Lake Chalice has announced its outstanding results from the 2023 Global Fine Wine Challenge. Lake Chalice Wines won two esteemed trophies for the 2020 Lake Chalice Plume Chardonnay. This outstanding wine was named Champion Chardonnay as well as White Wine of the Show.
Lake Chalice has also been awarded Double Gold medals for its 2022 Falcon Sauvignon Blanc and 2022 Falcon Rosé, which was also awarded Runner Up to the Champion Rosé. To be invited to enter this competition is an honour in itself, but to take home these accolades is an outstanding achievement for the entire team.
Exclusive to New World nations, this challenge is accessible by invitation only and is restricted to the top 120 wines of each country competing – Australia, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa and the USA. The very best selections across 22 classes are made by country representatives in light of their intimate knowledge of their own nation’s wines.
“All trophy and medal-winning wines are virtually self-endorsing. The producers who find themselves going home empty-handed can console themselves with the knowledge that it is almost sufficient simply to have been selected to compete in the Olympics. An award is gratifying. The achievement is simply to have been there,” said Michael Fridjhon, South African Judge.
Lake Chalice is honoured to represent New Zealand alongside other top producers. Being awarded the Champion Chardonnay Trophy and White Wine of the Show has been something very special for Lake Chalice Winemaker Chloe Gabrielsen and the team.
“Our winemaking team at Lake Chalice are super passionate about the Plume, and alongside Anne and Peter Reed, who are humble in their expertise in growing standout Chardonnay, we are able to provide a platform for this vineyard to shine through Plume. We are pretty blown away here in the Wairau by these fantastic results – could it get any better."
The range of wines selected in this competition showcases the best the New World has to offer, and Lake Chalice was elated to have won two of the five trophies awarded to New Zealand out of the 22 on offer. Jarrah Prior (Lake Chalice Viticulturist) is especially proud of this award. As an advocate for Marlborough Chardonnay, he is proud to see the variety continue to shine on the global stage.
"It's fantastic to see Marlborough Chardonnay getting the recognition it deserves. It truly is one of Marlborough's best-kept secrets. We have idyllic conditions here for Chardonnay, and I feel the quality is there to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the great Chardonnay regions of the world. A shout out to Peter and Anne Reed, who grow this fruit for us - their dedication and meticulous attention to detail is second to none," said Prior.
