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Wine Show A home-grown celebration of Marlborough wine SOPHIE PREECE
A PINOT Noir that “dances on the palate,” took top spot at the 2020 Marlborough Wine Show, A toast to Frank Yukich at the Marlborough Wine Show. Photo Richard Briggs sponsored by QuayConnect. Chief judge Ben young vines require careful consideration when it comes to Glover describes the Leefield Station Pinot Noir 2019 as “an cropping levels, “to get as much concentration as we can”, exceptional wine full of bright fruits, really vibrant palate, she says, describing a dedicated attention to detail in the and lovely length”, calling it the undisputed winner of the show. It is indicative of a vintage that produced some “quite vineyard, to ensure “every vine is in balance”. And the future is bright for the wines, as the vines age stunning” examples of the variety, he says. “These would be and the vineyard continues to grow, expanding up from the some of the very best Pinots to come out of Marlborough.” glacial valley into Leefield’s foothills, with a diversity of soil The 2020 Sauvignon Blancs were also “especially types and aspects, including northerly facing slopes, says exceptional”, and a credit to the winemakers and vineyard Emma. “That will add to the complexity of the fruit we are managers who worked through the Covid-19 lockdown to getting from there.” get them made, says Ben. Emma, who judged in the Marlborough Wine Show, More than 600 Marlborough wines were judged by says she loves that the competition brings the industry an independent panel of 17 judges last month, with 17 together to support the region “and also to bring out the trophies presented at the Celebration Lunch on October 30. highlights”. The calibre of wines coming through are Saint Clair Family Estate was a star of the show, with four evidence of how the industry has benefitted from the trophies, including the Coterie Wine of Provenance for its experience of the past 40 years, with a second and third Saint Clair Wairau Reserve Sauvignon Blanc 2020, and the generation of viticulturists and winemakers coming Marlborough Museum Legacy Award for three vintages through, bringing international wine experiences with them, of the Saint Clair Omaka Reserve Chardonnay. Then the she says. “It’s a huge accomplishment for our teams when Wine Marlborough Lifetime Achievement Award was it’s at that level.” presented to Saint Clair founders Judy and Neal Ibbotson (page 12), who Wine Marlborough general manager Marcus Pickens describes as tireless promoters of Marlborough wine. “They have always placed Marlborough first and Saint Clair second on their international sales trips, and with their attention to quality have helped cement the region’s reputation both domestically and internationally.” Emma Marris, one of Leefield Station’s winemakers, says winning the QuayConnect Champion Wine of Show left the Marisco team “a bit shellshocked”. It’s the latest surprise in an “exciting” year that’s seen the Waihopai Valley vineyard harvest under Covid-19 restrictions, while gearing up the presses and tanks in its brand new winery. “This accolade for us as a business gives us a huge sense that we have been making the right decisions,” Emma says. “It adds more fuel to the fire for the coming years.” The 2019 vintage is just the third release of the Leefield Chief Judge Ben Glover with Judy and Sarina Ibbotson. Station Pinot Noir, from vines planted in 2014, and hails Photo Richard Briggs from a “spectacular growing season”, says Emma. The 10 / Winepress November 2020
