Press Release

March 23, 2009

Golden Month for Marlborough Wines

• Royal Easter show winners announced
• Marlborough 2008 Sauvignon Blanc shines.

Marlborough’s wine industry is celebrating a golden month, with dozens of gold medals and plenty of trophies from recent international wine shows.

At the Royal Easter Show Wine Awards 2009, more than 35 gold medals came Marlborough’s way – with every single gold awarded in the Sauvignon Blanc category going to a Marlborough wine. Other varieties to earn gold medals were Chardonnay, Riesling, Pinot Gris, Merlot, Pinot Noir and Noble Riesling.

Adding to the golden haul, four Trophies were awarded to Marlborough wines at Saturday night’s announcements. A Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling and Noble Riesling were awarded Champion status, with Highfield Sauvignon Blanc 2008 awarded the trophy for Champion Export Wine.

It was the same at the recent Sydney Top 100, where a large number of gold’s were presented to wines from Marlborough. Twenty of the 30 top Sauvignon Blanc’s from around the world were Marlborough wines and all of them from the 2008 vintage.

As well as picking up the trophy for Best Sauvignon Blanc of the Competition, (Huntaway Reserve Marlborough 2008) a second trophy was awarded to Te Whare Ra Wines, for their Pinot Gris 2008, judged the Best Medium Bodied Dry White Table Wine.

At yet another Australian wine show, The International Cool Climate Wine Show 2009, Marlborough won two trophies. Ponder Olive Grove Sauvignon Blanc 2008 won Best Sauvignon Blanc, while Villa Maria took out the trophy for best Pinot Noir, with their Reserve Pinot Noir 2007.

Wine Marlborough’s Marketing Manager Marcus Pickens, says the recent wins show the diversity of this region and the quality of production across a wide range of varietals.

He says the large number of 2008 Sauvignon Blanc winning gold, is testament to the quality of fruit that emerged from the largest ever vintage in the region.

“It may have been a record yield, but many the wines that came out of it are world class – as the
recent results have shown.”

With the show results behind them, the Marlborough wine industry is now preparing for vintage 2009, where pundits are predicting quality will be even higher than any previous year due in part to predicted lower yields.

ENDS

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