For the third consecutive year, Chief Winemaker at Matua, Nikolai St George, has been crowned Winemaker of the Year.

Nikolai was named Winemaker of the year at the New Zealand Royal Easter Show Wine Awards on Saturday March 14, following the same recognition at the NZ International Wine Show in 2014 and the NZ Royal Easter Show in 2013.

At this year’s Royal Easter Show, Nikolai also received Champion Wine of the Show and Champion Syrah for the 2013 Matua Single Vineyard Matheson Syrah – the second time in six months the wine has been champion of show, having been awarded Champion NZ Syrah and Champion Shiraz/Syrah at the New Zealand International Wine Show in September.

With an additional two gold medals, ten silver and two bronze, Nikolai then took to the stage again to claim the Royal Agricultural Society Gold Medal for Wine Maker of the Year.

St George was elated to see his favourite wine again take the critics by storm. “This is only the second time we’ve made a single vineyard Syrah at Matua, and each time it’s been a trophy winner. We only make it in small quantities – all of our single vineyard wines are made from small hand-selected fruit parcels from our best vineyards – and it really is cool climate Syrah at its absolute best,” he said.

The Matua Single Vineyard Syrah is not currently available for sale in Australia, but the 2014 Matua Regional Sauvignon Blanc is, which received gold at the show. The 2014 Matua Regional Sauvignon Blanc retails for around $15.