Lindauer Special Reserve Brut Cuvee and Lindauer Special Reserve also made the cut with blends that include local grapes.
Squawking Magpie The Chatterer Syrah 2021 winemaker Jenny Dobson said it was wonderful for the Hawke’s Bay Squawking Magpie team to be featured as champion Syrah.
“It so often goes to Australia, so it’s just wonderful news, " Dobson said.
“The vintages of 2019, 2020 and 2021 were amazing so this wine is full of flavour. It’s fresh and juicy has some spice, and pepper and is an interesting and enjoyable wine to drink.”
She says it is thanks to Squawking Magpie’s owner Gavin Yortt’s vision and determination that they are producing such amazing wines.
“He laid the foundations years ago planting vineyards in the Gimblett Gravels.”
Senior winemaker and Hawke’s Bay Wines spokesman Richard Painter said the Thornbury Hawke’s Bay Rose 2023 was made from a cross-section vineyards of the Tuki Valley and the Gimblett Gravels.
“It’s an exciting wine from a very weather-challenging vintage. We picked the grapes two to three weeks after the cyclone and made good wine. That’s a really positive thing for Hawke’s Bay.
“The rose is consumer friendly, it’s not too technical, and will appeal to a broad range of wine drinkers.”
As Thornbury and Villa Maria sit under the same umbrella Painter also spoke about the Champion Red Blend award for Villa Maria Cellar Selection Hawke’s Bay Merlot Cabernet Sauvignon 2021.
“Both of these champion wines are made here in Hawke’s Bay. The Champion Red Blend is a good quality wine with a classical red blend that we do so well.
“It’s a best quality, great tasting wine for lovers of red blends,” he said.
Mission Estate CEO Peter Holley said he is absolutely delighted with the success of the Mission Estate Hawke’s Bay’s Reserve Chardonnay and the Stables Hawke’s Bay .
“They are two magnificent wines. Our Syrah is building and I think it comes off the back of the extraordinary success of our Huchet wines.”
The 2019 Huchet Syrah was awarded two Gold Medals in the prestigious International Wine Challenge and International Wine & Spirits Competition (IWC & IWSC).
“We have great winemakers. Approachable wine is our philosophy and these two wines in the Top 50 are palatable and affordable. They are classic high-quality wines from the Hawke’s Bay region. We can grow fantastic wine.”
Co-chair of judges for the Top 50 New World Wine Awards Sam Kim said the independent panel of wine experts tasted and scored the entries over three full days, first awarding the Gold medal winners, then tasting through these wines again and again to determine the 50 best for this list.
“All the judging was blind – meaning we didn’t know the brand or price point of any entry, so consumers can trust that every winning wine really measures up.
“The Hawke’s Bay’s prowess for growing amazing reds really shone through this year,” Kim said.,
