Award for Julicher Estate

Applause for winemaker
Wim Julicher and Sue Darling, along with their winemaker Outi Jakovirta, continue to do their best to keep Martinborough wines on the map and in glasses around the world.
Last month they heard to their delight that Juilcher Estate Pinot Noir 2010 was selected from over two thousand wines as ‘Wine of the Year – Best in Show’ at the 2014 UK Sommelier Awards.
This accolade rates alongside the Champion of Wine Show success they achieved in 2007 and 2009 and follows the four major competitions they won last year.
The Sommelier Awards are judged by a panel of leading Sommeliers and on-trade drinks buyers. The competiton rewards the best wines available to restaurants, bars and hotels in the UK.
“With the standard of entries we see in the Sommelier Wine Awards, even making it onto the Gold List is a huge achievement”, said competition director and Imbibe editor, Chris Losh,“but the Wines of the Year have to be a step up even from that.”
The winning Pinot was made by Julicher’s winemaker Outi Jakovirta, who joined the Julicher team in December 2005 and has been responsible for making all their wines since then. Outi is from Helsinki, Finland and moved to New Zealand in January 2004. On her arrival in New Zealand Outi studied for a Postgraduate Diploma in Viticulture & Oenology at Lincoln University. She has significant experience internationally and has worked in France, Germany, Australia and California. Being both Finnish and a woman makes her a highly unusual winemaker!
As Wim Julicher says. “Outi’s flair and passion, plus being meticulous in everything she does throughout the wine making process, are the keys to the exceptional award- winning wines she makes for us”. The evidence is in the bottle, but ironically, although still available in Britain, the 2010 Pinot Noir has sold out completely in New Zealand.
The pedigree of Julicher’s Te Muna Road vineyards and the passion and commitment of the team will continue to produce outstanding wines . Rest assured you can look forward to plenty more trophy and gold medal winning wines from this special martinborough winery.