Rockburn wines win at the biggest and most prestigious wine and spirits competition in China

Rockburn Wines has been awarded a prestigious Double Gold medal in the 2013 China Wine and Spirits Awards for their 2009 Rockburn Chardonnay, while the 2011 Pinot Noir took out its own Gold award.

The Central Otago winery has a history of winning gold medals, particularly for its Pinot Noir, and this month alone has also collected a Gold Medal at the Bragato Wines Awards for their 2012 Pinot Noir and a Gold Medal at the New Zealand International Wine Show for their 2012 Tigermoth Riesling.

Rockburn are honoured to add this latest award from a competition which is “the ultimate authority for wines and spirits in Hong Kong and China.”

‘We are very happy that Rockburn Wines have achieved the biggest honor in the Hong Kong and China wine and spirits market at the CWSA, which is the Oscar’s of the wine world in the fastest growing beverage market in the world’, says Paul Donaghy, General Manager of Rockburn Wines.

The CWSA results are long established as the annual gateway to China for already established internationally famous wine and spirits brands and also for niche producers. The CWSA results are referred to as the benchmark of buying decisions throughout the year.

5,375 wine and spirits from 35 countries were blind tasted during the CWSA Tasting Week by 100 Judges; all selected as the most important Importers, Distributors and Retailers based in Hong Kong and China.

American born and China based CWSA Judge Richard Howe says: ‘I think it’s critical to have buyers as CWSA Judges. We are the buyers in China and we know the taste of the people and what works here.’

‘The CWSA continues to be the ultimate authority for wines and spirits here in Hong Kong and China, and we wish 2013 winners well deserved congratulations for being selected by the CWSA Judges for this honor’ says Kelly England, President of the China Wine and Spirits Awards organisation.

ENDS

For more information, images or interview, please contact:

Malcolm Rees-Francis, winemaker
Mob +64 (0)21 752 509 | malcolm@rockburn.co.nz

www.rockburn.co.nz | A pure expression of Central Otago in your glass

Notes to Editors

• Rockburn has two vineyards in Central Otago, one on the Gibbston Back Road in the Gibbston Valley and the other at Parkburn in the Cromwell Basin with its state of the art winemaking facility based in Cromwell, Central Otago.

• Recent awards for Rockburn Pinot Noir:
- Rockburn 2008 Pinot Noir, Gold medal – Bragato Wine Awards 2009
- Rockburn 2009 Pinot Noir, Best Pinot Noir and Wine of the Show – Association of Australian Boutique Winemakers Awards 2009
- Rockburn 2009 Pinot Noir, Gold medal – Cathay Pacific Hong Kong International Wine and Spirit Competition 2010
- Rockburn 2009 Pinot Noir, Gold medal - Royal Easter Show 2011
- Rockburn 2010 Pinot Noir, Gold medal - 2011 NZ International Wine Show;
- Rockburn 2010 Pinot Noir, Gold medal and ‘best in class’ - International Wine & Spirits Competition 2011, London
- Rockburn 2010 Pinot Noir, Pure Gold award - Air New Zealand Wine Awards 2011
- Rockburn 2010 Pinot Noir, Mike Wolter Trophy for Champion Pinot Noir and the
Richard Smart Trophy for the Reserve Champion Wine - Bragato Wine Awards 2012
- Rockburn 2011 Pinot Noir,  Fairfax Media Champion Open Red Wine Trophy – Air New Zealand Wine Awards 2012.

• Recent awards for Rockburn Chardonnay:
- Rockburn 2007 Chardonnay, Silver medal- Bragato Wine Awards 2009

• Rockburn 2011 Pinot Noir: RRP: $NZ 45.00
• Rockburn 2009 Chardonnay: RRP: $NZ 25.00

• Available direct from the winery: www.rockburn.co.nz

• Trade sales in New Zealand through Hancocks Wines & Spirits:  www.hancocks.co.nzhttp://www.rockburn.co.nz