Wine Marlborough, the regional wine organization for Marlborough grape growers and wine companies, is the new owner of the Marlborough Wine Show as jointly announced last week at the seventh Marlborough Wine Show awards celebration.
Wine Marlborough and the founders of the Marlborough Wine Show, Belinda Jackson and Margaret Cresswell of Wine Competition Limited, reached agreement after an approach from Wine Marlborough earlier in the year.
Explains Jackson, “We are proud to have established the event, which has almost doubled in size, but realize it takes more than just the two of us to continue to develop its relevance for the local wine industry.” She continues, “Wine Marlborough are perfectly placed to take the event to the next level.”
Wine Marlborough have built an association with the show over recent years by sponsoring the attendance of prominent international wine judges from key markets such as the USA, Asia and Australia.
The show undertakes the professional evaluation and endorsement of Marlborough wines by qualified and experienced local winemakers together with non-winemaker judges such as wine educators and writers. Wine Marlborough believes the show plays an important role in developing the reputation of Marlborough wine.
“Marlborough winemakers are the most knowledgeable and arguably the harshest critics of their own wines and that is why this show is so important. This is the event local companies want to do well at”, says Wine Marlborough General Manager, Marcus Pickens.
Wine Marlborough would like to congratulate Ms Jackson and Ms Cresswell for all that they have achieved with the show since 2011 and hope to continue their legacy of innovation.
“The Marlborough Wine Show was the first (and only) Marlborough regional wine show, the first to judge wines in sub-regional classes, the first to use varietal specific glassware and the first to auction all leftover wines and place those funds in a trust for industry grants. It is fantastic what they have
achieved for the Marlborough wine industry”, says Wine Marlborough General Manager, Marcus Pickens.
Wine Marlborough will run their first Marlborough Wine Show in October 2018.
More about the Marlborough Wine Show
• The Marlborough Wine Show was established in 2011 by Wine Competition Ltd founders Belinda Jackson and Margaret Cresswell
• The show reviews and assesses wines produced from a minimum of 95% Marlborough grapes, using three panels of experienced judges led by Chief Judge, Jeff Clarke
• The show rewards top-performing wines with trophies, gold, silver and bronze medals and provides a relevant, credible platform for producers to promote their wines. It is also a celebration of excellence – not only of the wines, but of the Marlborough industry as a whole
• The show auctions unopened bottles following the show with proceeds going to the Cresswell Jackson New Zealand Wine Trust. This has raised in excess of $50,000 for research initiatives via Otago and Lincoln Universities as well as EIT and Plant & Food
• The 2017 Marlborough Wine Show, which was judged in early October, awarded 40 gold medals and 14 trophies at the Celebration Dinner
• Full results for the 2017 Marlborough Wine Show can be found at http://marlboroughwineshow.co.nz/results/