Air NZ Wine Awards winners announced

Judges at the Air New Zealand Wine Awards sampled more than 1600 wines in deciding this year's winners. Photo / Supplied

More than 100 wines have been awarded gold medals at this year's Air New Zealand Wine Awards, with pinot noir varietals making up almost 20 per cent of the top placings.

Chair of judges Steve Smith said the highlights of the competition - which also saw a record number of silver and bronze awards handed out - were the pinot noir and chardonnay classes, which he described as "truly spectacular".

The 2009 sauvignon blanc vintage was also impressive, said Smith.

New Zealand Winegrowers global marketing director Chris Yorke said the number of gold medals awarded marked a significant milestone for the annual competition.

"The classes that New Zealand is renowned for, such as sauvignon blanc, pinot noir and chardonnay have continued to perform at an extremely high level, and other styles such as gewurztraminer and dessert wine are impressing the judges more and more each year."

Of the 102 gold medals, 19 went to pinot noir varietals, 15 to chardonnay and 13 to sauvignon blanc.

Smith said this year's competition was characterised by exceptional quality across a wide range of varietals.

"This was truly a ground-breaking competition, with remarkable quality shown right across the board," Smith said.

"Judges were briefed to be very demanding when awarding gold medals, so achieving a record number of gold medals is a solid indication of the quality of wines entered this year."

More than 1600 wines from New Zealand's 10 winegrowing regions were entered in this year's awards, with a total of 740 gold, silver and bronze medals awarded by the 26-strong judging panel.

A number of 'pure' medals were also awarded to wines produced by winemakers employing sustainable production practices.

The gold medal-winning wines will now compete for 19 awards trophies, to be announced at a gala dinner in Christchurch on Saturday, November 21.

2009'S GOLD MEDAL-WINNING WINES

PINOT NOIR

Pure Gold:
Thornbury Central Otago Pinot Noir 2008,
Villa Maria Single Vineyard Seddon Pinot Noir 2007

Gold:
Allan Scott Marlborough Pinot Noir 2008,
Archangel Pinot Noir 2008,
Babich Winemakers' Reserve Pinot Noir 2008,
Davishon Pinot Noir 2007,
Fairmont Estate Pinot Noir 2008,
Greystone Waipara Pinot Noir 2008,
Julicher 99 Rows Te Muna Road Pinot Noir 2008,
Julicher Pinot Noir 2008,
Valli Bannockburn Vineyard Pinot Noir 2008,
Villa Maria Reserve Pinot Noir 2007,
Villa Maria Single Vineyard Southern Clays Pinot Noir 2008,
Waipara Hills Southern Cross Selection Central Otago Pinot Noir 2008,
Wither Hills Marlborough Pinot Noir 2008,
Wooing Tree Pinot Noir 2007

CHARDONNAY

Pure Gold:
Kemblefield The Reserve Chardonnay 2007

Gold:
Coopers Creek Gisborne Chardonnay Unoaked 2008,
Crossroads Winery Hawkes Bay Chardonnay 2008,
Mudbrick Vineyard Reserve Chardonnay 2008,
Saint Clair Pioneer Block 11 Cell Block Chardonnay 2008,
Secret Stone Chardonnay 2009,
Te Awa Chardonnay 2007,
Villa Maria Reserve Barrique Chardonnay 2007,
Villa Maria Reserve Barrique Fermented Chardonnay 2008,
Villa Maria Reserve Hawkes Bay Chardonnay 2008,
Villa Maria Reserve Marlborough Chardonnay 2007,
Villa Maria Reserve Marlborough Chardonnay 2008,
Waimea Nelson Chardonnay 2008

SAUVIGNON BLANC

Gold:
Catalina Sounds Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2009,
Lake Chalice Raptor Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2009,
Montana Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2009,
Mud House Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2009,
Saint Clair Pioneer Block 2 Swamp Block Sauvignon Blanc 2009,
Saint Clair Pioneer Block 3 43 Degrees Sauvignon Blanc 2009,
Saint Clair Pioneer Block 18 Snap Block Sauvignon Blanc 2009,
Saint Clair Pioneer Block 19 Bird Block Sauvignon Blanc 2009,
Sea Level Awatere Sauvignon Blanc 2009,
Stoneleigh Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2009,
Vavasour Awatere Valley Sauvignon Blanc 2009,
Waimea Nelson Sauvignon Blanc 2009,
Wairau River Home Block Sauvignon Blanc 2007

OTHER WHITE STYLES & ROSE

Gold:
Church Road Reserve Viognier 2007,
Clearview Estate Black Reef Blush 2009,
Tarras Vineyards Pinot Rose 2009,
Trinity Hill Gimblett Gravels Viognier 2008

SYRAH

Gold:
Church Road Reserve Syrah 2008,
Coopers Creek SV Hawkes Bay Syrah Chalk Ridge 2008,
Corbans Cottage Block Hawke's Bay Syrah 2007,
Mills Reef Elspeth Syrah 2007,
Mudbrick Vineyard Reserve Syrah 2008,
Passage Rock Reserve Syrah 2008,
Vidal Hawkes Bay Syrah 2007

PINOT GRIS

Gold:
Couper's Shed Pinot Gris 2009,
Dashwood Marlborough Pinot Gris 2009

OTHER RED STYLES

Gold:
Trinity Hill Gimblett Gravels Tempranillo 2007,
Trinity Hill Gimblett Gravels Tempranillo 2008

GEWURZTRAMINER

Pure Gold:
Hunter's Gewurztraminer 2009,
Spy Valley Gewurztraminer 2009

Gold:
Curio d'Auvergne Vineyard Wairau Valley Marlborough Gewurztraminer 2008,
Johanneshof Cellars Marlborough Gewurztraminer 2009,
Morton Estate White Label Gewurztraminer 2009,
Waimea Nelson Gewurztraminer 2008

MERLOT

Gold:
Villa Maria Reserve Merlot 2007

RIESLING

Gold:
Bladen Riesling 2009,
Bouldevines Riesling 2009,
Esk Valley Marlborough Riesling 2009,
Forrest The Doctors' Riesling 2009

CABERNET SAUVIGNON OR MERLOT/CABERNET BLEND

Pure Gold:
Villa Maria Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot 2007

Gold:
Mills Reef Elspeth Cabernet Merlot 2007,
Newton Forrest Cornerstone 2007,
Trinity Hill Gimblett Gravels The Gimblett 2007

SPARKLING WINE

Pure Gold:
Deutz Marlborough Cuvee Blanc de Blancs 2006

Gold:
Hawkesbridge Marlborough Methode Traditionnelle 2006

DESSERT WINE

Gold:
Church Road Reserve Noble Semillon 2004,
Farmgate Noble Harvest Riesling 2007,
Forrest Botrytised Riesling 2008,
Glazebrook New Zealand Noble Harvest Riesling 2009

EXHIBITION WHITE OR SPARKLING WINE

Pure Gold:
Brightwater Vineyards Nelson Pinot Gris 2009,
Olssens Annieburn Riesling 2009,
R.S.V.P. Crosse Vineyard Marlborough Riesling 2008

Gold:
Amisfield Lowburn Terrace Riesling 2007,
Forrest The Valleys Wairau Gewurztraminer 2008,
Glenmark Weka Plains Proprietors Reserve Riesling 2003,
John Forrest Collection Chardonnay 2004,
Margrain Botrytis Chenin Blanc 2009,
Margrain Botrytis Riesling 2009,
Margrain Botrytis Sauvignon Blanc 2009,
Salvare Chardonnay 2007,
Vic Williams Selection Classic Marlborough Riesling 2008,
Villa Maria Single Vineyard Ihumatao Chardonnay 2007,
Villa Maria Single Vineyard Omahu Viognier 2008,
Villa Maria Reserve Marlborough Chardonnay 2006,
Villa Maria Single Vineyard Taylors Pass Chardonnay 2006,
Waipara Springs Premo Riesling 2005

EXHIBITION RED WINE

Gold:
Georgetown Vineyard Pinot Noir 2007,
Gunn Estate Silistria Syrah 2007,
Matariki Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2007,
Miro Syrah 2008,
Pond Paddock Te Muna Pinot Noir 2008,
Vidal Reserve Syrah 2006,
Villa Maria Reserve Pinot Noir 2006