Two gold medals for Goldie Wines

Two gold medals for Goldie Wines

Goldie Wines on Waiheke Island has won its first gold medals for new owners, University of Auckland and winemaker, Heinrich Storm.

Two Goldie Syrah wines from the 2013 vintage took two of the eight gold medals awarded in the Syrah category at the recent NZ International Wine Show.

The Goldie Syrah 2013 and Goldie Reserve Syrah 2013 were awarded gold in what Heinrich says is a significant achievement for the new operation.

“These medals are the first won since the University took over ownership of the vineyard in 2011 from Goldwater Wines,” he says. “Also for me it is significant, because they are my first as winemaker for Goldie Wines.”

Heinrich was previously winemaker for the vineyard when it was owned by multi-award winning Goldwater Wines.

“Goldie Wines is a commercial operation with a rich heritage and legacy from the Goldwater vineyards,” he says. “From a commercial aspect it is important for us to do well in these competitions, so that people recognise the Goldie Wines brand.”

“These Gold medals are the sort of results that we want, especially as this is the biggest competition in New Zealand and includes international as well as domestic wines from all our overseas wine-making competitors.”

“There were only eight gold medals awarded in the Syrah class and Goldie Wines took away two of them. These results will help swing perceptions that Goldie Wines are a top-class commercial operation”, he says.

“My job is easy, I get to make the wines, but for this I need good quality grapes and that is a team effort and we are all excited about winning these awards,” says Heinrich. ”We had several challenging vintages due to weather conditions in 2011 and 2012, but 2013 and 2014 are very different, especially with the long hot summer in 2013, so we have much better weather conditions for the grapes now.”

He says the new team has also found its feet and settled in now. Goldie Wines, although owned by the University and used as a base for its wine science courses, is a commercial vineyard as well as a research and academic vineyard.

Students do get an opportunity to become immersed in the commercial setting and what the commercial environment is about. They also get to take part in some activities in the vineyard, but always in a controlled environment under supervision, says Heinrich.

ENDS

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