Thorn Clarke William Randell Shiraz 2010 is made from 100 percent Shiraz

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Embargoed until Monday 20 May 22:00 EST

BAROSSA'S THORN-CLARKE SHIRAZ WINS

THE INTERNATIONAL WINE OSCARS

2013 International Wine Challenge: 2010 William Randell Shiraz

Double Trophy Winner - Top Australian Shiraz and Top Barossa Shiraz

Barossa quiet achiever Thorn-Clarke Wines has just won the world's "wine Oscars" taking out two prestigious trophies at the London-based International Wine Challenge and cementing South Australia's reputation as one of the world's leading wine regions.

The 2010 William Randell Shiraz was awarded the Trophy for the Best Barossa Shiraz and also Best Australian Shiraz against a field of outstanding wines.

According to IWC Co-chairman Charles Metcalfe, South Australia reaffirmed its status as the powerhouse of quality wine production in Australia, winning 10 of the 23 Trophies awarded to Australian wines at the 2013 IWC.

"Seven of the trophy-winning wines were made from different varietals, demonstrating the rich varietal and stylistic diversity within South Australia’s borders."

Thorn-Clarke Chief Executive Sam Clarke, speaking from the London Wine Trade Fair today, said that Australian winemakers can take heart from the high standards they set both domestically and internationally.

"Australian wines are consistently setting the pace for elegance and balance and they are worthy ambassadors of Australian culture,” he said.

“With an ever-strengthening reputation for quality, effective point-of-origin regulation and clean, green credentials, Australian wineries continue to be among the nation's most successful exporters.

Mr Clarke said the 2010 William Randell Shiraz was awarded 97 points and a ranking in James Halliday's Top 100 wines for 2012 late last year. The company had also taken out three trophies for their Shotfire and Terra Barossa Cabernet Sauvignon/Shiraz blend in the Great Australian Red competition recently.

Mr Metcalfe said the International Wine Challenge was rightly described as the "Oscars of the wine world" and a trophy win should not be under-estimated.

“The International Wine Challenge is unique and is widely regarded as the finest judged wine tasting in the world," Mr Metcalfe said.

"I know of no other wine competition in the world where each medal winner will have been blind tasted a minimum of three separate occasions to ensure consistency and fairness."

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“Inky purple-crimson; as the colour promises, a wine saturated with every manner of black fruits and bitter chocolate; despite this, it has an open-weave texture keeping it light on its feet, and allowing a farewell of juicy fruit finding its way through the high quality oak and fine tannins. An exceptional shiraz.” – 97 Points & Top 100 James Halliday

Deep red / purple colour, the nose displays lifted spice with layers of dark chocolate, mocha and Christmas cake. The palate is rich and full bodied with blackberries, cassis and mocha oak notes which characterise this intensely flavoured Barossa Shiraz. The wine is mouth filling and satisfying with its creamy texture and fine silky tannins. The wine has great length with lingering flavours of blackberry fruit and well integrated oak.

The fruit was harvested at night. Fermentation was carried out in a variety of small capacity fermenters.  After pressing the parcels were filled to French oak for   maturation.  The wine was racked after six months and the parcels were blended to form the final wine.

24 months in 100% new French oak.

Average winter rainfall in 2009 resulted in good soil moisture in the 2010 growing season. This combined with moderate weather conditions through most of the growing season allowed for good fruit set and canopy development. 

March 2010