South Australian family winery Taylors has introduced its second annual Family Flagship Release. The wines are available from 20 July at selected fine wine retailers and Taylors’ cellar door. The full range is available in travel retail.
The 2023 edition includes new vintage releases across Taylors’ St Andrews and Masterstroke ranges, as well as the 2016 vintages of The Pioneer Shiraz, The Visionary Cabernet Sauvignon and the family’s pinnacle release wine – The Legacy.
Third-generation Winemaker and Managing Director Mitchell Taylor said: “We’re incredibly proud to celebrate the second annual release of our Family Flagship wines. These wines best represent my grandfather’s vision when he established our family winery in the late 1960s. Our philosophy has always been to honour the remarkable fruit produced by our vineyards and the established grower partners we work with. I’m honoured to present this stunning collection of wines on behalf of the Taylor family.”
Ten wines make up this year’s edition of the Family Flagship Release, representing six vintages, and crafted in Taylors’ signature style of concentrated varietal flavour and finesse. Fruit from the family’s Clare Valley Estate is prominently displayed across a majority of wines in the collection, with fruit from McLaren Vale and Coonawarra featuring across the Masterstroke range.
The collection includes the third vintage release of The Legacy 2016, the old-world-inspired Cabernet blend crafted to celebrate the family’s 50th anniversary in 2019. This is priced at A$1,000 per bottle, with only 1,080 bottles made, and represents a win of “power and elegance” from Chief Winemaker Adam Eggins, said the company.
“The Legacy represents an enduring family journey that honours our history and sets a benchmark for generations to come,” Taylor said. “The 2016 vintage in the Clare Valley is lauded as one of the greats. The vines were stress-free heading into winter, conditions were ideal during flowering, and there was no frost – the ‘perfect storm’ for a truly outstanding vintage, particularly for our Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon wines.”
Central to The Legacy’s barrel programme was maturation in Jean Louis Vicard barrels – a selection by the cooperage of 36-month-old, fine-grained and lightly toasted barrels.
The launch was marked by an event in Melbourne on 20 July (pictured above) and is followed by various global tastings and other events. ✈
