Wines back to winning ways

Marlborough winemakers should be feeling better about themselves again after a good showing at the International Wine Challenge, dubbed the world’s most rigorous wine competition.

After a disappointing New Zealand Wine Awards last month, Marlborough bagged eight gold medals at the International Wine Challenge.

The competition was hosted in London in mid-november over a four-day period where 200 of the best wine experts in the world from 23 different countries came together to judge the wines.

International Wine Challenge cochairman Peter Mccombie said New Zealand had a long history as one of the finest wine producers in the world and he was happy to see New Zealand wines being recognised for their excellence.

‘‘New Zealand has long been regarded as one of the finest producers of sauvignon blanc in the world, and the results from this first tranche of the International Wine Challenge prove that.’’

Despite being the largest wineproducing region in the country, Marlborough failed to win a top prize at this year’s New Zealand Wine Awards.

Marlborough’s best wine of the competition was the Isabel Estate Wild Barrique Chardonnay 2018. While the competition’s best sauvignon blanc, the variety which put Marlborough on the map, was awarded to Nelson winery Seifried Estate.

However, winning gold medals in the international arena had put Marlborough back into the spotlight.

Pernod Ricard Winemakers NZ won two golds; one for a chardonnay and one for a sauvignon blanc.

Stoneleigh Wild Valley Wild Sauvignon Blanc 2019 was one of only six wines to score 96 out of 100 available points and other top scorers were Chablis Grand Cru and a premium red Burgundy from France. Stoneleigh group winemaker Jamie Marfell said winning an award helped spread awareness of the country and the region.

Lake Chalice The Raptor Pinot Noir, 2017 Tohu Awatere Valley Pinot Gris, 2019 Tohu Whenua Awa Chardonnay, 2017 Blind River Tekau Sauvignon Blanc, 2017 Leefield Station Pinot Noir, 2018

Pa Road Sauvignon Blanc, 2019

Stoneleigh Wild Valley Wild Sauvignon Blanc, 2019

Stoneleigh Rapaura Series Chardonnay, 2018