Grasshopper Rock celebrates a five year gold rush

The winning streak of gold medals is unbelievable says, Grasshopper Rock’s Phil Handford. “The last few weeks have been the highlight of ten years hard work. In three weeks, Grasshopper Rock’s 2010 Pinot Noir has been awarded gold medals at three consecutive NZ wine shows.”

“Three competitions, each with five to seven senior judges evaluating the wine, is a very high level of recognition” Handford said.

The latest gold at the NZ International Wine Show comes five years after the first vintage (2006) was awarded silver at the same show. Grasshopper Rock Pinot Noir has now racked up 12 gold medals over four consecutive vintages.

The icing on the cake came last week when influential UK wine writer, wine judge and Master of Wine, Tim Atkin, picked Grasshopper Rock as one of Central Otago’s top Pinot Noir wineries.

In Atkin’s recently published article he challenges Central Otago wineries to focus on producing world-class wines, rather than very good ones, and picks Grasshopper Rock as one of his dozen wineries whose Pinots could go toe to toe with the best in the world.

Atkin goes on to rate the 2010 vintage as one of the most successful years ever in Central Otago, and includes Grasshopper Rock 2010 as one of his top six Pinot Noirs for the vintage. The full list includes: Burn Cottage 2010, Doctors Flat 2010, Felton Road Calvert 2010, Grasshopper Rock 2010, Rippon Emma’s Block 2010 and Valli Gibbston 2010.

“In 2003 we set out to make world-class Pinot Noir, the last three weeks suggests we are well on the way. Grasshopper Rock is becoming one of the great New Zealand Pinot Noirs, yet it remains affordable” Handford said.

Grasshopper Rock Pinot Noir 2010 has been awarded gold medals at Bragato Wine Awards 2012, Spiegelau International Wine Competition 2012 and NZ International Wine Show 2012.