Wine tasting controversy may see competition rules tighten

Industry body New Zealand Winegrowers is proposing more rigorous standards for wine tastings following the Wither Hills tasting controversy.

The Wither Hills Sauvignon Blanc 2006 sample entered in Cuisine magazine's annual wine competition was different from bottles available in the supermarket. The wine has been stripped of the Cuisine five-star rating.

Wither Hills chief winemaker Brent Marris said in a written statement that the wines came from different bottle runs, and the mistake was unintentional.

"Unfortunately because of the timing of the initial bottle run from the 2006 vintage, the wine was not of identical composition to the subsequent bottle run."

NZ Winegrowers chief executive Philip Gregan says he is not worried about the reputation of the wine industry as he's satisfied with the wine auditor's investigation. NZ Winegrowers had rigorous judging processes and systems for its own competitions, and would be actively promoting the adoption of similar standards for all wine tastings.