09 Oct Sacred Hill Brings Home Gold at New World Wine Awards

Sacred Hill is thrilled to announce its 2016 Reserve Hawke’s Bay Chardonnay has secured a GOLD MEDAL at this year’s New World Wine Awards – a hotly contested competition for affordable wines that retail under $25.

A full-bodied wine with aromas of hazel and cashew nuts, lemon meringue and vanilla – this complex number has a soft texture and lingers on the palate in a most delicious manner. No wonder then, that it received a top accolade and an amazing score of 95/100!

A winery that’s widely applauded for its Chardonnay, Sacred Hill nurtures its grapes for this wine on stunning parcels of land in the Hawke’s Bay. 2016 was a rollercoaster ride of erratic weather, an early summer and a hot February, which can be tough for some varieties but resulted in a terrific Chardonnay vintage.

Wine maker Tony Bish says “We timed the harvest from Riflemans Terraces perfectly and knew we had something special with totally pristine fruit showing excellent ripeness and intensity. The wine was barrel fermented in French oak barriques with less stirring, adding weight and complexity. We’re delighted with the result – a full and ripe palate with excellent weight, generous soft texture and lingering aftertaste of lemon curd and vanilla. A second glass is almost compulsory.”

No surprises that this drop tickled the 15 judges’ fancy, then!

Now in their 15th year, the New World Wine Awards are a competition for commercially available wines from New Zealand and overseas that retail under $25. The awards are unique in their focus on affordability and availability of the wines entered, and consumers eagerly anticipate the results each year.

The team at Sacred Hill will be celebrating by raising a glass of liquid gold – and suggest you do the same, preferably alongside a fish or chicken dish!