New Zealand Vodkas Amongst Best In World
Prenzel Distilling Company’s Southern Star Vodka beat two New Zealand Vodkas 42 Below and 26,000 to win silver at the San Francisco Spirit Awards 2008. The San Francisco Spirit Awards are the most prestigious spirits awards in the United States.
Prenzel used its years of experience in traditional distilling combined with new thinking to develop Southern Star Vodka. The Vodka’s exceptional taste and smoothness is due to Prenzel’s complex continuous multi-filtering process and the natural, high quality barley grain spirit, says Master Distiller Hayden Johnstone.
Winning a prestigious award reflects the high quality of distillation processes that we use for all our products. We are very excited to start 2008 with this success on top of the 13 international accolades we won in 2007, says Marketing Manager Olivia Bowers.
Southern Star Vodka was released to significant local acclaim in December 2007.
Prenzel also won Silver at the San Francisco Awards for its Limited Edition Dark Chocolate Liqueur, the second award for one of their Limited Edition Liqueurs.
The San Francisco Spirits Competition was the first of its kind in the USA when it was founded in 2000. In 2008 it received 800 entries from 51 different countries giving it the accolade of the largest Spirits Competition held in the USA. The competition received entrants from world renowned distillers and the awards are decided by 25 judges, all industry leaders.
Big International Success for Small New Zealand Company
Platinum in the World Beverage Competition 2007-2008 has been awarded to a small New Zealand company, Marlborough based Prenzel Distilling Company for its Blenheim Bay Premium Gin.
The Platinum Award is the best in show award, granted to only one winner per category, chosen unanimously by the tasting panel as the finest offering of the competition. According to the World Beverage Competition, these products should be regarded for the extra effort, creativity and care taken in bringing them to market.
Prenzel also won Gold for its Limited Edition Pear William Liqueur and Bronze for its New Zealand Honey Premium Liqueur.
“These are huge accolades for a company of our size, for Marlborough, and for New Zealand”, says General Manager Mary Anne Webber.
These awards cap a very successful year for Prenzel, making a total of 13 international awards won this year in Europe, the United Kingdom and now the U.S.A, across several categories.
“Winning awards in different competitions and categories demonstrates world-class product right across our range”, she says.
Recently Prenzel have released Southern Star Vodka to the same standards as the Blenheim Bay Premium Gin, says Webber.
The World Beverage Competition is known as the largest beverage competition in the world and is accredited as the premier tasting event in the beverage world. The judging panel are industry professionals from six different continents; not celebrities, beverage retailers or public figures who may show partiality towards a particular brand. Their names are not announced to the public as this leads to undue influence from brand owners and the media. They do not see the packaging or know the brand name prior to documenting and submitting their tasting score cards for the competition.
Prenzel and Forty Two Below were the only New Zealand companies to be recognised at the awards.
The Southern Star is Rising
On the strength of winning three major international awards for its Blenheim Bay Gin this year and seven other international awards, the Prenzel Distilling Company has launched Southern Star Vodka for Christmas and Summer.
Prenzel has used its years of experience in traditional distilling combined with new thinking to develop Southern Star Vodka. The Vodka’s exceptional taste and smoothness is due to Prenzel’s complex continuous multi-filtering process and the natural, high quality barley grain spirit, says Master Distiller Hayden Johnstone.
Enjoy Southern Star Vodka with Prenzel liqueurs, schnapps and cocktail mixes.
Product details: 700 ml, 37.5% alc vol, RRP $37.90
Top Gin in the World Made in Marlborough
Blenheim Bay Premium Gin made by the Prenzel Distilling Company in Marlborough has received a major international award – three stars in the 2007 Superior Taste Awards run by the International Taste and Quality Institute in Brussels .
Blenheim Bay Premium Gin is the only New Zealand company to win three stars in 2007, and the only gin to win three stars.
“Blenheim Bay Gin was developed over a long period which included extensive testing against world leading premium gins. We believe our secret to success has been our choice and balance of botanicals”, says General Manager Mary Anne Webber .
Prenzel's Butterscotch Cream was also given recognition in the awards, and was the only liqueur cream from the Southern Hemisphere to be awarded. “We attribute this to its smooth blend of caramel, toffee and dairy cream”, says Mary Anne.
“It is enormously gratifying to be recognised in two separate categories on the world stage”, she says.
The International Taste and Quality Institute, iTQi, Brussels , is the world leading independent chef- and sommelier- based organisation dedicated to judging, honouring, and promoting superior tasting food and drink from around the world. For its juries, iTQi works in close partnership with the 10 most prestigious culinary institutions and the Association de la Sommellerie Internationale (ASI) in Europe .
Products are subject to a rigorous evaluation process and are blind tested. Each judge is dedicated to a sensory analysis of the tasted product and assigns a numerical score on an evaluation sheet reflecting the overall feeling of hedonic pleasure (the most important weight in the final mark), and other criteria like vision, smell, texture and mouth feel. Blenheim Bay scored at least 90% on every measure.
More information about the awards is available at www.itqi.org .
Prenzel's Blenheim Bay Premium Gin is available at its tastings rooms in Blenheim, Kumeu, Whitford, Havelock North, Paraparaumu, Richmond , Woodend and Cromwell.
Winter entertaining made easy with Prenzel Mulled Wine Mixer
Perfect for watching the rugby, a winter party or après ski, is the Prenzel Mulled Wine Mixer. For about the price of a bottle of wine, this concentrate makes up to three litres of mulled wine.
Created with a subtle blending of red wine, cinnamon, cloves and a few trade secrets, Prenzel Mulled Wine Mixer adds warmth on a winter's evening. All you do is add boiling water and enjoy. It is 100% natural and has a rich, inviting aroma and flavour.
Made in Marlborough by New Zealand Company Prenzel especially for New Zealanders, it is adapted from the traditional version of mulled wine with more attention to the citrus flavours that we prefer, a homely hint of brown sugar, and then concentrated. As a concentrate, it is the only product of its kind in the world.
Prenzel Mulled Wine Mixer production started a few years ago on a small scale in Blenheim for local people to enjoy over the cold winter. Its popularity has led it to it becoming available nationally. You can try it at Prenzel tasting rooms in Kumeu, Whitford, Havelock North, Paraparaumu, Richmond , Blenheim, Woodend and Cromwell. It is also available at some supermarkets and wine retailers.
Because it is a concentrate, it will keep after it is opened. It is also very easy to take away as part of a winter holiday.
