Wrights Vineyard and Winery wins big at organic awards

Wrights Vineyard and Winery at Manutuke won 10 medals, including two gold medals, this week in the New Zealand Organic Wine Awards, and winemaker Geoff Wright (pictured) said they were thrilled about it. Photo / Liam Clayton

Wrights Vineyard and Winery of Gisborne has won 10 medals, including two golds in the prestigious Aotearoa Organic Wine Awards 2024.

The Wrights also picked up a silver and seven bronze medals. Their Reserve Chardonnay was crowned with a gold medal, adding to the top medals they have been awarded in that class since their inaugural entry dating back to 2018.

“Our Gisborne Wrights Chardonnay is at the leading forefront of New Zealand chardonnays, to be consistently recognised at these awards is hugely significant for us,” winemaker Geoff Wright said.

“What you find is that organic vineyards always strive for greatness, not just looking at the bottom line, but incorporating environmental stewardship which is in the right direction for stabilising our climate and keeping our planet habitable for generations to come.”

What was surprising for Wrights was their Natural Wine Co Sauvignon Blanc, awarded gold as well, being the only North Island sauvignon blanc among the five golds given for this category.

Wright has seen a shift among Gisborne winegrowers towards producing sauvignon blanc for the Marlborough region, and losing this region’s identity on their way.

“We would like to see this win for us to be seen as a beacon of hope for our local industry.

“Too often our grapes have been blended away into other regions,” he said.

“With Gisborne’s unique terrior of climate and soils, we have the ability to punch above our weight.

“Winning gold for the 2023 Natural Wine Co Sauvignon Blanc is especially exciting, as our region was hit hard with Cyclone Gabrielle around vintage.”

Wright said one of the benefits of organics was it created stronger plants and cleaner fruit, with less reliance on chemicals.

“Organic farming practices have gained traction globally for their environmental sustainability and production of high-quality, chemical-free products.

“With New Zealand consumers focusing on wellbeing and health, there is definitely more of a shift in demand for certified organic wines.

“All we need now is our corporations to think long-term and not just of the bottom line and allow our consumers to have more access to our organic products, rather than them being exported to overseas markets,” Wright said.

“Corporates need to support healthier, pesticide-free, herbicide-free and synthetic chemical fertiliser-free wines. Corporates have a responsibility to help save the planet.”

Another initiative that highlights Wrights’ sustainable practices was their recently completed, five-year project of planting out natives and restoring a saltmarsh waterway at their Manutuke vineyard. They had help from Gisborne District Council and worked closely with the Women’s Native Tree Project Trust.

The winery was looking forward to some upcoming new-release wines from the 2023 vintage under their Wrights, Love It and Natural Wine Co brands, Wright said.

The following Wrights wines were awarded medals:

• Gold - Wrights Reserve Chardonnay 2022 and Natural Wine Co Sauvignon 2023.
• Silver - Wrights Estate Chardonnay 2022.
• Bronze - Wrights Estate Chardonnay 2023, Natural Wine Co Rose 2022, Love it Pinot Rose 2022, Natural Wine Co Sauvignon Blanc 2022, Natural Wine Co Pinot Gris 2022, Love it Pinot Gris 2023 and Wrights Estate Zinfandel 2023.