South Australian family winery, Taylors Wines, is celebrating a gold rush after winning the trophy for Wine of the Year (Import) at the major US wine competition, the San Diego International Wine & Spirits Challenge.
Clare Valley’s Taylors Wines received top marks for its 2019 St Andrews Shiraz, bringing home the title for Wine of the Year (Imported) and the competition’s Best Shiraz award. Judges selected the single-vineyard wine from a field of competitors spanning 13 wine producing nations, including France, Italy, USA, and South Africa.
With signs of renewed growth in the US export market following a difficult year, Taylors Wines third generation managing director Mitchell Taylor feels this is an opportune time to showcase premium Australian drops to US wine drinkers.
“We are thrilled with the results from the San Diego International Wine & Spirits Challenge. It’s more proof that Australian wines are being recognised as some of the best in the world,” Taylor said.
“After such a challenging year for the wine industry, particularly as we’ve been cut off from getting out there and promoting our wines in overseas markets due to COVID-19, these awards are a welcome recognition that Australia’s top-quality wines are celebrated by leading palates in the USA – the world’s largest wine drinking market.”
This week, Wine Australia released its annual export figures showing that in the USA, Australian wine exports decreased overall by 7 per cent in value and 8 per cent in volume compared to the 12 months prior. Although total exports declined across the year, there are green shoots. Exports with an average price of $10 per litre or more increased by 20 per cent – the highest value since November 2009.
“This is proof to us that US wine drinkers are building a thirst for premium Australian wine and that’s terrific news for our producers,” Taylor said.
This is the second year the family winery was awarded the Best Shiraz trophy at the San Diego-based competition, which was founded by US wine critic Robert Whitley in 1996 and is judged by wine critics, sommeliers, and winemakers from across the country.
Another Australian producer to be recognised at the event include Elysian Springs, which took home the trophy for Best Syrah for its 2019 Spring Lamb Syrah from the Adelaide Hills.
While wine lovers won’t yet be able to get their hands on the 2019 vintage of Taylors’ trophy-winning wine, Taylor recommends grabbing a bottle of the 2018 vintage while you can.
“While we are just shy of five months until the 2019 vintage of the St Andrews Shiraz is released, the 2018 is a stunning wine with enormous flavours and rich, nuanced aromas,” he said.
The St Andrews Clare Valley Shiraz 2019 will be available in July 2022 at fine wine retailers for RRP $75.
For more information about the San Diego International Wine & Spirits Challenge, visit www.sandiegowinechallenge.com.
For more information on Taylors Wines, visit their website.