Vidal Estate was the big winner at the 2013 Hawke's Bay A&P Bayley's Wine Awards last night, winning the top three champion titles.
The winery and restaurant won the Champion Wine of Show with its Reserve Series Chardonnay and the Reserve Champion Wine of Show with its Legacy Series Gimblett Gravels Syrah, as well as taking home the Winery of the Year title.
More than 420 guests packed the Waikoko Gardens at the Hawke's Bay Showgrounds, where they were entertained by television and radio personality Jeremy Corbett, who was MC for the evening.
"With the wind tonight, even if there is no applause it will sound like there is. I only do gigs in tents these days anyway," he said.
Hawke's Bay A&P Society general manager Brent Linn said Vidal had raised the glass in the competition with an outstanding result. "Taking out the top three awards demonstrates Vidal is achieving excellence across the board. This level of achievement is fantastic for Hawke's Bay."
A total of 216 medals were awarded in a year which proved challenging for the region's best wine makers.
Chief judge Rod McDonald said the calibre of wines was outstanding, with the syrah and the merlot classes some of the strongest ever seen.
The rose and sparkling classes, which are rarely awarded gold, were an exception this year as Esk Valley Hawke's Bay Rose 2013 and Osawa Prestige Collection Methode Traditionelle were judged champions.
Cuisine Magazine writer John Saker said that during 2 days the visiting judges were able to taste and sample the whole region's wines.
"We learn all the styles and what the region has been doing over the last couple of years.
"When you judge you have to tick off boxes and check obvious things like the ripeness. You look at whether the wine is balanced, is the structure there, is the fruit there and at the end of that there is something really personal, but you must be as objective as you can."
The best export wine was awarded to Elephant Hill for their 2012 syrah, while the Hawke's Bay A&P Society Young Vintner went to Ross Anderson.
"I'm really surprised to win this award, but it's awesome," said Mr Anderson who will receive a $3500 scholarship towards his studies.
The best student wine was awarded to Kate Douglas for her 2013 touriga port.