South Island Winery Takes Gold Trophy

 
Media Release

For immediate release 8/10/07

South Island Winery Takes Gold Trophy

In the recent New Zealand International Wine Show, boutique South Island Winery, Johanneshof Cellars of Marlborough has been awarded 2 Gold Medals and the overall Trophy winner for their 2007 Pinot Gris.

Heralding Johanneshof’s 2007 medium aromatic vintage as ; “Opulently scented and richly flavoured, perfectly balanced and focussed with vibrant fruit, a touch of honey and musky spices. A delicious, unctuous wine with elegance and power”, the judges were unanimous in their selection.

With over 2100 entries, this years competition became the largest ever wine show to be held in New Zealand and one of the largest events of its kind in the Southern Hemisphere.

Now in it’s third year, competition convenor Kingsley Wood says the 6 judging panels lead by Bob Campbell MW and totalling 23 senior judges were; “Very impressed with the line up of wines which included wines from 10 different countries”, Mr Wood advises, “Of particular note was the Pinot Gris section which attracted 130 entries, by far the largest in it’s category to be accumulated in New Zealand. The general comment of the judges was that it was not only the largest selection of Pinot Gris, but that it was also one of the best, with several Pinot Gris worthy of Gold. But that Johanneshof got two Golds, one each for their 2007 Medium and Dry Pinot Gris, and then was chosen as the overall Trophy Winner, is testimony to their outstanding winemaking”. 

A Long History of Awards

Johanneshof winemakers, Edel Everling and Warwick Foley are no strangers to the accolades of winemaking, having collected numerous awards and trophies in recognition of their handcrafted wines. Their Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling, Gewurztraminer and Pinot Gris have consistently been listed as 5 star wines in the Cuisine magazine ratings along with numerous other recognitions including “Best in Class” for their 2005 Sauvignon Blanc at the International Wine & Spirit Competition in London in 2006. A year earlier Johanneshof was named the world’s best aromatic white wine producer by winning the “International Aromatic White Wine Trophy” at the Decanter World Wine Awards in London.

From their boutique winery on the outskirts of Picton, these quiet achievers of the New Zealand wine scene are not only passionate about their craft, but also their approach to traditional winemaking, including hand harvesting their grapes. “If you’re nurturing the vines and picking the grapes by hand, you can’t help but feel a closer relationship to what you’re doing”, winemaker Edel says. “From the initial bud that blooms in the spring to the final drop that goes into the bottle, we try to caress the very best from the fruit to make the very best wines we can”.

With their pedigree of awards spanning 15 vintages and now these recent Gold Trophy recognitions, making excellent wines is clearly something Johanneshof has not only achieved, but also continues to excel at.   

By David Woodley

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