Vidal wins three trophies at Bragato
Monday 30 August
Vidal Reserve Syrah 2007 was awarded three trophies at the Romeo Bragato Wine Awards announced over the weekend.
These trophies take their place alongside the mounting accolades for Vidal Syrah, a variety for which the Hawkes Bay and Vidal are becoming renowned for.
The Romeo Bragato Trophies awarded for Vidal Reserve Syrah 07 were:
- Alan Limmer Trophy and Champion Syrah
- Sustainability Trophy
- Richard Smart Trophy and Reserve Champion Wine
Vidal Winemaker Hugh Crichton was thrilled with the wins: “The Gimblett Gravels is easily becoming home to New Zealand’s finest examples of Syrah. Marlborough has its Sauvignon Blanc but Hawkes Bay is fast becoming the Syrah capital and Vidal is leading the charge” he says.
The pedigree of Vidal Syrahs is exceptional, the list of current accolades include:
2004 Reserve Syrah
Cuisine Top NZ Syrah
Gold Air NZ Wine Awards
2005 Reserve Syrah
Trophy and Champion Wine of the show Hawkes Bay Wine Awards
92/100 ..(“..one of NZ’s top class Syrahs..”) Wine Advocate
5 stars Winestate
Gold Royal Easter Show
2006 Reserve Syrah
96/100 Bob Campbell
Elite Gold Air NZ Wine Award
Double Gold Top NZ Syrah Tri-Nations 2009
Gold Hawkes Bay Wine Awards
Gold Royal Easter 2010
Gold Liqourland Wine Awards 2010
2007 Reserve Syrah
Trophy Bragato 2010
Trophy Reserve Wine of the Show Bragato 2010
Trophy Sustainable Bragato 2010
92/100 Bob Campbell
2008 Not made due to weather conditions providing grapes that were not up to Vidal Reserve standard
2009 and 2010 still in barrel with expectations of reserve releases.
The Omahu Vineyard where this award winning Syrah comes from is planted on one of the stoniest sections of Hawkes Bay’s famous Gimblett Gravels, it was also one of the earlier vineyards to be planted in the area.
Omahu Vineyard Manager Phil Holden is ecstatic with the trophy wins: “We put a lot of work into tending our vines to produce award winning calibre grapes. The vines in Omahu have a propensity to be naturally lower cropping and are tended throughout the season, including crop adjustment to ensure the vines carry low yields which can be fully ripened,” he says.
The annual Romeo Bragato Awards are to recognise New Zealand grape growers and are named after the visionary viticulturalist who helped to shape viticulture principles for New Zealand.