The competition was held as part of the renowned Berlin Wine Trophy and focused exclusively on vintages from the current vintage. A total of 1,300 wines were entered and eight Gold Medals were awarded to the Reh Kendermann portfolio, including two Gold medals for Black Tower.

“One of the great, global brand icons and the world’s top selling German wine brand, Black Tower has proved a consistent top award winner at international level and these latest medals for Black Tower Rivaner 2009 and Black Tower Special Release Chardonnay 2009 are a further endorsement of the quality of Black Tower’s contemporary wines,” says Alexander Rittlinger, head of marketing at Reh Kendermann.

Black Tower Rivaner 2009 is the flagship of the brand’s newly redesigned Classic range and features a dramatic and truly unique, 50/50 black/clear glass design to create a pack that reveals the wine itself and provides Black Tower with incomparable on shelf added impact. The new design was the culmination of the brand’s most extensive consumer research campaign ever and is already reaping benefits in terms of enhanced sales.

Black Tower Special Release Chardonnay 2009 is from the new, higher quality premium edition range which was launched at this year’s LWTF and also offers a single varietal Riesling and Pinot Noir.  This stylish, unoaked 2009 vintage Chardonnay from the Pfalz region is full and racy with intense floral and lively citrus flavours, mingled with honeydew melon to give further complexity. 13% ABV.

Black Tower sales success continues

Nielsen UK MAT research year ending 10 July 2010 shows that Black Tower is in excellent shape with growth at +9% volume and +12% value and is therefore bucking the trend versus the overall UK off trade market at +1% and 4% respectively. Black Tower Rosé is the no.10 off trade rosé brand and is growing at massive +35% versus the overall UK rosé market at only +4%.

Consistent award winning quality

Earlier this year, Black Tower Dornfelder Pinot Noir 2009 was awarded a prestigious Gold Medal at the traditional Berlin Wine Trophy event.  A total of 3,920 still wines were tasted during that competition, of which only 40 % were German wines.

Just two years ago, Black Tower took Gold Medal for the Rivaner 2007 vintage and Silver Medal for its Black Tower Classic Riesling 2007 vintage in the world’s largest officially recognised wine competition, The Mundus Vini International Wine Award.

Berlin Young Wine Trophy – an opportunity for new vintages

The Berlin Wine Trophy has been held since 1996, and since 2003 it has been conducted under the patronage of the International Organisation of Vine and Wine (OIV). From this time on, the wines submitted have been tasted and reviewed in keeping with the organisation’s stringent criteria. Since 2007, winners have been allowed to depict the medals on their bottles.

In 2010, the Berlin competition was split into two events for the first time. The traditional event took place at the beginning of the year, while the second event, the Young Wine Trophy, was held mid-year, in which only wines from the current vintage were tasted. A total of 1,300 wines were submitted for this international competition.