Hawke’s Bay wine HEADLINES around the world

11 November 2011

Hawke’s Bay wine HEADLINES around the world

Hawke’s Bay wines just keep making the headlines and recognition of the region as a leading wine producer is growing worldwide.

“In 10 years time, Hawke’s Bay will be known internationally as one of the great wine producing areas of the world,” says Nicholas Buck, Chairman of HB Winegrowers Inc.

This week Craggy Range Winery, Crossroads Winery and Villa Maria all released press statements for category wins in Australasia’s biggest wine competition, the 2011 Winestate Awards.

Craggy Range was also awarded the competition’s Wine of the Year for its 2009 ‘Le Sol’ Syrah. Crossroads achieved its win with the Vineyard Selection Kereru Road Merlot Cabernet 2009 and Villa Maria with the Reserve Malbec 2009.

But the real story is revealed when all Winestate Award categories are viewed -Hawke’s Bay took the top prize for the important red wine categories: Merlot & Blends, Shiraz / Syrah and Other Reds.

“For a competition of over 11,000 Australian and New Zealand wines, this is substantially significant. Not only are we selling coals to Newcastle, we’re winning in terms of recognition and quality too,” says Lyn Bevin, Hawke’s Bay Winegrowers Inc. executive officer.

In the most recent issue of Wine Advocate and website eRobertParker.com, recognised as the leading independent consumers’ guides to fine wine, writer Lisa Perotti-Brown covered New Zealand.

“Hawke’s Bay is a region I noted that is doing a particularly great job at producing complex, age-worthy wines,” she states after lamenting that many New Zealand wines lacked the complexity she sought. Lisa praised wineries producing highly individual and noteworthy Bordeaux blends and Syrah.

“Hawke’s Bay’s Chardonnays are becoming very exciting,” she added.

And in the UK, Rebecca Gibb featured Hawke’s Bay in the latest issue of Imbibe.com for leading wine trade industry professionals. Rod Easthope of Craggy Range is quoted as saying “we are now getting to the stage where we are confident with our fruit and wine-making”.

Regardless of whether you are a Syrah fan or a Cabernet Merlot or Merlot Cabernet blend fan the accolades are there for Hawke’s Bay wines.

ENDS

© Scoop Media