Hailing from New Zealand’s largest wine growing region Marlborough, family-owned Whitehaven Wines has won four Gold Medals at the 2021 New Zealand International Wine Show (NZIWS), the largest wine competition in New Zealand.
The four gold medal -winning wines winning the Gold Medals are Whitehaven Marlborough Chardonnay 2020,’Greg’ Single Vineyard Awatere Valley Sauvignon Blanc 2021, Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2021 and Marlborough Noble Riesling 2021.
Whitehaven Wines is a family-run winery established in 1994 by husband-and-wife team Greg and Sue White. After Greg passed away in 2007, the winery is now headed by Sue and co-managed by their daughter Samantha.
Whitehaven Wines is rooted in Marlborough, the premier wine producing region in New Zealand covering over 75% of the nation’s wine industry. Their 30 vineyard sites are located across Marlborough’s three sub regions – the Southern Valleys, Wairau Valley and the Awatere Valley.
Started in 2005, NZIWS is the largest wine competition held in New Zealand. For its 2021 edition, 265 Gold or Double Gold medals were awarded in total.
To receive Gold medals means the wines’ quality needs to excel among 1780 entries from Australia, USA, France, Spain, Italy, Portugal, Argentina, Chile, Germany and Georgia. A wine also has to be reviewed by the judging team led by leading wine educator Bob Campbell MW at least twice before being awarded a NZIWS Gold medal.
Commenting on the results, Sue White, the Founder and Managing Director of Whitehaven Wines says the top accolades for the company’s multiple wines is recognition of the company’s uncompromising focus on quality, “I am thrilled, and proud of the team for achieving these results,” she said.
Its wines are distributed in Hong Kong through Links Concept.
Among the four gold medal wines, Whitehaven’s Sauvignon Blanc 2021 and ‘Greg’ Sauvignon Blanc 2021 are Appellation Marlborough Certified, which is a trademark to recognise the wines’ provenance, sustainability and quality in key global wine markets.
Whitehaven Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2021 shows aromas of grapefruit, lime, blackcurrant and with hints of jalapeno and tomato leaf. On the palate, the wine is concentrated with flavours of white peach, boxwood, citrus and wet river stone.
The ‘Greg’ single vineyard series is handcrafted in honour of the winery’s late founder Greg White. The award-winning ‘Greg’ Sauvignon Blanc 2021 is produced using fruits from a single vineyard in Awatere valley. The valley is best known for its Sauvignon Blanc and its white wines are often compared with those from Sancerre, Loire Valley.
The 2021 vintage is described to have aromas of green-gage plums, tomato leaf, grapefruit, herbaceous notes with hints of wet river stones. On the palate, it shows flavours of fresh green herbs, green pepper, white peach, boxwood, and a subtle suggestion of sea salt.
The winery’s Marlborough Chardonnay 2020 is a vegan-friendly wine. According to the winery’s tasting note, the wine has an aroma of peach, mandarin and nectarine fruit flavours complexed with mealy, hazelnut and butter notes, as well as a hint of mineral character.
On the palate, the medium-bodied wine has a richness of peach and grapefruit flavours, with savoury, slight spice and mineral notes.
The sweet Marlborough Noble Riesling 2021 was also awarded a gold for its craftsmanship and liveliness.
The estate has 575 hectares of land, of which 220 hectares are estate owned or managed.
All Whitehaven wines are produced in Marlborough with fruits from their Sustainable Winegrowing New Zealand (SWNZ) certified vineyards.
Three other wines from Whitehaven Wines have also been awarded bronze medals, which are Whitehaven Marlborough Pinot Gris 2021, Greg Single Vineyard Southern Valleys Pinot Noir 2019 and Marlborough Pinot Noir 2020.
