Wine shows are an extraordinarily useful and important tool for both consumers and wineries.
For consumers the results can alert them to new, untried labels and, when faced by a vast array on shop shelves, can help in decision making.
For wineries, they can be a useful tool for benchmarking their wines with their competitors, and a badge of quality assurance for their customers, while a top gong at one of the more prestigious shows can lead to a huge upturn in demand and sales.
A gold at a top wine show is a fabulous result, although there are caveats to keep in mind.
A gold medal means that on the day, the judges regarded a wine as a compelling example of its style: this is no guarantee that you, the consumer, will actually like it.
Wines evolve, change and have their surly days so that a gold medal-winning wine at one show may score a bronze at the next (and vice versa), while some of the more subtle examples can become lost in a huge line-up of glasses.
This is not meant to decry wine shows, and judges (who, in my experience, are highly skilled and hard-working individuals) but a reminder that it is an imperfect science. Locally, the Air NZ Wine Awards, The Royal Easter Show Wine Awards, The NZ International Wine Show and The Spieglau International Wine Competition are our best known.
The Decanter World Wine Awards in London have grown to be the world's largest wine show and one of its most influential.
The 2015 results have just been released. Hearty congratulations to the following Central Otago wineries/wines which have struck gold!
2010 Amisfield RKV Reserve Pinot Noir, 2013 Ata Mara Pinot Noir, 2013 Grasshopper Rock Pinot Noir and 2013 Judge Rock Pinot Noir.
Price: $17.99 (RRP, likely to be less on special)
Rating: Very good
Plums and spice on the nose with a light seasoning of oak. Plums again evident on the palate with red fruits and a whisper of leaf. Ripe fruits and well-judged tannic grip here. A medium-weight wine with moderate complexity and approachable already. Flavoursome finish.
Price: RRP $22.99 (will be less on special)
Rating: Very good
Forest floor and wild herb notes lead into redcurrant and plums. Charry oak evident on the palate. Freshness and good flavour persistence. Very easy appeal here: enough tannic grip to give some backbone. Quite moreish. A young wine but ready to drink.
Price: $39
Rating: Excellent
Quite fragrant with lavender and brambly, dark fruits. Very appealing nose this; milk chocolate makes an appearance with aeration. Lovely ripeness on the palate. Cassis and blackberry with hints of coffee and licorice. Fine tannins and excellent length. Stylish red.
