Brightwater Vineyards Wins Trophy for Champion Riesling

Brightwater Vineyards 2011 Nelson Riesling has been awarded a Pure Gold Medal and the Trophy for Champion Riesling at The Romeo Bragato 2011 Wine Awards.

The Romeo Bragato Wine Awards are held in conjunction with the wine industry≠s annual Romeo Bragato Conference which was held in Auckland last week. The objective of this show is to give recognition to viticultural excellence and to recognise the influence of the grape grower and the vineyard. Brightwater Nelson Riesling is grown entirely on our own Home Vineyard in Hope.

≥We are thrilled with this award. Brightwater Vineyards Nelson Riesling has now been awarded 6 Gold Medals and 3 Trophies over the last 6 years.≈
This firmly places Brightwater Vineyards as one of New Zealand≠s premier Riesling producers.

Brightwater Vineyards entered four wines and was awarded a Pure Medal for each of them. The others were Pure Silver Medals for the Brightwater Vineyards 2011 Lord Rutherford Sauvignon Blanc, Brightwater Vineyards 2011 Nelson Sauvignon Blanc and Brightwater Vineyards 2010 Nelson Pinot Noir.

Pure awards are only given to wines that come from vineyards and wineries that are certified as being fully sustainable under the New Zealand Winegrower criteria.

Brightwater also did well with the other three wines it entered in the show, winning pure silver medals for its 2011 Lord Rutherford sauvignon blanc, 2011 Nelson sauvignon blanc and 2010 Nelson pinot noir.

Six other Nelson wines won pure golds, including Waimea Sauvignon Blanc 2011, Ruby Bay Sauvignon Blance 2010, Redoubt Hill Riesling 2010, Kahurangi Estate Pinot Gris 2011, Sea Level Pinot Gris 2011 and Aotea by Seifried Nelson Sweet Agnes Riesling 2011. Pure medals are for producers who have been certified as sustainable.

Waimea Estates also won a gold for its classic riesling 2009.

Marlborough vineyards won six of the 15 trophies at the awards. Growers for Saint Clair won four trophies, and growers for Yealands and Little Goat Creek won one each.

A Hawke's Bay chardonnay was awarded Champion Wine of Show. The Villa Maria Single Vineyard Keltern Chardonnay 2010 was grown by Mark Dixon of Keltern Vineyard.

A total of 353 medals were presented, including 51 gold, 100 silver and 202 bronze.

Judges' chairman Olly Masters said the chardonnays were a particularly strong group this year.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/nelson-mail/features/primary-focus/5532424/Bragato-trophy-for-riesling
Photo: Gary and Valley in their Riesling block with the Bragato Riesling Trophy and Brightwater Nelson Riesling