Spinaze, who was also nominated as a finalist in 1999, is the seventh winemaker to receive this award, which was introduced in 1998 to recognise those who produce the best wines in Australia.
Gourmet Traveller WINE judging panel chairman Peter Forrestal said the judges were impressed by the sheer breadth of Spinaze’s quality winemaking overall, as well as his determination to move against trends and breathe new lift into Hunter Valley Semillon.
After more than 20 years at Tyrrell’s Wines and 14 as its chief winemaker, one could be forgiven for thinking that Andrew Spinaze must be very comfortable in the job. In fact, nothing could be further from the truth. Tyrrell’s has seen enormous growth in the time Spinaze has been with the company, which has provided its own set of challenges. And since he was nominated as a finalist for Qantas/WINE Winemaker of the Year in 1999, Spinaze and his team have taken on numerous demanding projects that have kept Tyrrell’s focused on innovation and ultimate wine quality.
Tyrrell’s has been producing Hunter Semillon for more than 100 years and Vat 1 for over 50. Since 1989, when Spinaze became chief winemaker, he and his team have been bottle-aging significant quantities of Semillon, and their work during the 1990s on the Hunter’s best grape variety is now bearing fruit with mature, dry-grown, old-vine, single-vineyard Semillons labelled Stevens Reserve, Belford Reserve and HVD Reserve, as well as the iconic Vat 1.
Spinaze and his team have also been working on matching the flavour and soil profiles of each of these wines, focusing on the idea of how they are influenced by the soil.
Click here for more information about Tyrrell’s great range of wines or contact Steve Sutera on 0413154396.
