Category: Reviews | Post by: Andrea Wong
It's Air New Zealand Wine Awards time again!
Last year, I published a list of gold medal wines from the Air New Zealand Wine Awards that you could pick up for $22 and under. It proved to be very popular and I've done the same again but this year the threshold is $25 and $30 for the reds, as they tend to cost more.
This year, 83 gold medals were awarded out of around 1500 submitted wines. Some have been awarded Pure Gold awards - these were awarded to sustainably produced wines. Any wine from the 2010 vintage and after must be produced sustainably in order to qualify for entry into the awards. What a great initiative!
If however, you want the best of the best, here is the Air New Zealand Champion Wine of the Show:
Villa Maria Single Vineyard Keltern Hawke’s Bay Chardonnay 2010 ($38)
If you have tried any of these gold medal winners, please write a comment below and let us know what you thought of it.
Air New Zealand Wine Award gold medal winners
White wines for $25 and under
Gewurztraminer
Trophy winner - Corbans Private Bin Hawkes Bay Gewurztraminer 2008 ($24)
Distant Land Marlborough Gewurztraminer 2011 ($20)
Pinot Gris
Trophy winner - Spy Valley Marlborough Pinot Gris 2011 ($23)
Moncellier Marlborough Pinot Gris 2011 ($20)
Stanley Estates Awatere Valley Marlborough Pinot Gris 2011 ($23)
Mud House South Island Pinot Gris 2010 ($19)
Riesling
TWR Te Whare Ra Marlborough Riesling "D" 2011 ($25)
Charles Wiffen Marlborough Riesling 2010 ($19)
Hunter's Marlborough Wairau Valley Riesling 2008 ($17)
Ngatarawa Cellar Door Riesling 2010 ($22)
Sauvignon Blanc
Trophy winner - Dashwood Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2011 ($20)
Sacred Hill Three Passes Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2011 ($23)
Waimea Nelson Sauvignon Blanc 2011 ($20)
Sacred Hill Marborough Sauvignon Blanc 2011 ($23)
Maven Premier Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2011 ($19)
Lake Chalice Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2011 ($21)
Lawson's Dry Hills Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2011 ($20)
Kina Cliffs Nelson Sauvignon Blanc 2011 ($20)
Te Mania Nelson Sauvignon Blanc 2011 ($19)
Tohu Mugwi Reserve Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2010 ($25)
Chardonnay
Vidal Reserve Series Hawke's Bay Chardonnay 2010 ($24)
Waipara Springs Premo Waipara Chardonnay ($24)
Other white varieties, unspecified or blended whites
Waimea Nelson Viognier 2010 ($23)
Moana Park Hawke's Bay Viognier 2010 ($20)
Villa Maria Cellar Selection Hawke's Bay Viognier 2010 ($25)
Rosé
8 Ranges Central Otago Pinot Rosé 2011 ($24)
Cabernet Sauvignon and Blends based on Merlot and/or Cabernet Sauvignon
Trophy winner - Mudbrick Vineyard Waiheke Island Merlot Cabernet Sauvignon 2010 ($29)
Villa Maria Cellar Selection Hawke's Bay Merlot Cabernet Sauvignon 2009 ($25)
Dessert wine styles
Seifried Nelson Sweet Agnes Riesling 2011 ($20)
Red wines for $30 and under
Pinot Noir
Trophy winner - Pencarrow Martinborough Pinot Noir 2010 ($29)
Mud House Central Otago Pinot Noir 2010 ($25)
Triple Bank Awatere Valley Marlborough Pinot Noir 2010 ($28)
Merlot
Stoneleigh Marlborough Merlot 2010 ($26)
Syrah
Trophy winner - Bilancia Hawke's Bay Syrah 2010 ($30)
Thank you to Air New Zealand Wine Awards for inviting me to their gold medal wine tasting event.