PEOPLE'S CHOICE 2019 - PINOT PALOOZA Skip to main content
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Welcome to the People’s Choice Awards for 2019!

– BUY THE WINES –
In 2019, Pinot Palooza visited twelve cities and five countries and attracted over 15,000 attendees on event days who we ask one simple question; who is your favourite producer on the day.

Overall, there were 515 different examples of Pinot Noir throughout the tour on taste by 209 producers in 34 regions and 8 countries. Yep, Epic!

What’s even cooler is that 75% of producers received a vote which tells us ya’ll really like an array of styles, regions and more. Diversity is the spice of life after all.

The volume of votes for producers this year was huge so we decided to hold an awards ceremony to celebrate and champion the PEOPLE’S WINE on Thursday 5 December at Revel HQ.

On what was a super fun night, we not only announced the City Winners, but country and wine region favourite before counting down the GLOBAL TOP 10.

So who took the ultimate prize this year?

* drum roll *

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bT9lpzMPbx4

WINNERS ARE GRINNERS

CRAGGY RANGE had a tremendous year taking out the city prize in Wellington and Brisbane as well as podium finishes in a few more. Whilst based in Hawkes Bay, they have amazing vineyards in Martinborough and Central Otago. BRAVO to them and all the TOP 10!

Previous winners have included Akitu in 2018 (Central Otago), Moondarra in 2017 (Gippsland) and Vinteloper in 2016 (Adelaide Hills). It’s great to see a diverse range of regions and wineries take the crown. What a fabulous line-up!

GLOBAL WINNER

CRAGGY RANGE

Martinborough, NZ

THE 2019 TOP 10 WINERIES

  1. Craggy Range (Martinborough, NZ)
  2. Akarua (Central Otago, NZ)
  3. Moondarra (Gippsland, Vic)
  4. Charteris (Central Otago, NZ)
  5. Dog Point (Marlborough, NZ)
  6. Ashton Hills (Adelaide Hills, SA)
  7. Henschke (Adelaide Hills, SA)
  8. Burn Cottage (Central Otago, NZ)
  9. Pegasus Bay (North Canterbury, NZ)
  10. Ghost Rock (Tasmania)

STOCK THE CELLAR!

What’s better than a Top 10 list of Pinot Noir? Getting said list delivered to your door and drinking your way through it! The festive season is just around the corner and what better way to say ‘seasons greetings’ than with a bunch of awesome pinots.

This is why we’ve teamed up with our good mates at MW Wines to offer you a super mixed six or dozen pack of the winning wines. Check the lists and be warned, many of these wines are in short supply so be sure to get in quick before they SELL OUT!

MW WINES IS A PROUD SPONSOR OF THE PEOPLE’S CHOICE AWARDS

Pinot Palooza to your Door!

For the first time in Palooza history, we’ve created an exclusive wine pack filled with the wines tasted by you, chosen by you. This is your opportunity to have the winning wines delivered to your door and continue the Palooza vibes at home thanks to MW WINES.

Plus, they offer some pretty amazing savings!

PEOPLE’S CHOICE MIXED DOZEN – $540

This is the THIRSTY pack where you get the TOP 10 wineries and then, to make it an even dozen, you get two bottles from the Top 2 producers! Bam!

Craggy Range Te Muna Rd, 2016
Craggy Range Aroha, 2015
Akarua 25 Steps’, 2018
Akarua Pinot Rouge, 2018
Moondarra Conception 2018
Charteris Wines Central Otago, 2018
Dog Point Pinot Noir, 2017
Ashton Hills Estate, 2018
Henschke Giles, 2017
Burn Cottage Moonlight Race, 2016
Pegasus Bay Estate, 2016
Ghost Rock Estate, 2018
DOZEN ME UP!

PEOPLE’S CHOICE MIXED SIX – $270

Here are wines from the Top 6 producers of the Top 10. Grab this one quick as these are limited!

Craggy Range ‘Te Muna Road’, 2016
Akarua “25 Steps”, 2018
Moondarra Conception, 2018
Charteris Central Otago, 2018
Dog Point, 2017
Ashton Hills Estate, 2018
BUY WINE!

COUNTRY WINNERS

As we do multiple cities in some countries, we compiled the votes and can now share with you the country winners!

These wineries were the ones who had the most votes consistently in the countries in which they exhibited.

JAPAN

Nikkal

Yarra Valley, Vic

Nikkal is made by an all round legendary winemaker and great human Kate Goodman. We were stoked to see her wine do so well in Japan especially seeing it was her first time there! It was love at first sight for both Kate and Japan as the votes and Instagram posts of her beautiful Pinot Noir flooded in.

Kate’s on an absolute roll and won the Winemaker of the Year in the Women in Wine Awards of 2018

NEW ZEALAND

Pegasus Bay

North Canterbury, NZ

For those of you who are Pinot Palooza veterans you’ll be very familiar with the Donaldson family. These guys are always up for a party and their wine is an absolute classic from a region very very close to our hearts, North Canterbury (check out our feature on the region here).

If you make it to the region, be sure to head to their excellent cellar door and restaurant. BUT we warn you, it’s nicknamed ‘The Vortex’ for reason; a wonderful, welcoming reason.

AUSTRALIA

Charteris

Central Otago, NZ

Wow. These guys had an amazing Australian tour with podium finishes in virtually all Australian cities. Chrissie Pattison is always out front sharing the story of her winemaker husband PJ Charteris and yep, they make some pretty delicious Pinot Noir. Though they live in the Hunter Valley, they produce their range of wines across the ditch in Central Otago, New Zealand, where PJ is originally from.

CITY WINNERS!

So many cities. So many wines. So many styles and personalities and as we say above, over 200 wineries took part in the tour this year which is amazing. Below are the individual city winners who went up against the most amazing line ups we’ve seen to date. 

Each of these winners receives a special certificate and bragging rights to promote at their cellar door. Be sure to keep an eye out and make sure you visit on your next trip!

Nikkal

Yarra Valley, Vic

Akitu

Central Otago, NZ

Below & Above

Pemberton, WA

Main & Cherry

Adelaide Hill, SA

Pegasus Bay

North Canterbury, NZ

Craggy Range

Martinborough, NZ

Pegasus Bay

North Canterbury, NZ

Moondarra

Gippsland, Vic

Akarua

Central Otago, NZ

Craggy Range

Martinborough, NZ

BK Wines

Adelaide Hills, SA

Ata Rangi

Martinborough, NZ

PEOPLE'S CHOICE WINE REGION OF THE YEAR

ADELAIDE HILLS

South Australia

HASHTAG NAILING IT

For those more traditional Pinot Noir drinkers this may come as a surprise but not to us; we’ve seen this coming for some time. Last year alone four of the top 10 wineries were from the Adelaide Hills. The overall quality and diversity of wines from here has been on a rapid rise. This year they again had a huge showing with Ashton Hills and Henschke in the Top 10. Plus, we had some super fun new additions joining the tour as well. Bravo to all!

The Hills were closely followed by (in order) Central Otago, Yarra Valley, Tasmania and then, encouragingly, Gippsland which again, shows a broad range of styles, climate and wine personalities.

Here is a list of all the Adelaide Hills wineries who took part in events this year:
Ashton Hills, BK Wines, Catlin, D’Arenberg, Deviation Road, Golding Wines, Good Intentions Wine Co., Grounded Cru, Henschke, Main & Cherry, Saint and Scholar, Shaw & Smith, Sidewood, Tilbrook, Twill and Daisy, Vinteloper, Whisson Lake
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