The Air New Zealand Wine Awards are organised by New Zealand Winegrowers in conjunction with Air New Zealand, who are the largest single server of wine in the country with over 800,000 bottles of wine being consumed annually on flights.
Organised by New Zealand Winegrowers, the awards attracted 1,540 entries this year, with 83 gold medals awarded. A total of six pure gold medals were also awarded in the new sustainability category.
As well as the usual strong showing by Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, aromatic wines took the spotlight and impressed the judges with 20 gold medals going to Riesling, Pinot Gris, Gewurztraminer, Viognier and Pinot Blanc varieties.