Central Otago pinot noir takes top honours at Air NZ Wine Awards

Peregrine Central Otago Pinot Noir 2009, Champion Wine of the 2010 Air New Zealand Wine Awards. Photo / Supplied

A wine from Central Otago's Gibbston region has won the supreme award at this year's Air New Zealand Wine Awards.

The Peregrine Central Otago Pinot Noir 2009 was named Champion Wine of the Show at an awards ceremony in Auckland on Saturday night.

Peregrine Wines co-owner and marketing director Grey Hay said the company was 'delighted' at the accolade.

In addition to gold medals for the pinot noir and its Central Otago Riesling 2008 (awarded earlier this month), the vineyard won the trophy for Champion Open Red Wine.

Chair of judges Steve Smith (MW) said the Peregrine pinot noir was "the finest example of the finest red wine variety in this country".

Evocative of the landscape in which it is produced, Smith noted it had "wild flowers, thyme and black fruits on the nose".

There was nothing restrained about the wine, but it had "a few hidden earth and savoury bits hiding in the corner, with briary dry forest on the palate and black cherry and vivid fruit notes", he added.

Hay said the award was recognition of the hard work that had been put in over the years by the team at the vineyard.

"To be chosen as the champion wine is a fantastic seal of approval for everything that we've been aiming towards.

"This is probably seen as the pinnacle accolade in the domestic wine industry... it is an extremely good wine, voted so by a lot of highly regarded judges, so we're delighted. It's a fantastic result and everyone's smiling."

Hay said he was especially pleased with the win given the pinot noir was still in its youth.

"That wine will get better and better for the next five to ten years, without doubt. So to [win] in the very youthful phase is a huge sign that it's also got the potential to improve."

He said winning the trophy in the open red wine category was equally important as it meant the pinot noir was produced in a volume that made it available to the public in a reasonable quantity.

"It's not a small volume selection. That is our standard pinot noir that has been made to that quality.

"It's a wine that the public can get access to quite easily."

Hay said the wine was versatile and a great match for all manner of dishes, including lamb, game meat, salmon and Italian meals such as risotto.

This is the second consecutive year a pinot noir has claimed top honours at the awards, which are organised by New Zealand Winegrowers.

At Saturday night's ceremony, trophies were awarded for the best wines in each class and the champion wine was chosen from the 18 trophy winners.

Also awarded was the Champion Sustainable Wine trophy, which went to another Central Otago vineyard, Gibbston Valley, for its China Terrace Central Otago Pinot Noir 2009.

Gold, silver and bronze medal-winning wines were announced on November 10.

Gold and elite gold medals, denoting outstanding gold medal wines, were also announced at Saturday's ceremony, with strong showings from sauvignon blanc and pinot noir varietals.

New Zealand Winegrowers' global marketing director Chris Yorke said the announcement of the trophy winners concluded a programme of several months that had seen quality across the board.

"The Air New Zealand Wine Awards' medal sticker helps consumers with wine-buying decisions and we are delighted that this year's competition has highlighted the quality and variety of the wine produced by New Zealand wine industry," he said.

AIR NEW ZEALAND WINE AWARDS 2010 TROPHY WINNERS

Champion Wine of the Show

Peregrine Central Otago Pinot Noir 2009

New Zealand Champion Sustainable Wine

Gibbston Valley China Terrace Central Otago Pinot Noir 2009

New Zealand Ltd Champion Pinot Noir

Peregrine Central Otago Pinot Noir 2009

Champion Chardonnay

Villa Maria Reserve Hawke's Bay Chardonnay 2009

Champion Sauvignon Blanc

Jules Taylor Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2010

Champion Other White and Rosé Wines

The Millton Vineyard Riverpoint Vineyard Gisborne Viognier 2009

Champion Syrah

Squawking Magpie "The Stoned Crow" Gimblett Gravels Hawke's Bay Syrah 2008

Champion Pinot Gris

Mud House Estate The Home Block Vineyard Waipara Valley Pinot Gris 2010

Champion Other Red Styles

Trinity Hill Gimblett Gravels Hawke's Bay Tempranillo 2008

Champion Gewürztraminer

Waimea Nelson Gewürztraminer 2010

Champion Merlot

Church Road Cuve Hawke's Bay Merlot 2007

Champion Riesling

Villa Maria Private Bin Marlborough Dry Riesling 2010

Champion Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot/Cabernet Blend

Left Field Hawke's Bay Merlot Malbec 2009

Champion Sparkling Wine

The Sounds Marlborough Méthode Traditionnelle 2007

Champion Dessert Wine

Allan Scott Family Winemakers Late Harvest Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2008

Champion Open White Wine

Villa Maria Private Bin Marlborough Dry Riesling 2010

Champion Open Red Wine

Peregrine Central Otago Pinot Noir 2009

Champion Exhibition White, or Sparkling Wine

Villa Maria Single Vineyard Keltern Hawke's Bay Chardonnay 2007

Champion Exhibition Red Wine

Olssens Slapjack Creek Central Otago Pinot Noir 2009

PURE ELITE GOLD MEDALS

Gewürztraminer

Forrest The Valleys Wairau Gewürztraminer 2010

Riesling

Villa Maria Private Bin Marlborough Dry Riesling 2010

Sauvignon Blanc

Clark Estate Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2010
Highfield Lone Gum Sauvignon Blanc 2010
Jules Taylor Wines Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2010
Lowlands Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2010
Saint Clair Pioneer Block 3 '43' Degrees Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2010

Chardonnay

Villa Maria Single Vineyard Ihumatao Auckland Chardonnay 2009
Villa Maria Single Vineyard Keltern Hawke's Bay Chardonnay 2009

Pinot Noir

Gibbston Valley China Terrace Central Otago Pinot Noir 2009
Nautilus Marlborough Pinot Noir 2009
Olssens Slapjack Creek Central Otago Pinot Noir 2009
Palliser Estate Martinborough Pinot Noir 2008

ELITE GOLD MEDALS

Sparkling

The Sounds Marlborough Méthode Traditionnelle 2007

Riesling

Greystone Waipara Riesling 2009
Lawson's Dry Hills Marlborough Riesling 2007

Chardonnay

Villa Maria Reserve Hawkes Bay Chardonnay 2009
Villa Maria Single Vineyard Ihumatao Auckland Chardonnay 2008
Villa Maria Single Vineyard Keltern Hawke's Bay Chardonnay 2007

Dessert Wine Styles

Allan Scott Family Winemakers Late Harvest Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2008
Forrest Botrytised Marlborough Riesling 2009

Pinot Noir

Durvillea Marlborough Pinot Noir 2009
Peregrine Central Otago Pinot Noir 2009
Villa Maria Reserve Marlborough Pinot Noir 2008
Waipara Hills Waipara Pinot Noir 2009

Merlot

Church Road Cuve Hawkes Bay Merlot 2007

Cabernet Sauvignon and Blends based on Merlot and/or Cabernet Sauvignon

Left Field Hawkes Bay Merlot Malbec 2009
Newton Forrest Cornerstone Hawke's Bay Cabernet Merlot Malbec 2007

Syrah

Selaks Winemaker's Favourite Hawke's Bay Syrah 2009
Squawking Magpie "The Stoned Crow" Gimblett Gravels Hawke's Bay Syrah 2008

* For a full list of all the winning wines, click here.