Mission Estate Winery has been awarded New Zealand’s only Syrah Masters medal in the 2022 Global Syrah Masters for its 2019 Mission Huchet Syrah from the Gimblett Gravels in Hawke’s Bay.
Run by UK’s the Drinks Business magazine, it’s the biggest UK-based competition for Syrah and secures entrants from all around the globe each year. To win a Master award a Syrah must be judged ‘an outstanding example of its type, showing impeccable winemaking’.
This year, only six masters medals were awarded, 1 from Hawke’s Bay and 5 from Barossa. Which makes this award even more exceptional and really highlights the potential of Hawke’s Bay.
Paul Mooney, Chief Winemaker at Mission says, “we’re both thrilled and humbled to achieve this Masters Award up against so many other amazing Syrahs from around the world. 2019 was a fantastic vintage in Hawke’s Bay.”
The very limited Huchet wines are the ultimate expression of winemaking at Mission and made only in the finest years. The wines are named in honour of Brother Cyprian Huchet, Mission’s pioneering winemaker from the late 1800’s who won New Zealand’s first ever international medal at the Paris Exhibition in 1882.
As a winemaker for more than 40 years, Paul Mooney rates Hawke’s Bay Syrah highly. He says, “this award is a real credit to the efforts of both our winemaking and viticultural teams, and it’s not just about this vintage, but the learnings and knowledge of these vineyards that we’ve picked up over the years”
The Global Syrah Masters pits wines from old world and new world regions head-to-head where they are all tasted blind by a judging panel made up of experienced Masters of Wine, Master Sommeliers and senior wine buyers.
The Syrahs out of 2022 were praised for achieving both concentration and grace across the board, however the judges say that if you want a 2022 Syrah – to opt for either Hawke’s Bay or the Barossa.
As a wine of complexity, structure and intensity that will age gracefully for years to come, Mission Huchet Gimblett Gravels Syrah is available on Mission’s website and Cellar Door for RRP $150. The wine is individually packaged in a beautiful presentation case for safe cellaring and gifting.
From Mission’s Hawke’s Bay stable of Syrah’s comes other highly endorsed wines from its Gimblett Gravels vineyards – and all packing a punch in terms of quality and price point. Both the Jewelstone and Reserve Syrahs are excellent quality with numerous endorsements, well worth the a try.
Visit: missionestate.co.nz
