The Bethlehem-based Mills Reef Winery won the Wineworks Trophy for Champion Cabernet Sauvignon and Blends for its Mills Reef Reserve Cabernet Merlot 2016 at the Royal Easter Show Wine Awards, New Zealand’s oldest wine competition.Senior winemaker Paul Dawick (left) and chief winemaker Tim Preston toast Mills Reef Winery's award at the Royal Easter Show Wine Awards. Photo / George Novak

Mills Reef co-founder and chief winemaker Tim Preston said: “We’re absolutely thrilled that this wine has been recognised and held in such high esteem.  “We’re extremely excited about the quality and promise that all of our 2016 vintage red wines hold, and rate this vintage as one of our finest. This trophy is testament to that belief.”

Preston said all recipients were “magnificent wines which we respect highly, but also demonstrates the tremendous quality we’re seeing across the board in our 2016 reds, and are so excited about”.

Senior winemaker Paul Dawick (left) and chief winemaker Tim Preston toast Mills Reef Winery’s award at the Royal Easter Show Wine Awards.

Mills Reef’s trophy-winning champion Reserve Cabernet Merlot was produced from grapes grown in its famed Mere Road Vineyard in the renowned Gimblett Gravels Winegrowing District.