N.Z. wines win 23 gold medals

Press, 24 February 1982, Page 5

N.Z. wines win 23 gold medals

PA Auckland Twenty-three gold medals were awarded during three days of judging w’ines entered in the New Zealand Easter Show wine competition. This was the same number of golds awarded in the national competition in November. Chardonnay, the fine dry white which has been gaining steadily in prestige as perhaps New Zealand’s best wine, was the most successful award winner, with five golds. The show was also notable for the first two gold medals to be won by pinot noir, the temperamental red which makes the great burgundies of France, but .which has proved difficult to handle in other parts of the world. The award for best wine of the show went to Montana pale dry sherry. McWilliams Chardonnay 78 was judged best white and McWilliams cabernet sauvignon 77 best red. Entries in standard classes may be made with comparatively small quanitities of the wines in stock, the amount varying with classes. Commercial categories require higher minimum gallonage (usually 500 or 1000) and the wines are bought by show officials from retail outlets. Consequently wines in commercial categories are those more likely to be readily available. Chardonnay.—Standard: Gold, Matawhere ’BO. McWilliams 78, Cooks 81; Silver, Villa Maria 80, Delegats 81. Commercial: Gold, McWilliams 80, Montana Gisborne 80; Silver, Penfolds 80, Villa Maria 81. Riesling-sylvaner.— Standard: gold. Delegats auslese mullerthurgau 80; silver, Montana Marlborough private bin 81, Totara 80, Penfolds Blenheim 80, Corbans Bin 27. 80, Robard and Butler late barvest 80, Corbans late harvest 80. Montana Bernkaizler 77. Commercial: Silver, Montana Marlborough 80, Corbans Bin 27 81, Montana Marlborough 81, Montana Wohnseidler 81, Nobilo muller-thurgau 81. Gewurztraminer.— Standard: Gold, Matawhere 81: silver, Corbans 80, Montanta Marlborough 81, Corbans 81, Vidals 81. Commercial: Gold. Cooks 80; silver, Montana Marlborough 80.

Chenin blanc—Standard: Silver, collard 81, Totara 79, Totara 80. Commercial: Silver, Corbans 81. Cooks 81. White vinifera blends — Standard: Silver, Matawhere Traminer/riesling 80, Corbans auslese 80. Commercial: Gold, Villa maria riesling-sylvaner/gewurz-traminer 81, Villa Maria rieslingsylvaner 81; silver, Penfolds autumn riesling 81, Montana Benmorven 81. Other vinifera whites—Standard: Silver. Matua Valley sauvignon blanc, Seifried rhine riesling late vintage 81, Montana Marlborough rhine riesling 79. Com-

merciai: Gold. Montana Marlborough sauvignon blanc 80. Montana Marlborough sauvignon blanc 81. Montana Marlborough rhine riesling 81. Montana Marlborough rhine riesling 80; silver, Matua Valley semilion 81, Corbans blush vintage 80. Hybrid whites.—Standard: Silver Villa Maria sauterne 78, Montana exhibition sauterne 81. Sparkling.—Standard: silver, Montana Lindauer brut. Commercial: Gold, Montana Bernadino Spumante; silver, Montana Mont Royale. Rose—Standard: Silver, Corbans cabernet 81. Matawhero 81. Commercial; Silver, Penfolds cabernet 80, Penfolds cabernet 81.

Cabernet sauvignon.—Standard: Gold. Montana Marlborough private bin 78. McWilliams 77. Matua Valley 81; silver, Soljans 80, Penfolds 79. Penfolds 78, Delegats 81, Vidals 81. Commercial: Gold, Nobilo 78; silver. Villa Maria 81, Montana 77, Delegats 80, Montana Marlborough 79. Pinot noir.—Standard: Gold. Selak 81; silver, Montana 77, Selak experimental 81. Commercial: Gold, Nobilo 78: silver, Vidals 81, Montana Marlborough 79.

Pinotage.—Standard: Silver, Montana 76, Montana private bin

76. Panorama 81. Commercial: Silver. Nobilo 78. Montana 77. Other vinifera reds and blends — Standard, silver. Montana private bin claret 76. McWilliams gamay beaujolais 80. collard merlot 81, Vidals St Aubyns claret 81. Commercial: Silver. Nobilo classic dry red. Hybrid reds.—Standard: Silver, Collard private bin claret 81. Commercial: Silver, Corbans Velluto Rosso. Babich Vintara. Dry sherry.—Standard: Gold, Montana' Pale dry; silver, Lincoln private bin, Totara, Mazuran old mello. Commercial: Silver, Penfolds flor, Babich reserve.. Medium dry sherry.—Standard: Silver. Mazuran. Medium sweet sherry.—Standard: Silver. Lincoln, golden totara. Sweet ‘ sherry.—Standard: Silver, panorama special reserve, Mazuran reserve. Ruby ports.—Standard: Silver. Vidals, Nova rich. Commercial: Silver, Collard estate. Tawny ports.—Standard: silver, Lincoln reserve. Penfolds Directors. Vintage ports.—Standard: Gold, Matua Valley 81: Silver, Matua Valley 80. Commercial: Silver, Penfolds vintage 80.