Bay of Plenty winery picks up awards

On March 7, 2022, Leveret & Mills Reef Winery’s Mills Reef Gimblett Gravels Reserve Merlot 2020 was awarded a double gold medal and named the New Zealand Wine of the Year in the 2022 China Wine & Spirits Awards (CWSA), the biggest and most prestigious wine and spirits competition in Hong Kong and China. 

Wine and spirits were entered into these prestigious awards from over 55 countries, covering all price levels and tasted blind. A CWSA medal is the most powerful endorsement of quality and suitability for the Chinese market, with the judges representing the top buyers, distributors, retailers and sommeliers in Hong Kong and China.

 “It is a huge outcome for this newly released wine,” says Paul Dawick, Chief Winemaker. “It’s a wine we knew would have great appeal and presence. With poise, finesse and balance this fruit-driven, yet complex wine is well suited to the palate of many. Results like this are a reward for a hard-working, dedicated team. It’s satisfying to be recognised for the efforts that go into making great wine.”

The Leveret Reserve Hawke’s Bay Syrah 2019  also received a double gold medal, with the Leveret Reserve Merlot Cabernet 2020 and Mills Reef Elspeth Cabernet Sauvignon 2019 shining bright with gold medals.

“Made from an outstanding 2019 vintage, this special Syrah has all the hallmarks of a top-class wine, so it is wonderful to be honoured with a double gold medal,” says Cam Duke, Winemaker. “From the hard-working vineyard staff right through to our warehouse and distribution team, it really is a grape-to-bottle team effort.”

Meet the Gold Medal Wines

NZ Wine of the Year & Double Gold Medal

The Mills Reef Gimblett Gravels Reserve Merlot 2020 is a full-bodied Merlot sourced from the esteemed Gimblett Gravels vineyards. It is an opulent wine with plum, blueberry and boysenberry fruits, dark chocolate and toasty oak notes, and a velvety texture with a hint of leather.

Double Gold Medal

The Leveret Reserve Hawke’s Bay Syrah 2019 has a floral nose of iris and lavender with juicy, red, summer berries and well-integrated oak, giving aromas of vanilla and smoke. It has a well-balanced palate with black Doris plum and fig. The tannins are spicy giving them great length and structure.

Gold Medal

The Leveret Reserve Merlot Cabernet 2020 is a deeply coloured wine, which displays brooding, dark fruit aromas with subtle toasted oak character. The palate is impressively fresh and vibrant, with flavours of forest fruit supported by finely balanced tannin and length.

Gold Medal

The opulent Mills Reef Elspeth Cabernet Sauvignon 2019 has a dark brooding presence. It exudes distinctive blackcurrant characters laced with aniseed and mocha. Silky smooth tannins and ageing in quality oak contribute to its poised structure and length.

About Leveret & Mills Reef Winery

Part of The Wine Portfolio, the Leveret & Mills Reef Winery is the home of the highly regarded Leveret Estate and Mills Reef brands.

Leveret Estate 

Leveret is French for little hare and the triangle formed by the ears of the three leverets in the brand logo symbolises the full integration of the company; vineyards, winemaking and distribution. Having received numerous wine show awards and plaudits from acclaimed wine writers, the resulting wine for this label uses only the best fruit from their most pristine vineyard sites, adopting a sense of time and place from each vintage. A producer of “méthode traditionnelle” sparkling wine, red, white, and rosé wines, Leveret Estate has a premium and a reserve range.

Mills Reef

Mills Reef is renowned for being a leading producer of Bordeaux varietals and Syrah from the Gimblett Gravels, as well as outstanding Chardonnay. Named for Charles Mills who led the development of international trade during New Zealand’s formative years, his namesake is doing its best to honour his legacy being twice recipient of the prestigious New Zealand Winemaker of the Year Award. The Mills Reef catalogue of wines extends from the fresh, approachable Estate range to the more refined Reserve range and up to the serious, astute, and much-lauded Elspeth line.