Saturday night's 2011 Air New Zealand Wine Awards dinner saw the Air New Zealand Champion Wine of the Show go to the Villa Maria Single Vineyard Keltern Hawke's Bay Chardonnay 2010.

The Bay wine also scooped the O-I New Zealand Champion Sustainable Wine and the Rabobank Champion Chardonnay trophy.

Hawke's Bay and Marlborough topped the trophy tally with each region winning six trophies. Martinborough won three trophies, and the remaining three were awarded to wines from the Nelson, Central Otago and Auckland regions.

Sustainability continued to be an important focus at this year’s awards with 23 Pure Elite Gold Medals awarded - up from 13 in 2010.

Of the 23 Pure Elite Gold Medals, pinot noir and chardonnay featured prominently, receiving six and five medals respectively. Sauvignon blanc took out three Pure Elite Medals.  Seven Elite Gold Medals were awarded across numerous varietals and classes.

Air New Zealand general manager marketing and communications, Mike Tod, says the evening’s awards also mark the airline’s 25th year sponsoring the event.

“It has been a privilege for us to have worked alongside the industry through a remarkable period of growth. The airline and the wine industry fit each other very well, and in many ways our evolution over the past 25 years mirrors each other.

“Congratulations to all of the night’s winners, who are deservedly so after being judged against 1500 other wines that were entered.”

Organised and owned by New Zealand Winegrowers, the Air New Zealand Wine Awards is regarded as the country’s most prestigious wine competition.