Maude’s Reserve East Block Riesling has scooped the prestigious Heritage Rose Bowl Trophy at the National Wine Awards of Aotearoa (NWAA) for the second year in a row. 

It was one of a trio of wins for the local winemaker, which also received the Antipodes Trophy for the Champion Riesling for the same riesling, as well as winning the ‘Winemaker of the Year’ Award.

The Heritage Rose Bowl Trophy - a coveted trophy that recognises the recipient for showing excellence with the same wine for over a decade - reflects the multi-generational efforts behind Maude, winemaker Sarah-Kate Dineen said.

Nobody deserved to be acknowledged more than Maude’s founders, Dawn and Terry Wilson, who planted the vineyard’s Riesling vines at its inception in 1994, Sarah-Kate said.

“Terry, our patriarch and Dad, passed earlier this year so the significance of receiving the trophy this year is super special to us.”

The Mt Maude Vineyard in Maungawera Valley, which was planted in 1994 by Terry and Dawn. PHOTO: Andy Woods

“We would love to dedicate the Heritage Rosebowl trophy to him.” 

The vineyard is still family run, led by Sarah-Kate and her husband Dan, and the one-hectare of Riesling vines, planted almost three decades ago, are now “lovely, mature” vines, Sarah-Kate said.

They are picked in two parcels for their different flavour attributes, due to the vines’ aspect, clone and soil type. 

Those on the western side of the vineyard make Maude’s Dry Riesling, which Sarah-Kate said was restrained and tight in structure with aromatics of talc and wet slate.

The Maude team, including co-founder Dawn Wilson (centre), celebrating their wins at the National Wine Awards of Aotearoa (NWAA).

On the eastern side - more sheltered and receiving the first of the morning light - grow Maude’s sweeter, more fruit-forward Reserve East Block Riesling, which earned the two trophies this year (for vintages in 2014, 2019 and 2023), from five over the years.

“For us, Riesling is one variety that wears its heart on its sleeve. It can be brutally honest and almost righteous,” Sarah-Kate said. 

“It tells us exactly where it was grown, how it was grown and how it was handled in the cellar but when you get all that right, it’s worth the anguish.”

The National Wine Awards of Aotearoa is the country’s newest and only national wine show, created to identify and celebrate excellence in New Zealand wine.

Winners celebrated at a function in Auckland earlier this month.