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Best NZ Riesling Wine Maker

Giesen News

BEST NZ RIESLING MAKER New Zealand’s undisputed champion of Riesling

Giesen Smashes Another Riesling Record at the 2019 New World Wine Awards


We’re thrilled to be recognised as New Zealand’s undisputed champion of Riesling at the prestigious New World Wine Awards!

Our Riesling has received its seventh consecutive listing in the New World Top 50 – making us the wine company with most awarded wine variety in the competition’s history. We set the record in 2017 when our Giesen Estate Riesling was the first wine to win five consecutive Gold Medals at the New World Wine Awards.

Giesen New World Wine Awards Top 50

Giesen Estate Riesling has held and won the New World Top 50 and Gold Medal status for the following years:

  • Gold 2013
  • Gold 2014
  • Gold 2015
  • Gold 2016
  • Gold 2017 and 2019.
  • But in 2018 the Limited Release Gemstone Riesling sparkled and dazzled the judges and received a New World Wine Awards Top 50 Gold Medal.

We have a quality Riesling pedigree. Our founders Theo, Alex and Marcel Giesen drew upon their German heritage to create Estate Riesling which they have made since their first vintage in 1984. Giesen Estate Riesling has become a favourite with Kiwis, being the largest selling Riesling in New Zealand. As well as the New World Wine Awards accolades It has won multiple trophies, including most recently; Champion Riesling Trophy and Champion Open White Wine Trophy at the Air New Zealand Wine Awards 2016.

 

You can watch the interview with Nikolai, our Chief Winemaker talk about our approach to crafting the perfect Riesling.

We have a wonderful focus and commitment to Riesling. We punch well above our weight and sell more Riesling in New Zealand than any other producer. We’ve been making Riesling since the brothers’ first vintage from Canterbury in 1984 and over the years we’ve created an extensive Riesling portfolio with multiple styles and regions.

Giesen Estate Riesling 2018

Blended from cool-climate vineyards throughout Marlborough and Waipara. Fruit from Marlborough adds a textural element, richness, citrus flavours and ageability to the wine, while the Waipara component provides fabulous floral aromatics.

After pressing and settling for 36 hours, clear juice was fermented in separate vineyard batches, mostly at cool temperatures. A selection of different yeasts were chosen to amplify the regional characteristics of the Marlborough fruit. Giesen’s winemakers tasted each parcel daily and stopped the ferment when the acid/sugar/alcohol balance was reached and when the aromas of spice and exotic tropical notes were present. Stopping the ferment early also retains some natural sugar hence the beautiful off-dry flavour of the wine.

“Riesling is a great way of introducing people to wine. We’re discovering our Riesling – particularly Giesen Estate Riesling – is finding favour with younger drinkers who enjoy the aromatics and slighter sweeter style. That’s one of the wonderful things about Riesling, there are so many styles making it a wonderful variety for wine lovers to explore and enjoy.”

Visit the following links to learn about our other Rieslings

Giesen Riesling Wines