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Wine aisles across the motu are sparkling as the Top 50 wines from the 2024 New World Wine Awards hit New World shelves across the country.
This year, 35 of the 50 winning wines are from Aotearoa, representing some of the country’s most loved, trusted and imbibed wine brands – plus a few new names and varieties too.
Topping the list is iconic Hawke’s Bay winery Church Road, which took two varietal Champion titles for its Church Road Chardonnay 2023 and Church Road Syrah 2021. Both wines then went on to win a hotly contested taste-off for the titles of White and Red Wine of the Show, respectively.
Chair of judges Jen Parr says it’s rare for one winery to take both pinnacle titles out of the more than 1280 wines entered.
“All our judging is done ‘blind’, so no brands are known, and every winner earns its place purely on its own merits,” she says.
“After the three-day marathon of judging and ranking, it’s always a thrill to unveil the Top 50 list. Seeing two Champion wines from one winery at this level is very exciting – for us and for the wine-loving shoppers who can now enjoy the fruits of this win.
“These Champion and Wine of the Show titles mean these wines not only scored highly and ranked best against around 100 entries of their same variety, they also rose above strong competition from all other white or red varieties.”
Church Road isn’t the only Hawke’s Bay winery in the limelight, with locally grown wines from Clearview Estate, Mission Estate, Selaks and Trinity Hill rounding out the region’s Top 50 wins.
Sourcing its grapes from Hawke’s Bay and Gisborne, Lindauer also showed why it’s the country’s go-to bubbles brand with another Champion win for its Special Reserve Rosé NV and a Top 50 win for its Special Reserve Blanc de Blancs NV.
Heading south, the Wairarapa delivered three winning pinots, including the Champion Pinot Noir from Luna Estate, and two Top 50 pinot gris, one also from Luna Estate and another from Matahiwi Estate.
Marlborough also proved its prowess beyond sauvignon, with winning rosé wines from Ara, Caythorpe Family Estate and first-time winner Holdaway, pinot gris from Triplebank and Vavasour, pinot noir from Grove Mill and Misty Cove, and a delicious riesling from te Pā.
“The Top 50 list has such diversity to explore,” says Jenn, “with winning wines from brands that Kiwi wine drinkers already know and love, as well as those from relatively new names and first-time winners in these awards.
“It’s a great opportunity to grab something completely different and give it a go, knowing the judges have already put it to the taste test on your behalf.”
The Top 50 wines are available in New World stores nationwide for the next five weeks, while stocks last.
Full results and more information are also available at: www.newworld.co.nz/wineawards
