To purchase our wines
Please visit our order form
New Zealand Wine / NZ Winery
You are here: Home | News | Bragato Awards
Bragato Awards
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
GOLD MEDAL HEADS RAFT OF AWARDS FOR NORTHLAND WINERIES IN NATIONAL BRAGATO WINE SHOW....
Northland wineries have scored an impressive 14 medals in the annual Bragato Wine Awards held last week in Christchurch. The Bragato awards are held at a different location in New Zealand each year, in conjunction with the annual Bragato Viticultural Conference.
The objective of the awards is to give recognition to viticultural excellence and to recognise the influence of grape growers and their vineyards in creating the unique qualities of New Zealand wines, by judging the wines made from grapes grown on such specified vineyards.
Kaitaia’s Okahu Estate produced Northlands’ top scoring wine, winning a gold medal and top in its class for their Okahu Syrah 2007. “This gold medal is especially satisfying for my team, and me,” says Okahu’s founder and proprietor Monty Knight. “In 1996 using the same fruit off our home vineyard, we won our first and New Zealand’s first Gold medal for Syrah. Over the past 12 years, we have had a lot of success with Syrah, winning lots of Silver and Bronze medals. But it is very special indeed to get back into Gold for this variatal”.
“This award is a tribute to the viticultural skills of our Vineyard Manager, Joe Lewer, and the Wine Maker, Jen Bound. It confirms my strong belief that Syrah is going to play a huge part in the development of the Northland wine industry and especially on the Okahu home block”.
Okahu was also awarded bronze medals for their 06 and 05 Chambourcin.
Karikari Estate won four medals, silver for its Estate Viognier Chardonnay 07, and Merlot/Cabernet/Malbec 05. Bronze for its Estate Chardonnay 07 and Estate Pinotage 05.
Karikari Estate is extremely pleased with its results from the Bragato Wine Awards. Ben Dugdale, Karikari Estate’s Chief Winemaker says, “I’m very happy with these results, in particular with our Viognier/Chardonnay, as this is a new style for us, and relies on pure fruit expression. Great wines are an expression of a great site and I truly believe the Karikari Peninsula is one of New Zealand’s great Viticultural areas”.
Marsden Estate won silver for its Black Rocks Estate Chardonnay 07 and silver for its Estate Chambourcin 06. Proprietor, viticulturalist and wine maker, Rod McIvor also made the award winning wines for Omata Estate Chardonnay 2005 and Omata Estate Reserve Syrah 2004. Omata is situated near Russell on a ridge, overlooking the Opua inlet towards Russell.
Other medal winners were Bronze; Sailfish Cove Chardonnay (Tutukaka), AkeAke Chambourcin 2007 (Kerikeri) and Soland Syrah 2006 (Kerikeri).
Rod McIvor, President of the Northland Winegrowers Association comments “Of the 530 medals won, Northland produced about 2.5% , that’s impressive for a region that accounts for less than .01% of the New Zealand plantings. Syrah, Chardonnay, Bordeaux blends, Chambourcin and Pinotage are all performing well, showing not only Northland’s ability to regularly produce quality, but a range of variatals that suit our climate”, he said. “Also pleasing was the success of vintages from 2004 to 2007, demonstrating Northland’s ability to perform consistently. These are excellent results”!
Next entry: Liqourland Top 100
Previous entry: New label heralded by a gold medal
All content Copyright 2006 Okahu Estate Vineyard & Winery
