Wakefield Wine Turns to Gold

SYDNEY, May 19 /PRNewswire/ -- Last night, the Wakefield family winery from Clare Valley South Australia proved its worth among major wine producers of the world by winning three gold medals from two of the most prestigious international wine shows based in London - the 2010 International Wine Challenge and the 2010 Decanter World Wine Awards.

Australian wines received 67 gold medals at the 2010 International Wine Challenge, the world's largest wine competition, which was the second highest number of gold medals for one country just behind France. Wakefield was awarded a gold medal for the 2009 Wakefield Estate Riesling.

The International Wine Challenge attracts more than 10,000 entries each year. The judging panel is chaired by Tim Atkin MW, Charles Metcalfe, Sam Harrop MW, Derek Smedley MW.

Australia's success continued at the 2010 Decanter World Wine Awards. Only 2.86% of the 10,983 wines entered from around the world were awarded a gold medal and Wakefield 2009 Jaraman Riesling and Wakefield 2008 Jaraman Shiraz were among them.

The Decanter World Wine Awards also boasts an impressive judging calibre. Sarah Kemp, Decanter publishing editor, suggests that the judges make the Decanter World Wine Awards one of the best wine shows in the world:

"What we're most proud of is our judging. Our judges, we believe, are the best in the world - from Isa Bal MS at the Fat Duck, to Jeannie Cho Lee, Asia's first master of wine."

Decanter is what some believe to be the best wine magazine in the world. It is distributed to more than 90 countries sharing wine news from the world to the world. The 2010 Decanter World Wine Awards is held in London in May each year.

Mitchell Taylor, third generation Managing Director for Wakefield Wines, is (naturally) delighted with the results.

"I was thrilled to find out we had won three gold medals. Awards like these help to reinforce the quality of Australia's wines," said Taylor.

"It is fantastic to see so many Aussie wines do so well at prestigious shows such as these. I am extremely proud to be among them," he added.

Wakefield Wines has enjoyed a hat-trick of gold medal success this month. In addition to winning gold medals at both the International Wine Challenge and the Decanter World Wine Awards, Wakefield also won gold for the 2008 Wakefield Shiraz, 2008 Jaraman Chardonnay, 2005 St Andrews Cabernet Sauvignon and 2005 St Andrews Riesling at the 2010 Concours Mondial de Bruxelles on 4 May 2010.

Wakefield Wines are available in select retail outlets. Please direct all stockist enquiries to Justin Taylor: (404) 314 2988 / [email protected]

For more information on Decanter World Wine Awards, visit www.decanter.com or for details about the International Wine Challenge, go to www.internationalwinechallenge.com.

For more information on the winning wines, visit www.wakefieldwines.com

To speak to Mitchell Taylor while he is in London (until Friday 21 May) please call +44 77 38999 639 or email [email protected]

For other media enquiries, contact:

Gillian Martin at Liquid Ideas on +61 2 9667 4211 or

[email protected]

Please note due to international trademark restrictions Taylors is marketed under the Wakefield brand in the northern hemisphere.

To follow Wakefield wines on twitter, visit:

http://twitter.com/taylors_wines

SOURCE Wakefield/Taylors Wines