2015 Wine Show Results
NOVEMBER
Air NZ Wine Awards
2 trophies and 3 Pure Gold medals awarded as follows:
Merlot, Cabernet and Blends
Saint Clair Pioneer Block 17 Plateau Merlot Hawke’s Bay 2014 – TROPHY
Babich The Patriarch Cabernet Sauvignon Malbec Merlot Hawkes Bay 2013
Newton Forrest Cornerstone Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot Malbec Hawkes Bay 2013
Vidal Reserve Hawkes Bay Merlot Cabernet 2013
Syrah
Beach House Syrah Hawkes Bay 2014 – TROPHY
Hong Kong International Wine & Spirit Competition
The GIMBLETT GRAVELS WINE GROWING DISTRICT was endorsed as one of the world’s Syrah hot spots, with 2013 Mills Reef Elspeth Trust Vineyard Syrah collecting the Trophies for Best ‘New World’ Syrah|Shiraz, and Best Syrah|Shiraz (worldwide).
OCTOBER
Hawke’s Bay A&P Bayleys Wine Awards
Champion Commercial Red Wine
Villa Maria Reserve GIMBLETT GRAVELS HB Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot 2013
Trophy Merlot
Villa Maria Braided Gravels Organic Merlot 2013
Trophy Red Blends Cabernet Sauvignon Dominant
Villa Maria Reserve GIMBLETT GRAVELS Cabernet Sauvignon 2013
Trophy Other Premium Red Varietals and Blends
Villa Maria Reserve GIMBLETT GRAVELS Malbec 2013
Gold medal Red Blends Cabernet Sauvignon dominant
Saint Clair Pioneer Block 17 Plateau Cabernet Merlot 2014
Gold medal Syrah
Villa Maria Reserve GIMBLETT GRAVELS Syrah 2013
Crossroads Talisman Syrah 2013
Six Nations Wine Challenge
Gold medals awarded to the following GIMBLETT GRAVELS wines, with Sacred Hill’s Brokenstone 2013 awarded a Trophy:
Shiraz/Syrah Class
Mission Estate Winery Jewelstone Syrah 2013
Villa Maria Reserve Syrah 2013
Esk Valley Winemakers Reserve Syrah 2013
Mills Reef Elspeth Syrah 2013
Bordeaux Blends Class
Craggy Range Sophia 2013
Craggy Range Te Kahu 2013
Villa Maria Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot 2013
Other Reds Class
Sacred Hill Brokenstone 2013 – TROPHY
SEPTEMBER
New Zealand International Wine Show
Gold medals awarded to the following GIMBLETT GRAVELS wines:
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
Newton Forrest Cornerstone 2013
MERLOT
Esk Valley GIMBLETT GRAVELS Hawkes Bay Merlot Cabernet Sauvignon Malbec 2014
Squawking Magpie SQM Merlot/Malbec 2013
Te Awa Single Estate GIMBLETT GRAVELS Hawkes Bay Merlot Cabernet Sauvignon 2013
Villa Maria Reserve GIMBLETT GRAVELS Hawkes Bay Merlot 2013
Villa Maria Single Vineyard Braided Gravels Organic Merlot
SHIRAZ
Villa Maria Reserve GIMBLETT GRAVELS Hawkes Bay Syrah 2011
AUGUST
Romeo Bragato Wine Awards 2015
These awards are unique in the Wine Show calendar in that they recognise the growers as well as the wines.
2013 Crossroads Talisman Syrah took home a Trophy, while Gold medals were awarded to the following wines:
Merlot/predominantly Merlot blends
Squawking Magpie The Nest 2013 – Gavin Yortt
Villa Maria Single Vineyard Braided Gravels Organic Merlot 2013 – Jonathan Hamlet
Cabernet Sauvignon/predominantly Cabernet Sauvignon blends
Villa Maria Reserve GIMBLETT GRAVELS Hawkes Bay Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot 2013 – Phil Holden
Syrah
Saint Clair Pioneer Block 17 Plateau Syrah 2014 – Neal & Judy Ibbotson
Vidal Reserve GIMBLETT GRAVELS Hawkes Bay Syrah 2013 – Phil Holden
Other Reds
Villa Maria Reserve GIMBLETT GRAVELS Hawkes Bay Malbec 2013 – Phil Holden
MAY
International Wine Challenge 2015
The GIMBLETT GRAVELS WINE GROWING DISTRICT has further cemented its position as one of the world’s top Syrah producers, with its wines winning a Trophy and three Golds at the International Wine Challenge in London.
The Mission Estate 2013 Jewelstone Syrah was awarded a Trophy and gold medal, while the Mission Estate 2013 Reserve Syrah and Pask 2013 Declaration Syrah both took home gold medals at the prestigious show.
MARCH
Royal Easter Show Wine Awards
GIMBLETT GRAVELS wines continued their dominance in the fuller bodied reds classes with two trophies and six gold medals:
Villa Maria Reserve GIMBLETT GRAVELS Hawkes Bay Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot 2013,2008, 2002 – Heritage Rosebowl Trophy
Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot Predominant Blends Class
Mills Reef Elspeth Cabernet Sauvignon 2013 – Champion Cabernet Sauvignon Trophy
Mission Estate Reserve Cabernet Merlot 2013
Pask Declaration Cabernet Merlot Malbec 2010
Syrah Class
Crossroads Winemakers Collection Syrah 2013
Mission Estate Reserve Syrah 2013
Squawking Magpie Stoned Crow Syrah 2013
FEBRUARY
China Wine & Spirits Awards
Babich Winemakers Reserve Merlot 2012 has won a Double Gold Medal at the 2015 China Wine & Spirits Awards, and their Winemakers Reserve Syrah 2012 has won a Gold Medal.
The China Wine & Spirits Awards is the largest and most prestigious wine and spirits competition in Hong Kong and China and are the only awards in the world judged specifically for the China market. The entire focus is on consumer preferences and demand and the judges are all major purchasing decision makers in the growing Chinese market. They are key Chinese wine importers, distributors, wholesalers, restaurant group owners and sommeliers based in China.