Accolades

Nick Nobilo’s reputation as one of New Zealand’s best winemakers is evident in the high marks his Vinoptima wines receive.

• Fred Tasker recently wrote about New Zealand wines in the Miami Herald.  He highly recommended the 2004 Vinoptima Reserve Gewurtztraminer. His article was picked up and syndicated in the following newspapers:Miami Herald, The News & Observe - Raleigh, North Carolina, The Columbus Ledger-Enquirer - Columbus, Georgia, Centre Daily Times, Pennsylvania, Modesto Bee  - Modesto, Califorinia and Fresno Bee – Fresno, California. Click here to read the full article:
  June 4, 2008

• Neal Martin from Wine Advocate rated a vertical of the 2003-2007 vintages of Vinoptima, as well as the 2004 Noble Late Harvest—and we earned some amazing scores and glowing comments:
  Vinoptima Estate Ormond Reserve Gewurztraminer
  -2003 Vintage 86 points
  -2004 Vintage 94 points
  -2005 Vintage 92 points
  -2006 Vintage 94 points
  -2007 Vintage 94-96 points
  2004 Vinoptima Estate Noble Late Harvest Gewurztraminer received 97 points
  -- In addition to 94 points, the 2004 Vinoptima was called “wonderful” and the 2004 Noble Late Harvest was given 97 points and called, “A legend in the making.” All of the future vintages were rated with solid remarks and points—especially the 2007 which looks to be “the best wine yet.” One of our favorite lines is, “The winery is so clean you could eat your breakfast off it… the good news is that Nick is well on his way to achieving his dream because this was a stunning expression of Gewürztraminer, the wine adopting an Alsatian style rather than anything from the new world.” (April 30, 2008)

• Wine Review Online, Linda Murphy writes, "Very rich, weighty and deeply flavored in an Alsatian way, yet the lychee, ginger, Asian pear and pineapple flavors are balanced by keep acidity..." the 2004 Gewürztraminer earned 93 points (March 2008)
  
  
• Master of Wine Ronn Wiegand included Vinoptima in his recommendations for gift wines and holiday entertaining in an article posted on Vino.com. He gave the wine a fantastic review:
  "Exceptional. Extremely intense in character (litchi nut, rose petal, mango), off dry, full bodied, fleshy, and long on the finish, with long flavor persistence. Drink through mid-2008." (Dec 2007)
  http://www.vino.com/reviews/07/12-wine-gifts.asp
  
  
  
• The Buyer’s Guide to New Zealand Wines, written by Michael Cooper, awards the 2004 Gewürztraminer “5 Stars.” (2006)
  
  
• The Vinoptima 2004 Gewürztraminer was chosen by www.wineoftheweek.com. (July 2006)
  
  
• Air New Zealand Inflight Magazine Feature on Vinoptima (June 2006)
  
  
• Wine Spectator gave the Vinoptima 2003 Gewürztraminer 91 points and described, “Vinoptima only makes Gewürztraminer, and its first bottling is an outstanding one. The Gewürztraminer Gisborne Ormond Reserve is vivid yet well-balanced, with spice, lychee and apricot flavors. It's focused and long, with a slightly bitter bite on the finish, but the flavors are so generous it doesn't matter. (November 2005)
  
  
• Nobilo’s Gewürztraminer was proclaimed Spurier’s Choice, Best New World White Wine in Decanter. It was noted as “… spot on: pale gold, pure rose petal and lychee nose, superb vineyard fruit, exotic and off-dry, but with a fresh acidity that brings out the complexity. As good as top Alsace grand crus.” (October 2005)