Wine wins highlight Nelson's reputation

Nelson winemakers proved again they make quality wines – winning two top trophies at this year's Romeo Bragato wine awards in Blenheim over the weekend as well as six gold medals.

Seifried Estate won champion gewurztraminer and a gold medal with its Winemakers Collection 2010 vintage while Waimea Estates took out the champion other white wine category with its viognier 2009.

Hermann Seifried said while it was not the first time the winery had won a Bragato award with its gewurztraminer, it was particularly pleasing to win with such a young wine.

"Normally older wines have more chance because of their bottle age and maturity. But it was a very good vintage for us. We have a good winemaking team here and the wine had good balance.

"Gewurztraminer is one of our strengths. We've got vines here that are 20 years and older."

Mr Seifried said Nelson had done "outstandingly well" at the awards for the size of its production. "We surprised a lot of people."

Waimea Estates owner Trevor Bolitho said he was thrilled to win with its viognier, a complex white wine growing in popularity and which it had been making since 2003.

"It's another variety we haven't had a gold medal or trophy for.

"It's a minor variety for us but something we've worked pretty hard with and Trudy Shields, our winemaker, has done a lot to get it right and we're pretty happy we've made the grade."

Waimea also won a gold medal for its Edel 2009, a European-styled blend of riesling, pinot gris and gewurztraminer.

Other Nelson wines to win gold medals were Himmelsfeld Vineyard with their Moutere Chardonnay 2009, Brightwater Vineyards for their Lord Rutherford Sauvignon Blanc 2010, and Kaimira Estate for their Brightwater Pinot Gris 2009.

Mr Bolitho said Nelson's medal haul equated to one gold for every 900 tonnes of production, much higher than Marlborough and one of the best returns in the country.

The gold medal winners also reinforced Nelson's reputation for producing aromatic wines, he said.

In all, 458 medals were awarded at this year Bragato awards, New Zealand's only grapegrower awards, including 56 golds, 153 silvers and 249 bronzes from a total of 775 wines entered.

The champion wine of the show was awarded to The Cobblestone Te Muna Pinot Noir 2009, grown by Saul Levine of Cobblestone Vineyard in Martinborough.

- © Fairfax NZ News