Trophy for Talisman at Six Nations Wine Challenge

Talisman by Crossroads 2013 has been awarded the Trophy for ‘Red Blends Non Bordeaux’ at the 2016 Six Nations Wine Challenge held recently in Sydney, along with a Double Gold for Talisman Syrah by Crossroads 2013.

Entry into the Six Nations Wine Challenge is by invitation only, with the judge from each country selecting their top 100 wines to be entered. Talisman 2013 and Talisman Syrah 2013 were two of the 100 New Zealand wines selected by Bob Campbell MW (Master of Wine) to enter this year’s competition. Six hundred wines were entered in total from countries Australia, Canada, Chile, South Africa, USA and New Zealand, with a mere 15 wines being awarded a trophy.

Crossroads’ signature wine, Talisman, is a secret blend of varieties known only to our winemaker. It is a unique embodiment of the very best wine our Hawke’s Bay vineyards have to offer.

Crossroads Winemaker, Miles Dinneen, who accepted the trophy at the Six Nations Trophy presentation dinner held in Sydney last night, was delighted. “To win a trophy for Talisman, in particular, is very special,” he says. “It’s Crossroads’ signature wine, a secret blend, crafted using the very best grapes each vintage has to offer. Talisman is one of the original cult wines from Hawke’s Bay, and has been in production since 1994. It is a great personal honour to bring a trophy home for New Zealand when judged against some of the world’s finest wines in the Six Nations Wine Challenge.’

This trophy is the second significant accolade for Crossroads in recent months, with Crossroads Winemaker’s Collection Chardonnay 2014 receiving a Platinum Award at this year’s Decanter World Wine Awards for Best New Zealand Chardonnay over $15, held in June.

Talisman by Crossroads 2013 and Talisman Syrah by Crossroads 2013 are both available in very limited quantities from our Cellar Door and select fine wine retail stores nationwide, and have a recommended retail price of $55.95.

About Crossroads Wines

For more than 25 years, Crossroads Wines has represented the very best of small parcel Hawke’s Bay winemaking. The Crossroads Winery ‘home vineyard’ is located in Hawke’s Bay where vines thrive in diverse soils, from the renowned Gimblett Gravels to the cool inland slopes of the Ngaruroro River. The deep layer of ancient river silt delivers wonderful aromatic qualities and the Gimblett Gravels terroir provide depth, structure and intensity.

Crossroads has three wine tiers:

— Milestone Series celebrating Crossroads’ dedication from the vineyard to the winery – creating benchmark wines from the region.

— Crossroads Winemakers Collection showcases the very best parcels of fruit, crafted with passion.

— Crossroads’ signature wine, Talisman, is a secret blend known only to our winemaker, a unique embodiment of the most exceptional wine each vintage has to offer. Talisman Syrah now completes this tier.

Original article published in Verve Magazine edition #175 – click here to view