Category: Reviews | Post by: Andrea Wong
The Air New Zealand Wine Awards were held in November and as per usual, there were a good number of gold medals awarded. The standout wine has to be the Grasshopper Rock Central Otago Earnscleugh Vineyard Pinot Noir 2010, which took out the Pinot Noir category and was the Air New Zealand Champion Wine of the Show. Nab this wine for a mere $30!
The list below represents the gold medal winners for $25 and under for white wines and $30 and under for reds. I've also listed the category winners - some of which fall into this $25 / $30 category - just in case you want to try the best of the bunch!
I hope that you find this useful to help you find excellent yet affordable New Zealand wines for your summer parties.
Sparkling Wine
Lindauer Classic Rosé NV - $15.99
Sparkling Wine category winner
Gewurztraminer
Lawson's Dry Hills Gewurztraminer 2010 - $26.00
Gewürztraminer category winner
Waimea Gewurztraminer 2012 - $23.00
Pinot Gris
Eradus Wines Awatere Valley Pinot Gris 2012 - $18.99
Pinot Gris category winner
Tiki Estate Waipara Pinot Gris 2011 - $19.99
Spy Valley Pinot Gris 2012 - $22.95
Villa Maria Private Bin East Coast Pinot Gris 2012 - $22.99
Whitehaven Marlborough Pinot Gris 2012 - $22.90
Stoneleigh Pinot Gris 2012 - $24.99
Riesling
Aspiring Flats Bendigo Central Otago Riesling 2012 - $24.99
Riesling category winner
West Brook Marlborough Riesling 2011 - $20.00
Mt Beautiful Riesling 2010 - $21.95
Drylands Marlborough Dry Riesling 2012 - $22.99
Vavasour Riesling 2011 - $23.99
Maude Mt Maude Vineyard East Block Riesling 2012 - $25.00
Sauvignon Blanc
Wither Hills Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2012 - $21.99
Sauvignon Blanc category winner and Open White Wine category winner
Vicarage Lane Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2012 - $13.80
Artisan The Sands Block Sauvignon Blanc 2012 - $18.99
Saint Clair Vicar's Choice Sauvignon Blanc 2012 - $19.50
Huntaway Limited Edition Sauvignon Blanc 2012 - $19.99
Sileni Cellar Selection Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2012 - $20.00
Framingham Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2012 - $21.00
Ara Single Estate Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2012 - $21.95
Mud House Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2012 - $22.00
Matua Valley Estate Paretai Sauvignon Blanc 2012 - $22.90
Rapaura Springs Reserve Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2012 - $22.99
Yealands Estate Sauvignon Blanc 2012 - $24.99
The Kings Favour Sauvignon Blanc 2011 - $24.99
Chardonnay
Matua Valley Single Vineyard Marlborough Chardonnay 2011
Reserve Wine of the Show category winner and Champion Chardonnay category winner
Giesen The Brothers Marlborough Chardonnay 2011 - $24.99
Pinot Noir
Grasshopper Rock Central Otago Earnscleugh Vineyard Pinot Noir 2010 - $30.00
Air New Zealand Champion Wine of the Show
Pinot Noir category winner
Rockburn Central Otago Pinot Noir 2011 - $40.00
Open Red Wine winner
Villa Maria Private Bin Marlborough Pinot Noir 2011 - $26.99
Wooing Tree Beetle Juice Central Otago Pinot Noir 2011 - $28.00
Charcoal Gully Central Otago Sallys Pinch Pinot Noir 2011 - $29.00
Merlot
Villa Maria Reserve Gimblett Gravels Hawkes Bay Merlot 2010 - $50.99
Merlot category winner
Syrah
Passage Rock Reserve Waiheke Island Syrah 2010 - $55.00
Syrah category winner
Vidal Legacy Series Gimblett Gravels Syrah 2009 - $70.00
Exhibition Red Wine category winner
Coopers Creek SV Hawkes Bay Syrah 'Chalk Ridge' 2011 - $28.00
Cabernet Sauvignon and blends based on Merlot and/or Cabernet Sauvignon
Esk Valley Winemakers Reserve Merlot Malbec Cabernet Sauvignon 2009 - $60.99
Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot/Cabernet Blend category winner
Emerging wine styles
Coopers Creek SV Gisborne Albariño Bell-Ringer 2012 - $22.00
Other White and Rosé Wine category winner
Trinity Hills Gimblett Gravels Tempranillo 2010 - $34.95
Other Red Wine category winner
Waimea Grüner Veltliner 2012 - $25.00
Dessert wine styles
Greystone Waipara Valley Basket Star Riesling 2011 - $42.00
Dessert Wine category winner
Lawson's Dry Hills Late Harvest Resling 2010 - $25.00