Roots for Marlborough Wine Show Champion Gewürz first laid in the 80s

The winning Gewürztraminer at the 2021 Marlborough Wine Show is a special wine, made using a mix of the maker’s original  grapes, along with some grown by friends of the winery.

The Lawson’s Dry Hills Gewürztraminer 2019 was named the Wine Brokers New Zealand Champion Gewürztraminer, and Winemaker Marcus Wright says the drop is a special one for the company.

“We are always delighted to receive an award for this wine as it is pretty special to us.

“This wine is mostly off our Home Block, planted by Ross and Barbara Lawson back in the early 80s and the balance comes from our long-time growers and friends Peter and Julie Woodward, who live just a few hundred metres from the winery.”

Alongside Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc, it was the first wine produced under the Lawson’s Dry Hills label in 1992, he adds.

“And as it happens, this patch of land turns out consistently great Gewürztraminer.” 

The fruit is harvested in a number of separate picks to ensure a mix of components that, when it comes to blending, allow the winemaking team to attain perfect balance, Marcus says.

The resulting free-run juice is inoculated with aromatic yeast and fermented in stainless, while the pressing is fermented wild in old barriques.

“Post-ferment the all important blend is something we look forward to every year. We are seeking the ‘Goldilocks’ zone, where flavours, sweetness, acidity, alcohol and phenolics come together to produce something magical,” Marcus says.

Wine Brokers New Zealand director George Geris says sponsoring the Champion Gewürztraminer trophy is an honour for the company.

“I personally love Gewürztraminer as a variety, and we are delighted to be able to sponsor this trophy. There are some delicious wines made with this grape and I wouldn’t say delicious is a word you can use about every variety but you really can for Gewürztraminer.” 

Wine Brokers have sponsored the Marlborough Wine Show for many years.

“For us, our business, it’s important and an honour to support the industry because it’s what we love and this wine show is the essence of Marlborough. Our industry and our region is unique and special,” George says.