Both wines also picked up trophies in their variety classes. The syrah and chardonnay were the two the winery focused on and worked to excel with, Mr Crichton said.
He was delighted with both awards, as syrah was a variety which was well established across the region and other winemakers and wineries provided stiff competition when it came to putting it before judging panels - and the chardonnay emerged from what was deemed a challenging vintage in terms of climate. "It (2012) was tough year so it was great to get that recognition."
But he said it was a recognition not just for Vidal but to the whole region which had been able to create fine wines from a difficult year where the weather had decided not to play ball.
Mr Crichton said a lot of that had to do with one of what he called the three top ingredients in creating a great wine - people.
The other two, climate and soils, were important but people topped the bill - underlining again that good things come in threes. "Often forgotten is the people side of it - you have to manage the grapes, you have to pick at the right time, and here in Hawke's Bay we have a number of very good people and that has helped the region build a solid reputation."
The awards would benefit Vidal Estate in its push into more overseas markets as such events were closely watched, Mr Crichton said.
The UK was its strongest market outside New Zealand and recently, in a case of "coals to Newcastle", Vidal had signed a deal to enter the French wine market.
A year ago the winery had stepped into the Hong Kong and China markets, and they too were growing.
"The challenge is to get people to taste the wines.
"You have to get out and burn up the shoe leather on the footpaths - organising tastings and getting them (wines) out there."
The awards for both the syrah and chardonnay varieties continued a long run of success for the Hastings-based winery and had left the staff exhilarated, Mr Crichton said.
"Some were feeling a little bit dusty in the morning."