Blackenbrook Wins Trophy For 2020 Pinot Blanc | Scoop News – Scoop.co.nz

Two trophies for the winery’s new varietal
in as many years

22
October

Blackenbrook Vineyard’s 2020 Pinot
Blanc received the Trophy in the ‘Other White Wine
Varieties’ class from the New Zealand International Wine
Show at its awards announcement last night. This is the
winery’s second vintage of Pinot Blanc and second trophy
in prestigious competitions honouring alternative white
wines.

The New Zealand International Wine Show (NZIWS)
is the largest wine competition in the country. This year
Bob Campbell MW chaired a panel of senior judges who awarded
a record number of gold medals. The judges included leading
winemakers, several Masters of Wine, and many key industry
personnel, most of whom have been involved in major wine
competitions for more than a decade. Judges expressed
delight to see a New Zealand made Pinot Blanc topping the
‘Other White Wine Varieties’ class.

Owner and
winemaker Daniel Schwarzenbach says that 2020 was a
near-perfect season for grape-growing generally, and the
Pinot Blanc vines benefitted from another year in the ground
to deepen their roots.

“The 2020 Pinot Blanc is a
superbly balanced wine from what has been a stellar year for
winemaking all-around. The Pinot Blanc fruit came pristine
off the vine, a real joy to work with. You can taste the
minerality in the wine from roots that have found their way
deeper into the soil, continually searching for moisture and
nutrients. Wine drinkers will notice that minerality as well
as a zing from the combination of floral and spicy notes.
It’s slightly more acidic, which means it’s fresher to
drink. And it will be equally good for
cellaring.”

Last year’s inaugural Pinot Blanc
vintage won the Trophy in the New Zealand Aromatic Wine
Competition in the ‘Other Aromatic’ category. Mr
Schwarzenbach was confident that this new product, matured
in stainless steel to allow the fruit’s natural flavours
to shine, would be pleasing to kiwi wine lovers. In fact, it
was such a good vintage, he held some back in old barrels
and added it to the 2020 vintage.

“Adding in a bit
of the 2019 helped bring some texture to the 2020 wine,
which was honestly looking incredible anyway thanks to the
quality of the fruit and the incredible growing season.”
Adding wine from previous vintages brings depth to a fruit
crop that is taken from the same site each year. It is one
of the tools Mr Schwarzenbach uses to create his style of
wine. Other wineries with more land and vines can blend with
grapes from different soils to achieve their own unique
vintage.

Mr Schwarzenbach is grateful to the team who
worked in the vineyard this year, especially under the
uniquely stressful conditions.

“Our family, the
vineyard team, and the folks who hand-picked our grapes
under extreme pressure ahead of the pandemic lockdown are
all due immense thanks. We are honoured to win the Trophy
and humbled by the accolades we are getting for this
varietal.

“I’m not surprised, however, that the
Pinot Blanc is attracting awards and interest, though. We
felt confident this particular grape, by growing it in our
terroir and climate with our natural approach, would produce
incredible wines for our customers to drink now and
later.”

Purchase the 2020 Pinot Blanc online at www.blackenbrook.co.nz
and at select retailers found on our website. Read more
information about the varietal and its previous awards in
our News
section.

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