Sarah Jessica Parker with Invivo founders Tim Lightbourne, left, and Rob Cameron. Photo / Supplied
Sarah Jessica Parker with Invivo founders Tim Lightbourne, left, and Rob Cameron. Photo / Supplied
As Kiwis continue to bring in the medals at the Tokyo Olympics, a Waikato winery has managed to pick up a swag of medals of a different kind.
Invivo Wines picked up three gold medals at the 11th Annual New York International Wine Awards for wines it's worked in collaboration with, actress Sarah Jessica Parker and Irish talk show host Graham Norton.
The pair have posted about the big wins on Instagram - Parker's post has notched up nearly 380,000 likes - the sort of endorsement and recognition any Kiwi company would be proud of.
While the Waikato winemakers have been working with Norton for eight years, and were this year notching up their 15 millionth bottle of their Graham Norton Sauvignon Blanc, they had been working with Parker for just two years with the Invivo X, SJP.
Invivo co-owner Tim Lightbourne told the Herald the wins "were huge for us" especially as they were up against 1400 other wines from 24 countries.
"It's pretty awesome.
"I think we've entered the last four or five years in a row but this is the first time we've won big. It's the first time we've won three golds and two trophies."
The team scooped a gold for its Pinot a few years ago but to take out a whole category with their SJP French Rose was massive.
The wins had also pushed them further into the international spotlight as Parker was currently in the middle of filming the new Sex and the City series; And Just Like That.
"It's huge for us and exciting because with the SJP [wine], it's a New York wine show and she is New York.
"They're shooting the next Sex and the City series in New York at the moment and seeing media every day ... so there's a huge amount of media interest".
Lightbourne said he'd fielded queries from multiple news agencies including Forbes magazine, who will profile the winery in their next issue.
"And New York is opening up at the moment and with the wine and her being so iconic with New York, it's great for us."
Parker said she was "proud, and stunned, and honoured and delighted and ready to toast the weekend and all those who have included us in their homes, on their tables, at their parties, for special moments and celebrations."
Sarah Jessica Parker pictured with a bottle of her signature wine last year. Photo / Supplied
Regarding the Sauvignon Blanc's success, Parker said it was a "real treat to be able to further immerse myself in the winemaking and blending process with my Invivo X, SJP partners Tim and Rob" for their second vintage.
"We are honoured to share our enthusiasm for this special wine from Marlborough, New Zealand with wine lovers everywhere and are thrilled to have received some remarkable recognitions."
Parker said working with Invivo had been "a wonderful, surprising, exciting, joyful experience.
"I'm incredibly fond of Tim and Rob and first of all, they are swell guys, but they're also very good at what they do.
"I respect them professionally and personally. It's been an absolutely lovely experience."
Lightbourne said they were proud of their efforts as they knew they had a good product.
"All the hard work is paying off. We know the wines are good, and the quality and the theory behind it, it is really really awesome. We're just happy that the wine is getting some great accolades at the moment. "
American wine magazine, Wine Spectator, included the 2019 Sarah Jessica Parker Sauvignon Blanc in its top 100 last year, so the team was chuffed to get gold for its 2020 vintage.
"It was a hard one to make because it was at the beginning of Covid so we couriered eight samples to New York, from Marlborough for the Sauvignon, and the same with the French Rosé, we couriered eight samples from the south of France to her.
"We had the same eight samples and she tasted with us at the same time over zoom.
"Rob thought the sauv was special and was proud of the vintage, 2020, so we knew something was going to happen so this is really a combination of all that work; her choosing the blend and our winemaking team as well."
INVIVO'S MEDAL HAUL
11th Annual New York International Wine Competition
Gold
• Invivo & Co Invivo X; Sarah Jessica Parker Rosé 2020 • Invivo & Co Graham Norton's Own Sauvignon Blanc 2020 • Invivo & Co Invivo X; Sarah Jessica Parker Sauvignon Blanc 2020
Europe Rose of the Year • Sarah Jessica Parker Rosé
New Zealand Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc Wine of the Year • Graham Norton's Own Sauvignon Blanc
