Two Central wines on under-$25 top-50 list

Two Central Otago wines have been selected in this year’s New World Wine Awards’ top 50 wines for under $25.

Roaring Meg’s Central Otago Pinot Noir Rose 2022 and Akarua’s Rua Pinot Noir 2021 received gold medals in the annual competition aimed at taking the guesswork out of selecting wine at the supermarket.

Judges swirled, sniffed, tasted, debated and scored their way through more than 1200 different wines to determine the 50 top-ranked, gold-medal winners.

Mt Difficulty/Roaring Meg winemaker Greg Lane says he is excited by the result, as he is pleased with the wine this year which is lighter and dryer than its predecessors.

It was blended from pinot noir grapes from the Pisa and Bendigo sub-regions. To create rose, grapes are picked two weeks earlier than they would be for pinot noir red to ensure freshness of flavour. The skins are only left on for two hours to give the wine a pale pink colour and fresh, red berry flavours.

"We’re very careful with it in the winery, using gentle handling and fermenting to retain the purity and aromas of the grape and bottle it nice and early to get the lovely bright flavours with a nicely balanced finish," he says.

The Rua Pinot Noir from vineyards in Bannockburn and Pisa was considered by the judges to be "a stunning wine that delivers fun in a serious way".

"This pinot noir is perfumed and seductive with black cherry and plum fruit complementing a plush palate that is juicy and approachable."

Judges co-chairman Sam Kim says this year’s top 50 list is especially helpful because it includes many repeat winners from the competition’s 20-year history.

"These are multi-winning wines and wineries that have made the grade time and again, proving their excellence year after year, bottle after bottle.

"Their achievements are great news for wine-drinkers who are on the lookout for quality and consistency at an affordable price."

Giesen Estate Riesling has won seven gold medals, the most of any wine in the competition’s history and Rapaura Springs Reserve Sauvignon Blanc and Wairau River Estate Sauvignon Blanc have returned to the list for the fifth time.

Several wineries are well-known names on the winner’s list, standing out for their multiple top 50 placings over the years. Villa Maria has had 38 gold medals since 2008, Saint Clair Family Estate 21 and Mount Riley 19.

This year’s top red wine is Soho Bobby Marlborough Pinot Noir 2021 which was also the champion pinot noir and the top white wine is Church Road McDonald Series Hawke’s Bay Chardonnay 2021, also the champion chardonnay.