Consistent recognition is proving both a blessing and a challenge for the makers of this year’s Champion Chardonnay, previous vintage, at the Marlborough Wine Show.

Officially known as the MRC Champion Chardonnay, 2019 & Older, the title was awarded to the Mount Riley 17 Valley Chardonnay 2019, the latest of many awards for this wine.

Mount Riley Wines Chief Winemaker Matt Murphy says it's a privilege to be able to continue the legacy of such an outstanding wine.

Wairau River Wines picked up three awards at the Marlborough Wine Show, two of which were for lesser known varieties in the region.

The Wairau River Reserve Syrah 2020 picked up the Wine Marlborough Champion Other Red Varietal, made from grapes planted in Rapaura on a hunch in 2010.

The producers of the 2021 Marlborough Wine Show’s winning wine had another hit in the competition this year, taking home the title of Champion 2020 Pinot Noir.

Saint Clair Family Estate picked up the trophy, officially known as the Classic Oak Products Champion Pinot Noir, current vintage trophy, for their Pioneer Block 15 Strip Block Pinot Noir 2020.

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.

The Coterie Wine of Provenance at the 2021 Marlborough Wine Show was made using fruit from a ‘truly magical’ vineyard in the Awatere Valley.

Awarded to the Brancott Estate Sauvignon Blanc 2021, Winemaker Laura-Kate Morgan says she and her team were humbled to receive the trophy.

The Champion Pinot Noir from a previous vintage at the Marlborough Wine Show was born out of a desire to create outstanding Pinot Noir.

Marisco Vineyards Red Wine Programme Lead Winemaker, Seb Bouchut, says he and his team were thrilled to receive the award, officially known as the Classic Oak Products Champion Pinot Noir, 2019 & older, for The King's Wrath Pinot Noir 2019.

The team at Stoneleigh Wines was ‘honoured’ to have their Latitude Pinot Gris 2021 named the Label & Litho Champion Pinot Gris of this year’s Marlborough Wine Show.

Stoneleigh Assistant Winemaker Maddy Isaacs says the award is testament to the focus and commitment their team put into craft and quality from vineyard to bottle to make a wine they are particularly proud of.

Isabel Estate has once again cemented its reputation as a premium producer of Chardonnay, after winning the MRC Champion Chardonnay - current vintage trophy at the 2021 Marlborough Wine Show.

The trophy was awarded to the Isabel Estate Marlborough Wild Barrique Chardonnay 2020, which is in its fifth vintage.

The team at Wairau River Wines was thrilled to receive three awards at the 2021 Marlborough Wine Show, their Summer Riesling kicking off the trifecta.

Picking up the De Sangosse Champion Riesling of the Show, the Wairau River Estate Summer Riesling 2021 is a single vineyard wine, grown right outside their winery.

Catalina Sounds has taken the trophy for Champion Alternate Sauvignon Blanc with their single vineyard Sound of White ‘Barrel Fermented’ Sauvignon Blanc 2019 at the 2021 Marlborough Wine Show.

In its inaugural year, the WineWorks Alternate Sauvignon Blanc class was introduced to the show as a way of recognising alternate styles of Marlborough’s flagship variety.

The Marlborough Museum was thrilled to present Framingham Wines with the Legacy Award at the 2021 Marlborough Wine Show, sponsored by QuayConnect.

The Marlborough Museum Legacy Award honours wines with pedigree and is awarded to the wine producer with the highest scores from three vintages within a ten-year period.

The team at Saint Clair Family Estate was ‘overwhelmed’ to have their Wairau Reserve Sauvignon Blanc 2021 named the Marlborough Wine Show 2021 Champion of the Show.

Alongside taking out the QuayConnect Champion Wine of the Show trophy, the wine was awarded the WineWorks Champion Sauvignon Blanc - Current Vintage award.

Their Pioneer Block 15 Strip Block Pinot Noir 2021 was also recognised, picking up the Classic Oak Products Champion Pinot Noir - Current Vintage title.

Peter Russell retained his title at the 2021 Tonnellerie de Mercurey Marlborough Young Winemaker of the Year competition, taking top spot for the second year running. But the Matua winemaker says there was seriously tough competition, with the calibre of contestants climbing as the event matures. “It gets pretty intense,” he says, thankful that he had plenty of past experience to remind him to “take a breath” and take stock of each question.

The outstanding quality of the 2021 vintage saw judges at this year’s Marlborough Wine Show, sponsored by Quay Connect, award the highest ever number of gold medals. In total 53 gold’s were awarded to Marlborough wines, with 2021 Sauvignon Blancs picking up a total of 12.

Chief Judge Ben Glover described the Sauvignons from this vintage as “out of this world”.

Two new awards celebrating the Best Organic Wine and Alternate Style Sauvignon Blanc, coupled with two exceptional Marlborough vintages, promise for an exciting lineup on the judging table at this year’s Marlborough Wine Show, sponsored by QuayConnect.

Three days of judging 544 wines begins tomorrow (13 October) at the Marlborough Convention Centre under strict Covid-19 alert level 2 guidelines.

When Neal and Judy Ibbotson bought a bare block of land on the outskirts of Blenheim, it was meant as a stepping stone to something bigger. Instead it was the “right place at the right time”, say the founders of Saint Clair Family Estate, 42 years after planting their first vines.