NZ wines dominate world competition
02 Oct 2008
New Zealand wines have won a record 11 gold medals at the 2008 International Wine and Spirit Competition in London.
It was the best results ever for New Zealand wines in what is said to be the premier competition of its kind in the world. Last year New Zealand won seven gold medals.
As well as 11 golds, New Zealand won 123 silver medals and 111 bronze at this year’s event.
Repeat performance
The sauvignon blanc and pinot noir trophies were once again awarded to New Zealand. The sauvignon blanc trophy has been won by New Zealand every year since 2000, and the pinot noir trophy for three consecutive years.
The Remarkable Gibbston Valley Pinot Noir Central Otago 2006 won the Bouchard Finlayson Pinot Noir Trophy, and the Astrolabe Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough 2008 claimed the IWSC Sauvignon Blanc Trophy.
Full list of New Zealand's gold-winning wines:
Gold awards (Best in Class)
- Saint Clair Pioneer Block 12 Gewürztraminer Marlborough 2007
- Koura Bay Blue Duck Awatere Valley Pinot Noir 2005
- Remarkable Gibbston Valley Pinot Noir Central Otago 2006
- Drumsara Ventifacts Block Pinot Noir Central Otago 2007
- Tohu Rore Pinot Noir Marlborough 2006
- Villa Maria Reserve Pinot Noir Marlborough 2007
- Spy Valley Riesling Marlborough 2007
- Waipara Hills Southern Cross Selection Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough 2007
- Astrolabe Voyage Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough 2008
- Saint Clair Pioneer Block 6 Wairau Valley Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough 2008
Gold awards
- Mount Difficulty Roaring Meg Pinot Noir Central Otago 2007
Bumper harvest
New Zealand wine producers are celebrating the 2008 vintage as the largest the country has ever produced - up 39% on last year. The final harvest totalled 285,000 tonnes and while winemakers, marketers and industry leaders thought it would be the biggest on record they say no-one anticipated it would be so much.
Wine competition
The International Wine and Spirit Competition was founded in 1969 and is aimed at promoting the quality and excellence of the world's best wines, spirits and liqueurs.
The standard is achieved through a rigorous two-stage judging process of professional blind tasting and detailed technical (chemical and microbiological) analysis that takes place at the competition's headquarters in the United Kingdom. While figures for this year’s entrants have not yet been released, past competitions have attracted more than 5000 entries from 50 countries.
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