Marlborough excels in wine awards

TOP DROP: Marlborough has produced the best sauvignon blanc, pinot gris and riesling wines in New Zealand this year, judges decided at the Romeo Bragato Wine Awards.

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Marlborough produced the top sauvignon blanc, pinot gris and riesling wines in New Zealand this year, judges decided at the Romeo Bragato Wine Awards in Blenheim on Saturday.

While Martinborough's Cobblestone Te Muna Pinot Noir 2009 was named champion wine of show, the efforts of several Marlborough grapegrowers were also acknowledged.

Summerhouse Vineyard owners and winemakers Heather and Meric Davies won the Friedrich Wohnsiedler Trophy for their champion Summerhouse Dry Riesling 2010, while Tohu Awatere's Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2010 collected the New Zealand Wine Cellars Spence Brothers Trophy for champion sauvignon blanc.

Valley East Vineyard grapegrowers Rob and Lynne Kennedy, who grow on contract for Auckland-based Artisan Winery, received the Brother Cyprian Trophy for the Artisan Far Paddock Pinot Gris 2009.

Mrs Davies said the couple were happy their "pretty nice wine" had impressed the judges. The judges were looking for wines that reflected the vineyard they came from, which the Summerhouse grapes did thanks to the depth of flavour and floral and fruit characters, she said.

Tohu Wines chief executive Mike Brown said the win was a team effort, noting the efforts of Marlborough vineyard man-ager Mondo Kopua, winemaker Bruce Taylor and their team.He was particularly pleased to pick up the trophy for sauvignon blanc, given its popularity overseas.

"It's always so good to get a significant result for a wine you do in commercial volumes.

"There is no more important wine for us to have [success] in."

Mr Kennedy said he was also pleased. "It's a great honour to win with all the great wines that are around."

New Zealand Winegrowers chief executive Philip Gregan praised grapegrowers for their role in producing New Zealand's world-renowned wines.

"Grapegrowers should be extremely proud of entries and the contribution of their work to New Zealand's position as a quality wine-producing nation."

- The Marlborough Express