Wine judging competition results can make for important feedback to the wine producer. In New Zealand, there is a relatively constant group of wine judges who assess at wine shows, and most shows involve guest judges, often from overseas to widen the perspective of the assessments. However, there’s a big wide world of wine out there, and what happens in New Zealand could be quite insular. So when a wine performs particularly well in a competition overseas, it adds to the overall standing of that wine.
It was just recently announced that the 2016 Mission ‘Jewelstone’ Gimblett Gravels Syrah was awarded a gold medal at The Drinks Business Global Syrah Masters 2018 judging held in London. This is an international wine competition open to wines of a grape variety, rather judged regionally, and categorised only by price bracket, the wines tasted blind, thus there is no prejudice about country of origin. The judges are exclusively Masters of Wine, Master Sommeliers and senior buyers, chaired by The Drinks Business editor-in-chief Patrick Schmitt MW. The Mission Jewelstone Syrah is reportedly among some very fine Syrah company.
I review the wine here. Interestingly it is to me an elegant style which is very much a European preference. I believe wines with greater sweetness, ripeness and fleshiness are still preferred in Australasia, so it is good to see the different pathways of appreciation. www.missionestate.co.nz
