy
Vidal Estate Soler Syrah 2004

Champion Pinot Noir - New Zealand Home & Entertaining Magazine Trophy
Wither Hills Marlborough Pinot Noir 2004

Champion Rosé - Novotel Ellerslie Trophy
Villa Maria Private Bin Rosé 2005

Champion Export Wine- Air Sea Global Ltd Trophy
Highfield Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2005

Winemaker of the Year – Royal Agricultural Society Gold Medal and Auckland Agricultural Pastoral & Industrial Shows Board Medal of Excellence
Rod McDonald, Vidal Estate, Hawkes Bay

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