Yealands have won four Gold Medals in Tranche One of the 2018 International Wine Challenge (IWC) held in the UK at the end of last month.
Gold medals were awarded to Yealands Estate Single Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc 2017, Yealands Estate Single Block L5 Sauvignon Blanc 2017, Yealands Estate Winemaker’s Reserve Central Otago Pinot Noir 2016 and Crossroads Winemaker’s Collection Syrah 2014.
Yealands received more Gold Medals than any other New Zealand wine producer, achieving the highest number of gold medals they themselves have ever been awarded in Tranche One of the IWC. A total of 15 Golds were awarded to New Zealand wineries, making New Zealand the second most successful country in the competition, just behind France.
The IWC is split into two tastings known as Tranche One and Tranche Two, to accommodate the different production and sales schedules across the industry. This is the 35th competition for the IWC, which is accepted as the world’s finest and most meticulously judged wine competition.
All Gold Medal-winning wines from Tranche One are held in temperature-controlled conditions until Tranche Two has been completed. The final stage is for all Gold Medal winners from Tranche One and Tranche Two to be tasted again, with trophy winners being announced in April 2018.
“The IWC is one of the world’s leading wine competitions and we are therefore incredibly excited to again be recognised on the global stage for the quality of our wines,” says Jeff Fyfe, Chief Winemaker for Yealands. “Having two of our Awatere Valley Sauvignon Blancs awarded Gold Medals, up against such strong competition, is a real testament to the quality of fruit we grow here at the Seaview Vineyard. It’s great to see consistent quality across our entire range with our Winemaker’s Collection Central Otago Pinot Noir and Crossroads Winemakers Collection Hawke’s Bay Syrah also picking up coveted Gold Medals.”
