Matua has taken out the top prize for all New Zealand wineries at the prestigious International Wine and Spirit Competition (IWSC), winning the trophy for New Zealand Wine Producer of the Year, announced last night in London.
The winery, which produced New Zealand’s first Sauvignon Blanc in 1974, had a medal tally which incorporated the Trophy alongside 12 medals, including Gold Outstanding for the 2013 Matua Single Vineyard Pinot Noir, five Silver Outstanding medals, four Silvers and a Bronze.
This now means that Matua has received the title of NZ Wine Producer or Winemaker of the Year at a major international wine competition four years consecutively – 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016 – after having already been bestowed this honour at the 2013 and 2015 New Zealand Royal Easter Show Wine Awards and the 2014 New Zealand International Wine Show.
Matua was up against Giesen, Kim Crawford and Brancott Estate for the coveted 2016 IWSC Trophy.
Greg Rowdon, Matua Chief Winemaker is absolutely thrilled with the result. “More than ever New Zealand is producing wines that stand up on the global stage and to be acknowledged as the IWSC New Zealand Producer of the Year is testament not only to the quality of Matua wines but also the breadth of our portfolio and the consistently high standards we are achieving,” he said.
“We entered 12 wines and received 12 medals – so we are so pleased to have a 100% strike rate. It wasn’t a case of one particular wine outshining the rest either, but our portfolio as a whole consistently performing well, which is our ultimate aim,” Rowdon said.
Founded in 1969, the International Wine & Spirit Competition is widely recognised as the original, the most prestigious and the most respected wine & spirit competition in the world. Receiving entries from nearly 90 countries worldwide, the Competition uses a two stage judging process taking place over a six month period to ensure the IWSC produces the industry’s most credible results.