A relatively unknown label has taken out the top award
at this year’s Romeo Bragato Wine Awards, the judging which rewards excellence
in grape growing. The Cobblestone Te
Muna Pinot Noir 2009, grown by Saul Levine of Cobblestone vineyard in
Martinborough, took the trophy for Champion Wine of the Show, along with the
Mike Wolter Memorial Trophy for Champion Pinot Noir and gold medal. As far as we know, the wine is not available
for retail sale in Wellington,
but Regional Wines has made enquiries.
The Reserve Champion Wine was the Vidal Reserve Syrah 2007, grown by
Phil Holden of Omahu Vineyard in Hawke’s Bay.
This wine also took trophies for Champion Syrah and Sustainability.
The Romeo Bragato Wine Awards recognises the work of
top grape growers, and the wines entered for judging must be the produce of a
single grape grower, effectively making the wines ‘single vineyard’ wines. This, of course, is one step away from
attributing quality and individuality of style to ‘terroir’, a concept that
Romeo Bragato, New Zealand’s
first government-appointed viticulturist of the late 19th century,
whom the competition is named after, would understand and support. This year, 56 gold medals, 153 silver and 249
bronze medals were awarded from 775 wines entered, indicating the continuing
high quality of the wines judged, according to Olly Masters, Chairman of
Judges. The full list of medal results can be seen by clicking here to the
www.wineshow.co.nz website. Following
are the trophy winners:
Champion Chardonnay and Bill
Irwin Trophy
Villa Maria ‘SV – Keltern’ Chardonnay 2008 – Mark
Dixon, Keltern Vineyard, Hawke’s Bay
Champion Sauvignon Blanc and
N.Z. Wine Cellars Spence Bros. Trophy
Tohu Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2010 – Mondo Kopua,
Tohu Awatere, Marlborough
Champion Riesling and
Friedrich Wohnsiedler Trophy
Summerhouse Dry Riesling 2010 – Heather and Meric
Davies, Summerhouse Vineyard, Marlborough
Champion Gewurztraminer
Seifried ‘Winemakers Collection’ Gewurztraminer 2010,
Hermann Seifried, Seifried Estate, Nelson
Champion Pinot Gris and
Brother Cyprian Trophy
Artisan ‘Far Paddock’ Pinot Gris 2009 – Rex Sunde, Valley East Estate, Marlborough
Champion Other White Wine
Waimea Viognier 2009 – Trevor and Ben Bolitho, Waimea
Estates, Nelson
Champion Dessert Wine
Glazebrook Noble Harvest 2009 – Peter Gough,
Ngatarawa, Hawke’s Bay
Champion Pinot Noir and Mike
Wolter Memorial Trophy
Cobblestone Te Muna Pinot Noir 2009 – Saul Levine,
Cobblestone Vineyard, Martinborough
Champion Classical Red Wine
and Tom McDonald Memorial Trophy
Kim Crawford ‘SP – Corner 50 Vineyard’ Hawke’s Bay
Merlot 2008 – Adam Evans, Corner 50 Vineyard, Hawke’s Bay
Champion Cabernet Sauvignon
Mills Reef ‘Elspeth – Trust Vineyard’ Cabernet
Sauvignon 2007 – Paul Mcevoy, Trust Vineyard, Hawke’s Bay
Champion Syrah and Alan
Limmer Trophy
Vidal Reserve Syrah 2007 – Phil Holden, Omahu
Vineyard, Hawke’s Bay
Champion Other Red Wine
Jurassic Ridge Montepulciano 2008 – Lance Blumhardt,
Jurassic Ridge Vineyard, Auckland
Sustainable Trophy
Vidal Reserve Syrah 2007 – Phil Holden, Omahu
Vineyard, Hawke’s Bay
Champion Reserve Wine and
Richard Smart Trophy
Vidal Reserve Syrah 2007 – Phil Holden, Omahu
Vineyard, Hawke’s Bay
Champion Wine of the Show and
Bragato Trophy
Cobblestone Te Muna Pinot Noir 2009 – Saul Levine,
Cobblestone Vineyard, Martinborough