Trio Of Green Wines Win Blue-Gold For Yealands Estate

Yealands Estate has collected a hat trick of Blue-Gold Top 100 medals at the influential Sydney International Wine Competition.

Medals were awarded to the Yealands Estate 2008 Sauvignon Blanc and to Yealands Way for its 2009 Riesling and 2009 Sauvignon Blanc. Yealands Way is sold in Australia, but the wine is the same as that which is just hitting shelves here in New Zealand under the new Peter Yealands label.

The Competition is highly regarded for its rigorous judging process which includes assessing wines when served with food. Top 100 Blue-Gold medals carry the distinction of being placed amongst the top 5% of wines from the thirteen categories.

Peter Yealands says the result caps off a great year for Yealands Estate and bodes well for the 2009 vintage.

“It was an honour to have our 2008 and 2009 wines win these prestigious awards, and is a tribute to our very talented winemaking and viticultural teams. Since August last year our wines have now won 112 national and international medals.”

Winemaker Tamra Washington is particularly happy that a wine from the inaugural 2008 vintage has been recognised.

“The Yealands Estate family of wines are all premium quality single estate wines. Low rainfall, high sunshine and the harsh, intense growing conditions experienced at this part of the Awatere Valley produce concentrated varietal characteristics, while the time on lees give the wine structure and body, so it ages very well,” says Tamra.

And it seems Yealands’ full portfolios of wines are drinking well. The Yealands Sauvignon Blanc 2008 was recently awarded 90/100 points by the influential Wine Spectator Magazine. The publication described it as: “bright and focussed, offering a lively mouthful of pear, grapefruit and floral aromas and flavours on a juicy frame, finishing with finesse.”

The trophy winners for the Sydney International Wine Competition will be announced in February 2010 at the Gala Awards dinner.