It's all in the Bubbles

Small Martinborough producer Margrain Vineyard is popping corks to celebrate their success with the most festive of wines – Methode Traditionelle. The 2007 La Michelle, just the second bubbly they have produced, took out the coveted Winestate Magazine Wine of the Year trophy for Best Sparkling Wine at an awards luncheon in Auckland yesterday. The finalists are selected from the thousands of Australian and New Zealand wines tasted throughout the year, then re-tasted to establish the overall winners.

Winemaker Strat Canning who was in Auckland to receive the Trophy, commented that it was amazing to have success with such a niche wine style which, although produced by the vineyard in only small quantities, saw off competition from many far more established brands. “It seems as if we are onto something here” he said, “as this wine has also picked up two Gold Medals in major New Zealand shows in recent weeks, including the Air New Zealand Wineshow, the results of which were also announced yesterday.”

Established in 1992, Margrain Vineyard is family owned and run and incorporates 18 rooms of accommodation, a conference and function centre as well as an onsite Café as an adjunct to their wine business.

The La Michelle is only available at Cellar Door, mail order and from a handful of Wairarapa restaurants who had already recognised the quality, ahead of the judges. Lucky patrons at Toast Martinborough, New Zealand's leading Wine, Food and Music festival held on the 21st of November in Martinborough, will also have the opportunity to enjoy La Michelle as part of Margrain Vineyards exciting festival programme.

Buoyed by the success, Margrain plan a “modest” increase their Sparkling wine production from the 2011 vintage, with a Sparkling Rose in the offing. However due to the long lag time required in the complex production process, those wines will not be gracing Christmas tables till 2014 at the earliest.