Villa Maria syrah wins top honours

A syrah wine collected the top award at last night's Hawkes Bay A&P Mercedes-Benz Wine Awards.

Villa Maria clinched the champion wine for its Cellar Selection Syrah 2006, as well as a trophy for its Cellar Selection Viognier 2007.

Villa Maria also won winery of the year.

The 400 entered wines were judged by a panel of international, New Zealand and Hawkes Bay judges.

The reserve champion wine was Pernod Ricard's Cottage Block chardonnay.