Hawke's Bay best for chardonnay - wine awards winner

Hawke's Bay picked up seven trophies at the Air New Zealand Wine Awards. Pictured is Hugh Crichton of Vidal Estate, one if the big winners.

Vidal Estate winemaker Hugh Crichton declared Hawke's Bay was New Zealand's "greatest chardonnay-producing region", as the Vidal Legacy Hawke's Bay Chardonnay 2013 won the top prize at the 2014 Air New Zealand Wine Awards.

At the Pettigrew Green Arena with MC Paul Henry on Saturday night, the wine won the supreme Air New Zealand Champion Wine of the Show Trophy and the Rabobank New Zealand Champion Chardonnay Trophy.

Vidal picked up a third award, the Waitoa Free Range Chicken Champion Exhibition White or Sparkling Wine Trophy, for its Vidal Legacy Hawke's Bay Chardonnay 2012. Mr Crichton said 2012 was "a bloody-tough vintage".

"It was probably the coolest and wettest in about 30 years, so it is pleasing to see this sort of wine can be made," he said.

Sir George Fistonich, founder of Villa Maria which owns Vidal, said success was due to Mr Crichton being uniquely "persistent, passionate and totally unrelenting in his ability to push and tell the world New Zealand can make some of the best chardonnay".

More than 600 guests at the ceremony were treated to a five-course meal matched to winning wines, with a video commentary by chef Peter Gordon. Falconhead Hawke's Bay Viognier 2013 won the BDO New Zealand Champion Other White Styles and Rose award.

Esk Valley Gimblett Gravels Hawke's Bay Merlot Cabernet Sauvignon Malbec 2013 won the Coast FM Champion Merlot, Cabernet and Blends award.

Church Road McDonald Series Hawke's Bay Syrah 2012 won the Fruitfed Supplies Champion Syrah award.

Matua Single Vineyard Hawke's Bay Syrah 2013 won the Business World Travel Champion Exhibition Red Wine award. Hawke's Bay Winegrowers Association executive officer James Medina said it was a great moment for Hawke's Bay wineries and the 2012 winning wines confirmed local winemakers' skill. "We did fantastic, taking wins in the red categories and chardonnay in particular."

The second-highest accolade of the evening went to Villa Maria Single Vineyard Southern Clays Marlborough Pinot Noir 2012, winning the O-I New Zealand Reserve Wine of the Show Trophy.

Chairman of Judges and Master of Wine, Michael Brajkovich, said the Vidal Legacy Hawke's Bay Chardonnay 2013 stood out in a very strong line-up of varietal trophy winners.

"The Champion Wine of the Show is a very good example of the new wave of chardonnay style we are seeing in New Zealand, but still borrows from the great white Burgundy tradition," he said.