23 October 2008

Media Information: MasterClass tasting Bordeaux & Gimblett Gravels

Taupo Surprise!

Fledgling New Zealand winegrowing district Gimblett Gravels is recognised as a serious challenge to some of the world’s finest wines.

A very exclusive event took place in Taupo this past Saturday. A selection of six New Zealand produced ‘off the shelf’ wines from the tiny 800ha Gimblett Gravels wine-growing district in the Hawke’s Bay were tested against six very highly-rated wines from the celebrated Bordeaux region in France.

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The Top 6 - The top ranked wines - 1-6 (left to right)		International wine judge, James Halliday, announces the results.

10 September 2008

Further International Recognition for Gimblett Gravels Reds

August 2008

Gimblett Gravels Stars at Bragato Wine Awards

Gimblett Gravels wines added a further 3 trophies and 7 gold medals to its accolades
list following the recent Bragato Wine Awards, celebrating excellence of single-vineyard wines.

Trophies were awarded to the following Gimblett Gravels Winegrowers Association members:

Champion Cabernet Sauvignon – Mills Reef Elspeth Cabernet Sauvignon 2006

Champion Syrah – Newton Forrest Syrah 2006

Champion Other Red Wine – Beach House Montepulciano 2007

Gold medals were also awarded to Mills Reef’s Reserve Merlot Malbec 2007 and Elspeth Syrah 2006, Newton Forrest Malbec 2006 and Craggy Range Gimblett Gravels Vineyard Chardonnay 2007.

Villa Maria Reserve Syrah 2006 – Champion Wine of Show and Champion Syrah;
Villa Maria Single Vineyard Omahu Gravels Merlot 2006 – Champion Merlot or Merlot Predominant Blend;
Mills Reef Elspeth Malbec 2005 – Champion Wine of Other Varieties;
Trinity Hill Gimblett Gravels Noble Viognier 2007 – Champion Sweet Wine

Other Gimblett Gravels wines won gold medals – a full list of award winning wines is available at www.wineshow.co.nz

2007 has seen Gimblett Gravels grown Syrah create an unprecedented achievement, collecting Champion Wine trophies in five prestigious domestic and international wine competitions.

Early in November, Craggy Range ‘Le Sol’ Syrah 2005 was named the top wine in New Zealand, Australia and South Africa as winner of the Wine of Show Trophy at the Tri-Nations Wine Challenge, beating out not only other top Syrahs and Shirazes from New Zealand, Australia and South Africa but all other red and white wines in the competition.

That was followed, at the Air New Zealand Wine awards, by Trinity Hill Homage Syrah 2006 winning both the Champion Syrah Trophy and the Champion Wine of Show Trophy, eclipsing all other red and white wines at the show. At the same show, Esk Valley Reserve Syrah 2006 won the Champion Exhibition Red Trophy.

These results continue the earlier run of success achieved in the following competitions:

Royal Easter Show – Champion Wine of Show – Esk Valley Reserve Syrah 2005;
Hawke’s Bay A&P Mercedes-Benz Wine Awards – Champion Wine of Show – Vidal Reserve Syrah 2005;
Liquorland Top 100 – Champion Red Wine of Show – Trinity Hill Gimblett Gravels Syrah 2006.

Gimblett Gravels Winegrowers Association Chairman, John O’Connor of Matariki Wines, has offered hearty congratulations to the triumphant vineyards, all foundation members of the Association and avid proponents of the fabulous fruit produced from the special soils and climate of the district. “To Steve Smith (Craggy Range), John Hancock (Trinity Hill), Gordon Russell (Esk Valley) and Hugh Crichton (Vidal Wines) and their teams I would like to convey the admiration of the Association and its members – we salute their skills in bottling the Gimblett Gravels magic. These are all fabulous accolades to be added to an already enormous collection that the district has amassed in its relatively short history.”

O’Connor adds “Indeed, many other Association members’ Syrahs have won gold medals here and overseas this year. There is little doubt that Gimblett Gravels Syrah is a world-beating wine, and set to become New Zealand’s next international star.”

The Gimblett Gravels appellation covers 800 hectares, strictly determined by the gravely soils, laid down by the Ngaruroro river, which were exposed after a huge flood in 1867. Once considered ‘useless’ for agriculture, the district’s gravely soils combine with temperatures often considerably warmer than those enjoyed by sunny neighbouring Hastings city.

Founded in 2001, the Gimblett Gravels Winegrowers Association brings together some of New Zealand’s finest wine producers with a fervent respect for the concept of terroir – harnessing this philosophy with the vineyard soils and microclimate to produce character fruit - as the catalyst for superb wines.