Peregrine Soars to New Altitude

A multi-award-winning Central Otago wine has taken its accolades to impressive new heights by winning a prestigious Northern Hemisphere trophy.

 Less than a year after sweeping the board with the same wine in a Southern Hemisphere competition, the Peregrine Pinot Noir 2009 has been awarded the Bouchard Finlayson Trophy Pinot Noir in the International Wine and Spirit Competition (IWSC) in London.

Just under 12 months ago, the 2009 Pinot Noir won three trophies at the Air New Zealand Wine Awards, receiving the JF Hillebrand New Zealand Ltd Champion Pinot Noir trophy, the Fairfax Media Champion Open Red Wine trophy and being hailed the Air New Zealand Champion Wine of the Show.

The double-hemisphere achievement has left Peregrine Wines’ Managing Director and co - owner Lindsay McLachlan extremely proud and humbled.

“Although we’ve been quietly confident all along with the standards of wines we produce, never in our wildest dreams did we think we would receive two fantastic accolades like this so early in our history,” he said.

“This is a unique achievement, the pinnacle to date for our winemakers, vineyard team and growers.

“We never thought we would deliver the best wine in New Zealand and one of the best in the world in our 13th year of operation.

“To have a wine recognised by hugely experienced judging panels at different ends of the world is truly unique. I’m not aware of a wine like this that has won to this standard in both hemispheres.”

The judging panel was full of praise for the wine. “When you taste a wine like this you understand the term ‘Peacock’s Tail’ in the way that the flavours display themselves across the tongue,” said the panel. “Sensuous, nervously controlled elegance are the hallmarks of this absolutely stunning wine. This rose effortlessly to its supreme gold mark with the panel.”

Mr McLachlan will be travelling to London next month to receive the trophy from IWSC President Prince Robert de Luxembourg at a presentation banquet at the Guildhall on November 16.

The banquet is a glittering five-course meal with matched wines and spirits, preceded by a pre- dinner tasting of Gold Medal winning products and attended by some of the biggest names in the global wine trade.

Mr McLachlan said Peregrine Wines prided itself on producing wines that truly represented the Central Otago winegrowing region.

“The Central Otago product is world-class and we have a long-term plan to craft wines that will continue to exceed consumer expectations and reward our many loyal supporters.”

For more information on Peregrine Wines go to www.peregrinewines.co.nz