Bannockburn winemaker Rudi Bauer is delighted to be the
first New Zealander nominated for the Winemaker of the Year
Award at the prestigious annual Der Feinschmecker Wine
Awards in Germany. Photo by Rosie Manins.
Bannockburn winemaker Rudi Bauer is preparing to
represent New Zealand at what has been dubbed the Oscars of the
international wine industry.
Mr Bauer (49) is the first New Zealander to be nominated for
the Winemaker of the Year Award at the Der Feinschmecker Wine
Awards in Germany.
He hopes to travel to Europe for the eighth annual awards in
March, one of just six winemakers nominated, with the other
five from Italy, France, Portugal, Austria, and Germany.
At his Quartz Reef winery in Cromwell yesterday, Mr Bauer
said his nomination would help promote New Zealand as a
serious wine-producing country.
Similarly, it would show off Central Otago to an
international audience.
"It's another little diamond in the crown of New Zealand
wine," he said.
New Zealand Winegrowers Association chief executive Philip
Gregan said Mr Bauer's nomination was a "significant
achievement" and boosted the country's reputation for
producing wine.
Mr Gregan described the awards as the "international wine
Oscars".
"All Rudi's colleagues will be proud of his achievement," he
said.
Mr Bauer said the nomination, the most prestigious in his
30-year career, was a "a credit to all the committed
winemakers in New Zealand, as I have learned so much from
them . . .
They are very sharing and passionate people."
Mr Bauer has had to decide whether to attend the award
ceremony on March 20, when this year's harvest would be in
full swing.
"We are still working out the logistics.
"I hope the weather will be in my favour and the sparkling
wine grapes can be picked before I leave," he said.
Born in Austria, Mr Bauer trained in viticulture and
winemaking in his home country as well as in Germany before
moving to New Zealand in 1985.
He established Quartz Reef in 1996 after making award-winning
wines for Rippon Vineyard at Wanaka and Giesen in Canterbury.
Mr Bauer specialises in pinot noir, pinot gris and methode
traditionelle sparkling wine made from pinot noir and
chardonnay grapes.
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