Taylors Wines has further cemented its position as one of Clare Valley’s most successful producers of both red and white wines by collecting three gold medals at this year’s Royal Melbourne Wine Show.

Results, announced today, awarded Taylors gold for the 2002 shiraz, 2001 cabernet sauvignon some of which was bottled under screw cap. The 2000 St Andrews riesling, which also received gold, is an aged release which has approximately five years bottle age before release.

Mitchell Taylor, Managing Director of Taylors wines says: “We are very excited to receive recognition across our range of wines. Since my family laid the first plantings of cabernet back in 1969 we have been proud of the estate’s ability to produce excellent red wines. And it’s not just the reds — in this time the region has cultivated a reputation as a top producer of riesling and we are ecstatic to be recognised as a top producer of the regions most famous variety”.

The growing conditions in the Clare Valley in 2002 were exceptional for the estate shiraz and were even said to have challenged the great vintage of 1998. The 2002 vintage was characterised by a cool spring followed by a warm ripening period — ideal conditions for shiraz on the Taylors estate.

The cabernet sauvignon is the family’s most celebrated wine and Australia’s number one selling premium cabernet sauvignon over $15. It is a variety that the family hold dear to their heart as it was the first variety planted on the Clare Valley estate.St Andrews wines were first produced by the Taylor family in 1996 after purchasing the old St Andrews winery as part of the Taylors expansions. The sleepy winery was originally founded in 1896 — one of the first in Australia — but has not been in operation since 1934. The 2000 vintage was Chief Winemaker Adam Eggins first vintage of the riesling and one he is very proud of:

“Since my appointment as Chief Winemaker in 2000 my aim has been to build on the show successes of previous vintages and continue positioning Taylors as one of Clare Valley’s top producers of premium wines. These gold medals are testament to this and the future success of the Taylors brand.”

The 2001 Taylors cabernet sauvignon (RRP $17.50), the 2002 Taylors shiraz (RRP $17.50) and the 1996 vintage of St Andrews riesling (RRP $30) are widely available through all major liquor stores.