In association with the New Zealand Wine Hall of Fame, a Salute to the Championship Award Winners for 2020.
The prestigious Royal Easter Show Wine Awards took place at The Pullman Hotel on Saturday 7th March. The Hawkes Bay winery Church Road, McDonald Series Chardonnay 2018 has taken home the Champion Wine award at the 2020 Royal Easter Show Wine Awards.
Awards Director, Terry Dunleavy said “The judges were impressed by overall general high quality of entries this year, especially in the varieties Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay. Not only was there an increase in the number of gold medals award to the top Sauvignon Blancs, but the wines revealed greater diversity of styles, more complexity and showed stronger evidence of the flinty, minerally flavours that the variety can achieve.”
“With Chardonnay, there was this year a less heavy-handed approaching to the winemaking, allowing the variety to better express New Zealand’s natural cool climate capacity to accentuate fruit flavours and varietal characters.”
The Room set up for the Royal Easter Show Wine Awards 2020
“All in all, this year’s show demonstrated why there is such a demand from now over 100 countries throughout the world for our wines based on their clean and distinctive varietal characters that distinguish our wines from those of older, longer established wine regions that sell for prices much higher than ours.”
Terry continues “Not only is our future as a wine export nation assured and capable of further growth, but when all the other goodies that we export come to a table overseas, it is only the bottle of wine with its label intact that proudly proclaims its country of origin,”
The Royal Easter Show Wine Awards have been running for 68 years, our country’s oldest wine competition. The Awards Dinner celebrates the excellence that New Zealand wines have achieved throughout the world.
Royal Easter Show Wine Awards Trophies
Chair of Judges, Mike DeGaris states “The entries have been fantastic wines. Previous medal winners and reputable producers once again participating. There is a diverse range of styles represented in this year’s competition.”
He said “It is especially wonderful to welcome international judging with Jane Faulkner from Australia who also has background in wine journalism. The judging and stewards are all volunteers who donate their time for the industry and community and rely on their owners to grant them time to attend.”
Judges for the awards
The 2020 judging panel consists of 22 judges including the hallowed Jane Faulkner from Australia. Eight of the 22 judging panel are associate judges in training. The 2020 Chair of Judges is Mike DeGaris and Deputy Chair is Jane Cooper. The other esteemed judges are; Jane Skilton MW, Dr Rebecca Deed, Wendy Stuckey, Olly Masters, Greg Lane, Matt Kirby, Ant McKenzie, James Hillard, Michael Bann, Paul Harré, Dave Roper and associate judges JP Henderson, Michael Turner, Janine Rickards, Sam Dunleavy, Nigel Cottle, Sophie Harris, Marc Udy and Renée Dale.
Trophy Winners
Guala Closures Award for Champion Wine of the Show:
Church Road McDonald Series Chardonnay 2018
Church Road Tom McDonald Series Chardonnay – Champion Wine
Rapid Labels Trophy for Champion Sparkling
Petite Cordon by Maison Mumm NV
Red Badge Security Award for Champion Riesling
Wairau River Summer Riesling 2019
Royal Easter Show Award for Champion Pinot Gris
Saddleback Pinot Gris 2019
The Production & Music Agency Award for Champion Rosé
Babydoll Rosé 2019
Guala Closures Award for Champion Sauvignon Blanc
Saint Clair Pioneer Block 20 Cash Block Sauvignon Blanc 2019
Pullman Auckland Award for Champion Wine, Other Varieties
Matawhero Church House Chenin Blanc 2018
New Zealand WineGrower Magazine Trophy for Champion Pinot Noir
VALLI Bendigo Vineyard Pinot Noir 2018
Winezeal Enterprises Ltd Award for Champion Gewürztraminer
Old Coach Road Nelson Gewürztraminer 2019
winejobsonline.com Award for Champion Medium Sweet or Sweet Wine
Urlar Late Harvest Riesling Gladstone 2019
New World Award for Champion Chardonnay
Church Road McDonald Series Chardonnay 2018
MyFarm Award for Champion Merlot & Blends
Esk Valley Gimblett Gravels Hawkes Bay Merlot Cabernet Sauvignon 2018
ASB Showgrounds Award for Champion Cabernet Sauvignon & Blends
Esk Valley Winemakers Reserve Gimblett Gravels Hawkes Bay Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot Malbec 2018
Mainfreight Award for Champion Export Wine
Whitehaven Marlborough ‘Greg’ Awatere Valley SingleVineyard Sauvignon Blanc 2019
Auckland Agricultural & Pastoral Association Heritage Rosebowl
Seifried Winemakers Collection Sweet Agnes Riesling 2009, 2014, 2019
Esvin Wine Resources Award for Champion Syrah
Church Road Grand Reserve Syrah 2017
Guala Closures Award for Best Presented Screwcap Wine Bottle
Lawson’s Dry Hills Pink Pinot 2019
Auckland Agricultural & Pastoral Association Gold Medal for Winemaker of the Year
Chris Scott (Church Road)
For a full list of Medals awarded, visit www.wineshow.co.nz