Clare Valley family winery Taylors Wines has claimed the Sylvain Trophy for Oaked Wine at the prestigious Concours Mondial de Bruxelles in Belgium for its new release blend, the Masterstroke Cabernet Shiraz 2016, just released in June this year.
The Sylvain Trophy for Oaked Wine is a new award, introduced to the competition just last year. It recognises a wine that demonstrates world-class integration of oak in winemaking.
The competition, known as the United Nations of Fine Wines, marked its 28th anniversary bringing together 300 expert judges from across Europe to judge more than 10,000 wines from 46 different wine-producing nations. Taylors was the only Australian winery to claim the highest honour of a Grand Gold medal at the show. Only 100 were awarded.
In what’s been a challenging year for the wine industry, compounded by bushfires, drought, COVID-19 and an ongoing international trade dispute, winemaker Mitchell Taylor believes international awards such as these show Australia is still ranked amongst the world’s best premium wine-producing countries.
“The wine industry has been hit on all sides by many difficult obstacles, but one constant remains – that despite the odds, Australian winemakers continue to impress judges around the globe with premium quality wines,” third-generation Winemaker and Managing Director for Taylors Wines said.
“Our Masterstroke Cabernet Shiraz not only showcases the incredible work from our team to capture the powerful elegance of these two varieties, but also the soils and climate of our home in the Clare Valley in the finished wine. It’s a terrific wine and we are honoured the judges of this esteemed competition agree.”
The award win comes as Australian winemakers rebound from two consecutively challenging vintages, with vintage 2021 marked by near-perfect growing and ripening conditions, resulting in wines of exceptional quality and good crop size. This combination of events accelerates a continued effort from the family winery to explore new, and grow existing, international markets to promote and sell their premium wines to overseas customers.
“We’re very optimistic about our ongoing growth in overseas markets like the UK, Canada and the USA and know awards like the Concours Mondial de Bruxelles give us an opportunity to demonstrate to our customers the world-class quality of Australian wine,” Taylor said.
Taylors Masterstroke Clare Valley Cabernet Shiraz 2016 (RRP $60) is a new release wine from Taylors, a classic blend of cabernet sauvignon and shiraz fruit from the family’s Clare Valley estate and a full-bodied wine showcasing flavours of rich dark plum, blackcurrant, dark chocolate, and mint.
Taylors also received a number of gold medals in its wine partnership with Wakefield Wines. Fourth Wave Wines, DeBortoli, Lake Cooper and Chapel Hill also received gold medals.
The Little Wombat that could
Fourth Wave Wines’ Little Giant is also worth mentioning, with the label receiving gold medals in the competition for:
- Little Giant Single Vineyard Coonawarra Cabernet 2018
- Little Giant Little Batch Barossa Shiraz Mataro 2020
- Little Giant Single Vineyard Barossa Shiraz 2019
General Manager Ross Marshall said, “We are delighted with Little Giant’s success on the international wine show circuit as we are already aware that Australian consumers love the big, instantly rewarding wine styles – that offer exceptional value and are constantly coming back for more. The loyalty to the brand is unique because it’s instantly recognisable, the short, stumpy glass and the wombat on the front stands out on the shelf. “
Little Giant is crafted from premium regional South Australian fruit from established vineyards that deliver character and interest well above their size and weight.
Hand-crafted and made with minimal additions and preservatives, these are wines made of the vineyard. Little Giant’s distinctive taste means you can be guaranteed these wines always deliver on their quality promise. If you have not tried A glass of Little Giant is a full flavoured gulp of South Australia and funds raised are in support of the Wombat. Little Giant is as a platinum supporter of WIRES.
For full results of the competition, visit here.
Taylors Wine photo credits: Product launch photography by Sam Venn, Styling by Adam Powell at Network Agency, Lighting by Tommy Keyes from Mat Wilson Focus Film Lighting
