The Church Road Syrah 2009 has taken out the coveted Champion Wine of the Show at the Hawke's Bay A&P Mercedes-Benz Wine Awards.
Church Road also won the Champion Syrah and Sustainable Wine of the Show trophies, Winery of the Year Award, and Champion Merlot trophy for their Church Road Cuve
Series Merlot 2008, the Champion Pinot Gris trophy for their Church Road Pinot Gris 2010 and the trophy for Champion Sweet Wine for their Church Road Reserve Noble Viognier 2009.
The glittering black and white-themed awards were held on Wednesday night in the Waikoko Gardens at Showground's Hawke's Bay to a sold out crowd who were entertained throughout the evening by MC Frankie Stevens and the Candy Lane dancers.
The judging panel included Hawke's Bay Winegrowers chairman Rod McDonald; Masters of Wine Jane Skilton and Bob Campbell; winemaker for McWilliams Wines in Australia Corey Ryan; wine columnist Yvonne Lorkin, Clearview Estate winemaker Barry Rewai and Ant McKenzie of Te Awa. Entries were judged according to national and international standards.
Reserve Champion Wine of the Show went to the Esk Valley Winemakers Hawke's Bay Chardonnay 2008; Champion Cabernet Sauvignon-dominant red was the Villa Maria Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot 2008, while the Wild Rock 'Gravel Pit Red' Merlot Malbec 2008 won the Merlot-dominant class and picked up Best Export Wine of the Show.
Villa Maria also scooped the Viognier trophy for their Single Vineyard Omahu Gravels Viognier 2009. The Best in Class awards for Other Premium Red Varietals and Pinot Noir went to Trinity Hill's Gimblett Gravels Tempranillo 2008 and Ohsawa Wines Prestige Collection Pinot Noir 2009 respectively.
ID Wines collected the Trophy for Champion Sauvignon Blanc with their Kevern Walker Sauvignon Blanc 2010. The Askerne Gewurztraminer 2010 took home the gold medal and trophy for Champion Other White Varietals.
Lime Rock scored Best in Class for their Pinot Rosé 2010 and the Museum Class was won by the Sacred Hill Rifleman's Chardonnay 2004.
The coveted Cellar Door of the Year title was awarded to Sileni Estates who "had consistently delivered an excellent all-round visitor experience" according to the judges.
