Wine Show

from Winepress - December 2021

Generation Y-ine Johnny Valencia

Saint Clair winemaker Stewart Maclennan with the trophy for QuayConnect Champion Wine of the Show. Photo Richard Briggs

Taking trophies to the people

SOPHIE PREECE

THE 2021 Marlborough Wine Show, sponsored by QuayConnect, was a celebration of provenance, with trophies awarded within the vineyards, wineries and cellar doors the winning wines hail from.

With Covid-19 scuppering the show’s Celebration Lunch, Wine Marlborough staff and the show’s trophy sponsors travelled throughout the region to celebrate. The two days of visits, along with photos taken at every spot, were about “capturing the story, the people and the place” behind the wines, says Wine Marlborough events manager Loren Coffey.

Of the 18 trophies awarded, seven went to wines produced this year, including the QuayConnect Champion Wine of the Show, awarded to Saint Clair’s Wairau Reserve Sauvignon Blanc 2021, which also won the WineWorks Champion Sauvignon Blanc trophy.

Saint Clair family members, along with senior winemakers Stewart Maclennan and Kyle Thompson, received the trophies at the Saint Clair Vineyard Kitchen. Managing director Neal Ibbotson, who calls the Saint Clair Wairau Reserve Sauvignon Blanc the company’s “flagship wine”, commended Stewart and Kyle, along with the wider winemaking, viticulture, cellar and administration team. “Without this team of amazing people, we would not have been able to achieve success such as this. It is a huge honour to be part of such an amazing story.”

More than 540 wines were judged by a panel of 10 in October, with chief judge Ben Glover describing the line-up as exceptional. “The 2021 and 2020 wines were stunning. All the judges thought it was one of the best line-ups they have seen.” The 2020 Pinots were “just beautiful” and the 2021 Sauvignon Blancs “out of this world”, he says. “The concentration, the poise, precision and depth of styles showed the quality of this year’s vintage.”

Two new trophies were awarded for the first time this year: the WineWorks Champion Alternate Style Sauvignon Blanc won by Sound of White “Barrel Fermented” Sauvignon Blanc 2019; and the Vit Management Ltd Best Organic Wine, which went to Giesen Single Vineyard Clayvin Pinot Noir 2017.

The Coterie Provenance Award, recognising the best single vineyard current release from any class, was awarded to Brancott Estate Reserve Sauvignon Blanc 2021, grown at Triplebank Vineyard in the Awatere Valley. The Marlborough Museum Legacy Award is awarded to the wine producer with the highest scores from three vintages within a 10-year period, and went to Framingham Select Riesling, 2011, 2016 and 2019. Ben says this was an exceptional category to judge and the winning wine was a special example of Marlborough Riesling.

WineWorks Marlborough general manager Damien Gillman - who presented the WineWorks Champion Sauvignon Blanc Trophy and the WineWorks Champion Alternate Style Sauvignon Blanc trophy - says it was a memorable way of awarding the wines. “The Saint Clair team are our neighbours in Riverlands Estate, so it was extra special to award them the trophy in the beautiful setting of their cellar door restaurant,” says Damien. “I headed up the Waihopai to Catalina Sounds the day before,” he adds. “It’s a picturesque spot and easy to see why such a beautiful place produces such beautiful wine.”

Loren says the two-day “event” was a wonderful way of celebrating the winning wines and the people and places they come from. “We have been to some beautiful places and captured some different sides of the industry, which has showcased the diversity of our amazing region.” To read more about the winning wine companies, check out Wine Marlborough's Facebook page over the next month.