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PRESS RELEASE: 11 NOVEMBER 2011 AUSTRALIA/NZ CHAMPION PINOT NOIR OF THE YEAR AWARD TO LOWBURN FERRY click for larger image Lowburn Ferry Wines co-owner Jean Gibson, with China market representative Grahame Shepherd, from the Definitive Group, with the trophy and award winning wine some of which is destined to be sold in China and Hong Kong. Lowburn Ferry Wines in Central Otago has added another major international award to its tally this week, bringing home the trophy for Champion Pinot Noir 2011 for Australia and New Zealand - from leading Australian publication, Winestate. Coming from one of the smallest but brightest stars in the Central Otago wine industry, Lowburn Ferry Home Block Pinot Noir 2010 was the top wine of more than 1500 pinot noirs from throughout Australasia tasted by the Winestate magazine panels over the past year. Trophies were presented to category winners in Auckland and Adelaide this week Owners Jean and Roger Gibson are ecstatic with the accolade, especially as Winestate is particularly influential across Australia and Asia which are key export markets for Lowburn Ferry wines.
click for larger image Lowburn Ferry Home Block Pinot Noir 2010 Being released in the New Zealand market this week to cap off an award-winning week for Lowburn Ferry, Lowburn Ferry Home Block Pinot Noir 2010 was also awarded a Blue-Gold Medal at the Sydney International Wine Show where gold medal winning wines are judged again as to how well they compliment foods to receive a blue-gold award. It recently also won a Gold Medal at the NZ International Wine Show (where the previous vintage was Champion Pinot Noir in 2010). “We've always felt our block in the Lowburn Valley is a little special. Deep loess silt soils unusually high in organic matter give us the essential ingredients to start working from to produce great grapes,” says co-owner and viticulturalist Roger Gibson. The couple also attributed the success to a good working relationship with the winemaking team at Vinpro under the direction of Pete Bartle. Lowburn Ferry is the area surrounding an historic ferry crossing over the mighty Clutha River in Central Otago. The former punt and distinctive "Sugarloaf" terraces are embraced in the winery's branding. The vineyard was established in 2000, nestled on a sheltered north facing terrace in the Lowburn Valley beneath the Pisa Range. Owners Roger and Jean Gibson have academic backgrounds in soil science and horticulture, and are totally focused on producing the best pinot noir wine from their special site in the Lowburn Valley. Most of the production from their 3.5ha site is exported throughout Australia, Asia, Europe and North America. The award winning pinot noirs are also sold direct from the winery, fine wine stores and selected fine dining restaurants throughout New Zealand..
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PRESS RELEASE: 20 SEPTEMBER 2010 CHAMPION PINOT NOIR TROPHY FOR LOWBURN FERRY AT NEW ZEALANDS LARGEST WINE SHOW - THE NEW ZEALAND INTERNATIONAL WINE SHOW LOWBURN FERRY "HOME BLOCK" PINOT NOIR 2009, from Central Otago, was named Champion Pinot Noir at New Zealand's largest wine competition on Saturday. Taking the top award at the NZ International Wine Show in Auckland from a field of over 250 Pinot Noir, of which 28 won gold medals, was "stunning" according to owners Roger and Jean Gibson. The wine has also won a gold medal at the recent Bragato wine awards and 5 stars from leading New Zealand wine critic Bob Campbell, MW. "It's fantastic to have another very significant trophy under our belt," said Roger. "Our first vintage was 2003 and this wine took Champion of Show at the Bragato wine awards in 2005. Since then all our wines have won golds at significant wine competitions but it is a great feeling to top the field again". It was also timely as the wine is about to be released on the market. Lowburn Ferry produces only Pinot Noir and over 70 percent is exported. "We've always felt our block in the Lowburn valley is a little special. Deep loess silt soils unusually high in organic matter give us the essential ingredients to start working from to produce great grapes." Viticultural manager Roger Gibson previously worked as a landscape ecologist for Landcare Research and has a background in science. "We take a holistic but very much no nonsense approach to managing the vines. We keep our feet on the ground, our hands on the vines and our brains turned on," he says. The family work closely with the team at Vinpro winery in Cromwell who are an essential part of the success factor. Roger tutors viticulture part time at the Otago Polytechnic,s Cromwell campus. "I get a buzz out of challenging the students to think about their management and to understand how it impacts on vine physiology and soils in a logical manner," he says. Lowburn Ferry is the area surrounding an historic ferry crossing over the mighty Clutha River in Central Otago. The former punt and distinctive "Sugarloaf" terraces are embraced in the winery's branding. The vineyard was established in 2000, nestled on a sheltered north facing terrace in the Lowburn Valley beneath the Pisa Range. Owners Roger and Jean Gibson have an academic background in soil science and horticulture, and are totally focused on producing the best pinot noir wine from their special site in the Lowburn Valley.
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Press Release 25th November 2009 Lowburn Ferry Pinot Noir Double Gold in Sydney Show Lowburn Ferry Pinot Noir 2008 from Central Otago, has won a coveted Top 100 Award in addition to a Blue-Gold at one of the world's most exceptional wine shows. The Sydney International Wine Competition is unique among international wine shows in that the wines are first judged on wine quality before being judged alongside food. Only wines that score high enough to be awarded a Gold Medal in each judging qualify for the unique Blue-Gold (or double Gold) Medal.  The 100 wines which score the highest number of aggregate points in both judgings are then given The Top 100 Wine Award. Trophy winners from the Sydney International Wine Competition 2010 will be announced in February. The boutique Sydney International Wine Competition's main aim, through its website top100wines.com and e-Newsletters is to offer consumers an objective selection of superior wines of varying palate weights, enjoyable immediately, to complement appropriate food. To do this, its international panel of judges select the top twenty percent of a capped 2,000 international entries and arrange them according to palate weight. This permits the Judges to further assess these finalists in a second phase judging, against wines of similar palate weight but more importantly alongside a dish with flavours that these wines are likely to complement. This final test, with appropriate food complexing the judges' palates, is probably unique, amongst the major international wine shows of the world. Lowburn Ferry co-owner Jean Gibson said the timing of winning Blue Gold in the Sydney competition was perfect as the brand was just beginning to gain profile across the Tasman with distribution in NSW and SA, and plans to expand markets in Victoria and Queensland. The success also coincides with the release of this wine in the NZ market. Previous vintages of Lowburn Ferry Pinot Noir have also received international acclaim, gold medals and five star reviews; and the very first vintage (2003) won Champion Wine of the Show at the NZ Winegrowers Bragato Wine Awards in 2005. Lowburn Ferry is a family owned vineyard dedicated to the production of high quality Pinot Noir wine. It was established in 2000, nestled on a sheltered north facing terrace in the Lowburn Valley beneath the Pisa Range in Central Otago. “The Vineyard is unusual for Central Otago” says Viticulturist Roger Gibson “in that long term management of the property over more than 100 years has allowed organic matter to build up in the soils, complementing the natural supply of nutrients derived from schist parent material. The resulting healthy soils have excellent biological activity which enhances the terroir of the site.” Jean and Roger Gibson enjoy a hands-on approach to managing the vineyard which is both practical and scientific. Roger is a specialist in soils and plant science (Master of Applied Science, first class honours) and has worked in research and education; Jean holds a degree in Horticultural Science from Massey University. Ends For further information, contact: Jean or Roger Gibson Lowburn Ferry Wines Ph +64 3 4450846, 027 262 1423, 021 450846 email: winedirect@lowburnferry.co.nz
PRESS RELEASE: 8 NOVEMBER 2006 – LOWBURN FERRY INTERNATIONAL SUCCESS Lowburn Ferry Vineyard in Central Otago has made international success with its 2005 Pinot Noir winning a gold medal at a prestigious wine show in Austria. The results of the AWC Vienna 2006 International Wine Challenge were announced last week. The AWC Vienna 2006 is the second largest international wine competition with 5118 wines entered out of 29 nations over five continents, and together with London, Bordeaux, Verona and Brussels represents one of the world's most important wine trophies. The success for Lowburn Ferry's second vintage from its "home block" vineyard follows recent accolades for the Lowburn Ferry Pinot Noir 2003, the only other release from the "home block," which won Champion Wine of the Show, Champion Red Wine and Champion Pinot Noir at the New Zealand Winegrowers Bragato Wine Awards in 2005. Unfortunately, like the 2003 vintage, the Lowburn Ferry Pinot Noir 2005 is very limited in supply, due to demand from the export trade and wine "connoisseurs" in New Zealand. But it is significant in helping us build our brand for when significant volumes come on stream," said owners Jean and Roger Gibson. Some of the wine has been exported to the UK and USA, and the wine is being released in New Zealand this week. For more information, or orders, visit www.lowburnferry.co.nz Or contact: Jean or Roger Gibson 5 Swann Road RD2 Cromwell Central Otago Ph (03) 445 0846 Email: wine@lowburnferry.co.nz
PRESS RELEASE: 30 AUGUST 2005 – TRIPLE SCOOP IN WINE AWARDS FOR LOWBURN FERRY The Bragato Wine Awards 2005 were held in conjunction with the annual grape and wine industry Romeo Bragato Conference in Gisborne. These awards are unique in New Zealand in that they recognise the grapegrowers, the vineyard and excellence in viticultural practice. Viticulturalist Roger Gibson also picked up the coveted Mike Wolter Memorial Trophy for Champion Pinot Noir Table Wine, and the trophy for Champion Red Table Wine. Lowburn Ferry Vineyard in Central Otago scooped three of the top trophies, including CHAMPION WINE OF SHOW at the Bragato Wine Awards held in Gisborne on Saturday night. The winning wine was Lowburn Ferry Pinot Noir 2003, made from the first vintage harvested on the 3ha vineyard in the Lowburn Valley, 5km north of Cromwell in Central Otago. The Bragato Wine Awards 2005 were held in conjunction with the annual grape and wine industry Romeo Bragato Conference in Gisborne. These awards are unique in New Zealand in that they recognise the grapegrowers, the vineyard and excellence in viticultural practice. Viticulturalist Roger Gibson also picked up the coveted Mike Wolter Memorial Trophy for Champion Pinot Noir Table Wine, and the trophy for Champion Red Table Wine. “Mike Wolter had identified Lowburn as one of the sub-regions where he could see some great pinot noir was going to be grown, and it's good to be bringing the Mike Wolter Trophy to Lowburn for the first time,” Roger said. Mike Wolter was a pioneering winemaker in the region. “It's a thrill to have achieved such a milestone with our first vintage, but it is also great to receive confirmation that the soils and climate of Lowburn Ferry Vineyard are so well suited to growing premium pinot noir.” Lowburn Ferry is the area surrounding an historic ferry crossing over the mighty Clutha River in Central Otago. The formation of Lake Dunstan about 10 years ago destroyed the last evidence of the ferry crossing, but the punt and distinctive “Sugarloaf” terraces are embraced in the winery's branding. The vineyard was established in 2000, nestled on a sheltered north facing terrace in the Lowburn Valley beneath the Pisa Range. It is managed by Roger and Jean Gibson. The Bragato awards success for Lowburn Ferry Pinot Noir 2003 follows a run of serious reviews from notable wine writers including a rating of 18 out of 20 by UK wine critic Jancis Robinson, and five star honours in Cuisine magazine. The trophies return to Central Otago after having been won last year by Robin Dicey, viticulturalist for Mt Difficulty in a similar triple scoop. 640 wines were entered in this year's competition – and three Central Otago wines won gold medals. Roger said Lowburn Ferry Wines would be extremely limited for at least the next two to three years. Anyone wishing to pre-order the 2004 wine or join a mailing list to be notified of new releases can log on to lowburnferry.co.nz or email wine@lowburnferry.co.nz ENDS Contact for further information: Roger or Jean Gibson Lowburn Ferry 5 Swann Road RD2 Cromwell Ph 03 445 0846