The team at Saint Clair is thrilled to announce some fantastic news! The results of the 2024 New Zealand International Wine Show are out, and two Saint Clair wines have been awarded gold medals. The Saint Clair Pioneer Block 12 Lone Gum Gewürztraminer 2024 and the Saint Clair Origin Hawkes Bay Cabernet Merlot 2021 both received an impressive 95 points in this year’s competition.
Saint Clair Pioneer Block 12 Lone Gum Gewürztraminer 2024
Fresh off the bottling line, this Gewürztraminer has delicious flavours of floral rose, lychee, Turkish delight, and cocoa. The fruit was crushed and allowed several hours of skin contact at cold temperatures to extract the full complement of flavour, phenolic and aroma compounds required. Following the settling period the clear juice was racked, taking with it a portion of light fluffy lees, then fermented using selected yeast in stainless steel at moderately cool temperatures to retain fruit flavour and freshness. The fermentation was arrested early to retain some residual sugar.
“We are thrilled that the current vintage of Lone Gum Gewürztraminer has received such high praise at this early stage in its bottle aging. This recognition is a testament to the exceptional quality seen across a wide range of wines produced in Marlborough during the outstanding 2024 growing season. Gewürztraminer is a remarkable grape to vinify, offering winemakers a variety of stylistic directions to explore. It is exciting to see this particular expression - articulate, poised, and with a touch of decadence - standing out among its peers.” - Saint Clair Senior Winemaker, Stewart MacLennan
Saint Clair Origin Hawkes Bay Cabernet Merlot 2021
Sourced from the renowned Gimblett Gravels wine-growing district of Hawke’s Bay, this full-bodied blend showcases the region’s exceptional terroir. The free-draining, vigor-moderating soils create an ideal environment for growing Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. This displays a medley of ripe blackcurrant and blackberry, followed by a rich, concentrated mid-palate that reveals fine-grained tannins and savoury notes, finishing with a hint of charred wood.
“We’re so excited to see Hawkes Bay red wines taking a spotlight, the 2021 harvest benefited from near-ideal ripening conditions with limited rainfall and a long, dry summer. Many of the premium wines produced from this season will be reaching peak drinkability now and for the next few years, so, this accolade comes at the perfect time for the region and the 2021 vintage.” – Saint Clair Senior Winemaker, Stewart MacLennan
Saint Clair is also honored to receive numerous high scoring wines under the silver category in the 2024 competition:
- Saint Clair Omaka Reserve Chardonnay 2023 (93 points)
- Saint Clair Pioneer Block 17 Plateau Cabernet Merlot 2021 (93 points)
- Saint Clair Pioneer Block 5 Bull Block Grüner Veltliner 2021 (93 points)
- Saint Clair James Sinclair Cabernet Merlot 2019 (92 points)
- Saint Clair James Sinclair Chardonnay 2023 (93 points)
- Saint Clair James Sinclair Pinot Gris 2023 (93 points)
- Saint Clair Origin Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2023 (93 points)
- Saint Clair Vicar's Choice Pinot Gris 2023 (93 points)
- Saint Clair Sparkling Sauvignon Blanc 2023 (93 points)
Perfect Pairings
Impress the family by pairing your next meal with a glass of Saint Clair wine. The Saint Clair Origin Hawkes Bay Cabernet Merlot pairs beautifully with venison steaks and a wild mushroom sauce, perfectly complimenting the wines intense palate.
An Asian spiced pork belly or Vietnamese fresh spring rolls enhances the palate of Saint Clair Pioneer Block 12 Lone Gum Gewürztraminer by creating a memorable contrast of flavours.
Purchase these wines today through the Saint Clair website.
