Thirty Gold, 130 Silver and 312 Bronze medals have been awarded at this years Bragato Wine Awards, held in conjunction with the annual grape and wine industry Romeo Bragato Conference in Gisborne.
Entries were up almost 10% from 2004, with 640 wines received for judging.

Gold medal winners -

The results of ninth annual Bragato Wine Awards results judged earlier in the week were announced in Wellington last night at the conclusion of the annual Romeo Bragato Conference.

The Bragato Wine Awards are unique as they aim to recognize the grape grower, viticultural excellence and vineyard management.

The Champion Wine of the Show and winner of the prestigious Bragato Trophy was Andrew Stove of Hawkes Bay, for Matheson Estate Innovator Syrah 2002. The Innovator Syrah was also judged Champion Red Table Wine.

Champion Sauvignon Blanc, the Cardmember Wines Spence Brothers Trophy Winner and Champion White Table Wine was awarded to Marlborough growers, Malcolm and Jill Adams for Berakah Estate Sauvignon Blanc 2003.

The Champion Classical Red Wine and Tom McDonald Memorial Trophy Winner was awarded to Marlborough grower Kathy Lynskey for Wairau Peaks Marlborough Merlot 2001.

Marlborough also triumphed with Pinot Noir. Ben Glover was awarded the Champion Pinot Noir and Mike Wolter Memorial Trophy for Wither Hills Marlborough Pinot Noir 2002.

Gold Medal Winners at the Bragato awards 2003 -

Gold Medal Winning Wine                                 Grower and Vineyard
Te Mania Reserve Chardonnay 2002                        Jon Harrey
Clearview Reserve Chardonnay 2002                       Tim Turvey
Canterbury House Reserve Chardonnay 2002                Jean Luc Dufour
Craggy Range Seven Poplars Vineyard Chardonnay 2002     Ted Bugden
Wither Hills Marlborough Chardonnay 2002                Ben Glover
The Cabbage Tree Vineyard Chardonnay 2001               David & Winifred Bull
Berakah Estate Sauvignon Blanc 2003                     Malcolm & Jill Adams
St Arnaud Gravitas Reserve Sauvignon Blanc 2002         Peter Kerdemelidis
The Crossings Sauvignon Blanc 2002                      Richard Bowling
Te Mania Nelson Riesling 2003                           Jon Harrey
Kaimira Estate Brightwater Riesling 2003                June Hamilton
Riverby Estate Riesling 2002                            Simon Matthews
Alan McCorkindale Waipara Valley Dry Riesling 2002      Roger & Maureen Lough
Tram Road Riesling 2002                                 Digby Briggs
Seifried Winemakers Collection Gewurztraminer 2003      Hermann Seifried
Selaks Founders Botrytis Riesling 2001                  John Webber
Olssens Desert Gold - late harvest Riesling 2002        Karen Olssen
Barkerole Merlot 2002                                   David Barker
Wairau Peaks Marlborough Merlot 2001          	          Kathy Lynskey
Packspur Pinot Noir Basket Press 2002                   Laurie & Anne McAuley
Kaituna Valley 'Awatere' Marlborough Pinot Noir 2002    Grant Whelan
Vidal Single Vineyard Hawkes Bay Pinot Noir 2002        Drazen Mijatov
Seifried Winemakers Collection Pinot Noir 2002          Hermann Seifried
Wither Hills Marlborough Pinot Noir 2002                Ben Glover
Wairau Peaks  Marlborough Pinot Noir 2001               Kathy Lynskey
Olssens  Slapjack Creek Pinot Noir 2001                 Karen Olssen
Matua Valley Innovator Syrah 2002                       Andrew Stove
Mills Reef Elspeth Syrah 2001                           Clive Kerrison

Twenty-two gold, 79 silver and 200 bronze medals were awarded at the eighth annual Bragato Wine Awards judged last week in Christchurch in conjunction with the Romeo Bragato Conference.

The Bragato Wine awards, named in memory of Romeo Bragato (1858-1914), a viticulturist who worked in NZ over 100 years ago, are unique in that they recognise the grape grower, viticultural excellence and vineyard management rather than the winemaker or wine company.

This year's prestigious Bragato Trophy for the Champion Wine of the Show was awarded to Jonathan Harrey of Nelson for the Te Mania Nelson Reserve Pinot Noir 2001. The same wine was also judged Best Pinot Noir, Champion Red Table Wine and won the Mike Wolter Memorial Trophy for Champion Pinot Noir.

The Tom McDonald Memorial Trophy for the Champion Classical Red Wine was awarded to Neal & Judy Ibbotson of Marlborough for the Saint Clair Rapaura Reserve Merlot 2001.

The Cardmember Wines Spence Brothers Trophy for the Champion Sauvignon Blanc was awarded to Phillip & Cheryl Sowman for the Saint Clair Wairau Reserve Sauvignon Blanc 2002.

Champion White Table Wine was awarded to Philip Jones of Nelson for the Spencer Hill Coastal Ridge Chardonnay 2001.

Champion Amateur Table Wine was awarded to Beatrice Williams for the Beatrice Estate Vineyard Pinotage 2001.

In this list of Gold Medal winners, the Best in Class wines are highlighted with **.

GROWER                                WINE 
Philip Jones                   **  Spencer Hill Coastal Ridge Chardonnay 2001 
Kathryn & John Loughlin            Askerne Chardonnay 2001 
John & Alison Marris               Wither Hills Chardonnay  2000 
Rod McIvor                         Marsden Black Rock Chardonnay 2000 
Mike  Ponder                       Ponder Estate Artist Reserve Chardonnay 2000 
John & Alison Marris               Wither Hills Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough 2002 
Phillip & Cheryl Sowman        **  Saint Clair Wairau Reserve Sauvignon Blanc 2002 
Graeme & Ann Giles                 Holmes Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2002 
John Webber                    **  Nobilo Icon Riesling 1999 
Konrad Hengstler               **  Wither Hills Noble Riesling Marlborough 2001 
John Webber                        Selaks Founders Noble Riesling 2001 
Tim Turvey & Helma van den Berg    Clearview  Noble 51 2000 
Colin & Chris Fletcher             Villa Maria Reserve Noble Riesling 2001 
Clive Kerrison                 **  Mills Reef Elspeth Cabernet Merlot 2000 
Neal & Judy Ibbotson           **  Saint Clair Rapaura Reserve Merlot 2001 
Clive Kerrison                     Mills Reef Elspeth One 2000 
Jonathan Harrey                    Te Mania Nelson Reserve Pinot Noir 2001 
Drew & Margaret Garden             Waipara Hills Wine Estate Pinot Noir Reserve 2001 
Richard Bunton                     Hay's Lake Pinot Noir 2001 
Simon Spence                       Matua Valley Wairarapa Pinot Noir 2001 
Beatrice Williams              **  Beatrice Estate Pinotage 2001 
Clive Kerrison                 **  Mills Reef Elspeth Syrah 2000 

The seventh annual Bragato Wine awards were judged in Napier last week as part of the Romeo Bragato Conference. The Bragato Wine awards, organised by the NZ Grape Growers Council, are unique in that they recognise the grape grower, viticultural excellence and vineyard management rather than the winemaker or wine company. These awards are the only NZ awards which recognise the vital grower input and are named in memory of Romeo Bragato (1858-1914), a viticulturist who worked in NZ over 100 years ago.

Best of Show trophies were awarded to -
Tim Turvey for the Champion Table Wine, which was the Clearview Estate Chardonnay 2000;
Chris and Catherine Howell for the Champion Amateur Table Wine, which was the Prospect Vineyard Merlot 1998;
Bill Brink for the Champion Pinot Noir Table Wine (Mike Wolter Memorial Trophy), which was the Walnut Ridge Pinot Noir 2000; and
Robert (Bob) Newton for the Champion Red Table Wine, Champion Classical Red Table Wine (Tom McDonald Memorial Trophy) and Champion Wine of the Show (Bragato Trophy) - the wine was the Newton Forrest Estate Cornerstone Vineyard Cornerstone Cabernet Sauvignon 1998.

The full list of gold medal growers and winners follows -

Tim Turvey                 Clearview Estate Reserve Chardonnay 2000
Geoff Jensen               Omaka Springs Reserve Chardonnay 2000
Ian Cadwallader            Riverside Wines Stirling Chardonnay 1998
John Marris                Wither Hills Sauvignon Blanc 2000
Bryan Johnson              Spy Valley Marlborough Gewurztraminer 2000
Des & Joy Baird            Peregrine Pinot Gris 2000
Neal & Judy Ibbotson       Saint Clair Doctors Creek Noble Botrytis 1999
Karen Olssen               Olssen's of Bannockburn Desert LH Riesling 2000
Robert Newton              Newton Forrest Cornerstone Cabernet Sauvignon 1998
Brian & Marie Smith        Villa Maria Waikahu Cabernet Sauv/Merlot/Malbec 1998
Gavin Yortt                Woodlands Squawking Magpie Cabernet/Merlot 1999
Jim Hamilton               Babich The Patriarch Cabernet Sauvignon 1998
Kingsley Tobin             Kingsley Estate Gimblett Rd Cabernet Sauvignon 1998
Alastair & Fiona Bowes     Alpha Domus Awarua Terraces Cabernet Sauv/Merlot/Franc 2000
Chris & Catherine Howell   Prospect Vineyard Merlot 1998
Anthony Ham                Alpha Domus Merlot/Cabernet Sauvignon 2000
Peter & Judy Lyons         Vidal Reserve Merlot Cabernet Sauvignon 1999
Peter Lyons                Cardmember Reserve Lyons V/yard Merlot/Cabernet Franc 1998
Bill Brink                 Walnut Ridge Pinot Noir 2000
David Grant                William Hill Pinot Noir 2000
Geoff Smith & Evan Floyd   Koura Bay Blue Duck Pinot Noir 2000
Karen Olssen               Olssen's Slapjack Creek Reserve Pinot Noir 1999
Robin Dicey                Mt Difficulty Pinot Noir Pipeclay Terrace 2000
Susan Anderson             Longburn Wines Pinot Noir 2000