Mission Estate Winery sets sights on harvest after ending 2022 on a high

Mission Estate Winery sets its sights on harvest after finishing 2022 on a high. Photo / Supplied

Last year ended on a high for Mission Estate Winery and with another vintage just six weeks away, things are looking good for the new year.

On December 15, the winery was awarded New Zealand’s only Syrah Masters medal in the 2022 Global Syrah Masters for its 2019 Mission Huchet Syrah from the Gimblett Gravels in Hawke’s Bay.

Run by UK’s the Drinks Business magazine, it’s the biggest UK-based competition for Syrah and secures entrants from all around the globe each year. To win a Master award a Syrah must be judged “an outstanding example of its type, showing impeccable winemaking”.

This year, only six masters medals were awarded, one from Hawke’s Bay and five from Barossa, which makes this award even more exceptional and highlights the potential of Hawke’s Bay.

It’s a pretty big deal and Mission chief winemaker Paul Mooney says it’s cool that it was the only New Zealand syrah to win.

“We are thrilled and humbled to achieve this Masters Award up against so many other amazing syrah from around the world.”

He said 2019 was a fantastic vintage in Hawke’s Bay.

“As were 2020 and 2021. This year nature has thrown us a different challenge and I’m looking forward to working on the new vintage,” Mooney said.

Chief Winemaker at the Mission Paul Mooney. Photo / Supplied

The limited Huchet wines are the ultimate expression of winemaking at The Mission and only made in the finest years. The wines are named in honour of Brother Cyprian Huchet, Mission’s pioneering winemaker from the late 1800s who won New Zealand’s first international medal at the Paris Exhibition in 1882.

Mooney. who has been making wine for more than 40 years, rates Hawke’s Bay syrah highly.

“This award is a real credit to the efforts of both our winemaking and viticultural teams, and it’s not just about this vintage, but the learning and knowledge of these vineyards that we’ve picked up over the years.”

He says wine has come a long way in the 40 years he has been in the industry.

“The wine quality is way better. When I started the vines were grown in heavy soils like the Heretaunga Plains. Now they are grown on lighter, free-draining soil such as Maraekakaho and the Gimblett Gravels.

“These areas are far better suited and there has been a vast improvement in taste and variety. The entire world has taken notice of this change. Our wine exports have gone from zero to multi-millions of dollars a year.

The winning syrah went head-to-head against wines from old-world and new-world regions where they were all tasted blind by a judging panel made up of experienced Masters of Wine, Master Sommeliers and senior wine buyers.

The 2019 Mission Huchet Syrah.

The 2022 syrah were praised for achieving concentration and grace across the board, however the judges say that if you want a 2022 syrah – to opt for either Hawke’s Bay or the Barossa.

That’s high praise indeed.

For now Mooney is concentrating on the next harvest.

“I love the variety of winemaking, every season is different. However. the harvest period of four to six weeks is my favourite. We always have a lot of fun.”