Gold awards have poured in for six local wineries at New Zealand’s most full-bodied wine competition.
The New Zealand International Wine Show awakens the senses of global winemakers to harvest a double gold, gold, silver or bronze label to promote their wines to its oenophiles.
Appleby’s Seifried Estate, Tasman’s Blackenbrook and Vista Wines, and Motueka’s Anchorage Family Estate and Torrent Bay Wines were all awarded gold labels. Double golds were also awarded to Tohu’s 2020 Whenua Matua Upper Moutere Chardonnay and to Torrent Bay’s 2023 Sauvignon Blanc. Seifried Estate won gold for both its 2021 Nelson Chardonnay and its 2022 Winemakers Collection Nelson Barrique Fermented Chardonnay.
Winemaker Heidi Seifried-Houghton says the team were “over the moon”.
“It’s always good to get that kind of endorsement by the judges and it continues to give the consumer confidence that you’ve got great wines,” she says.
“We’re a small region, so our wines can be harder to find, but they’re great wines and for us I think it’s just the care and attention through every step of the process that gets the results.
“Hope the locals get to find a bottle or two and enjoy them over the coming months.”
Blackenbrook co-owner, Daniel Schwarzenbach, says winning gold for its recently released 2023 Pinot Blanc after a tough season with large rainfall and leaf growth was a “privilege”.
“It’s a variety that we’re very passionate about and it’s good to see it getting the recognition,” he says.
Vista Wines co-owner, Greg Dryden, says the team was “absolutely thrilled” in winning gold for its 2023 Pinot Rosé which was only released on 1 October.
“It should be a perfect summer wine with a summer salad, or fish, or smoked chicken or for drinking,” he says.
Anchorage Family Estate won gold for its 2023 Sauvignon Blanc and Torrent Bay for its 2023 Pinot Gris.
Seifried Estate also hauled in four silvers and seven bronzes, Tohu two bronzes, Anchorage Family Estate three silvers and Blackenbrook two silvers and two bronzes.
