te Pā Family Vineyards’ 2018 te Pā Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand bagged a gold, and “Wine of the Year by Country (New Zealand)”  award at the 2019 Sommelier Choice Awards that took place in San Francisco on May 20th. 

With 13.5% ABV, 2018 te Pā Sauvignon Blanc is te Pā Family Vineyards’ flagship wine. Grown from premium vineyards across the world famous Marlborough region of New Zealand, it can be described as fruit-driven and expressive Sauvignon Blanc. It pairs perfectly with seafood, salads, and goat cheese. 

Over the years, the MacDonalds have been many things - Fishermen, farmers, horticulturists, and winemakers. Haysley MacDonald, the director & proprietor of te Pā Wines, was born and bred on the Wairau Bar in sun-soaked Marlborough, NZ. Haysley knew that the family land he grew up on offered infinite potential for grapes to flourish and produce exceptional New World wines. 

With the goal to connect the taste of te Pā with wine lovers all over the world, Haysley planted his first vines on the Bar in 2003. Then later in 2011, with a powerful story, productive land, and rich family heritage, te Pā Wines was launched. Haysley plays an important role in shaping many of the MacDonald family’s companies including successful agriculture and contracting ventures. He has played a vital role in te Pā’s evolution into a modern, export-oriented wine business. 

The Winemaker at te Pā, Sam Bennett says, “Great wine is all about respect.  Respect for the fruit, respect for the land, and respect for the people and the process.”

The goal of the Sommelier Choice Awards, organized by the Beverage Trade Network is simple - to provide on-premise buyers and sommeliers a valuable benchmark for understanding which wines would make a compelling addition to a wine list. The judging panel of Sommeliers Choice Awards consists of top sommeliers, on-premise wine buyers, and wine directors at U.S. restaurants, bars, pubs, and clubs. Medals are awarded to those wines that meet very specific judging criteria, with a goal of identifying wines that should become additions to the restaurant wine lists and other factors like Typicity, Pricing, Quality, and Package.

To check out other winners, click here.

To know more about the competition, click here.