Taylors Wines Unveils Extremely Rare Wine; The Legacy 2014
- Written by Natasha Esson
Clare Valley, South Australia – Family-owned winery Taylors Wines has released its finest wine ever made in honour of its 50th year since founding the winery in 1969.
The Legacy 2014 celebrates the founding purpose of the South Australian wine producer – to craft new world wines that stand tall against the iconic wines of the old world, particularly those from Bordeaux that originally sparked the family’s desire to realise their passion of crafting fine wines.
Taking inspiration from these wines, The Legacy is predominantly cabernet sauvignon, with small parcels of merlot and cabernet franc.
Third-generation Managing Director and Winemaker Mitchell Taylor says, “This wine is the result of three generations of winemaking knowledge passed down through the Taylor family. The Legacy is a testament to my grandfather and father’s work in establishing the Taylor name across the wine industry. It’s a privilege to be unveiling such a significant wine in our 50th year.”
“The aim was to find true completeness in a wine. Having a glass of The Legacy - you almost fall into it. It has a huge presence but is still delicate at the same time. It’s a wonderful experience,” says Chief Winemaker Adam Eggins.
Every detail has been considered in the packaging behind The Legacy. The wine is housed within a bespoke case, with The Legacy name emblazoned in silver. Included within the case is a certificate of authenticity, as well as a book containing a detailed history of Taylors Wines, and a family tree of the Taylors past and present.
Authenticity is taken to new heights as Taylors unveils a world-first, protective bottle overcap and security chip. The security chip, one of the first of its kind, enables purchasers of The Legacy to access information about the wine through their smart phone using near-field communication. Through a dedicated app, purchasers can also access important security details, confirming that the wine is authentic and unopened.
“Innovation is core to our business, and we’ve taken our efforts in packaging to new levels with The Legacy. We’ve blurred the boundaries of wine and art to bring something truly special to celebrate our 50th anniversary,” says Mitchell.
Only 1,080 individual bottles have been created of The Legacy 2014. This extremely rare wine will be available in select markets from 1 May in select fine wine retailers and Taylors Cellar Door for $1,000 RRP.
More information will be available on the launch date at www.taylorswines.com.au
ABOUT THE LEGACY
An Australian Wine Three Generations in the Making
The momentous release marks the 50th anniversary of Taylors Wines in the Clare Valley, which was started by Bill Taylor Snr. and his sons in the late 60s. Once a family of Sydney publicans, they entered the wine industry to realise their passion for crafting fine wines.
Mitchell Taylor believes The Legacy embodies his grandfather’s vision for founding the winery: “Each generation has brought something special to Taylors Wines. From my grandfather who started the winery with a focus on premium cabernet and shiraz wines – winning a gold medal at each national wine show with our first releases – to my father who saw the winery through changing tastes and the expansion of Taylors portfolio into white wines.”
“While The Legacy celebrates our family’s journey, it’s also a benchmark for future generations of Taylors to come.”
Innovation comes to the forefront of the wine’s packaging within a truly unique, three-pronged sculpture, each pillar signed by a representative of each generation. The wine is bottled in a statuesque tapered glass bottle and is enclosed with a screw cap – a statement to Taylors pioneering heritage with this revolutionary closure.
Taylors’ iconic three seahorse emblem shines prominently as the focus on the front label with a handcrafted, silver medallion coated in rhodium, one of the rarest precious metals in the world. The treatment and finish of the icon ensures it will never tarnish.
The Journey of a Fine Wine
This is a milestone release in the family’s fine wine journey which began with the St Andrews range nearly two decades ago.
According to Chief Winemaker Adam Eggins a crucial component for this wine was the selection and integration of oak, “The art of open barrel fermentation is a practice we have been perfecting at our winery for more than a decade. Post fermentation, the cabernet fruit is transferred to a selection of fine grained, high quality French oak for a period of eight weeks, with skins intact. The process of extended skin contact in barrel gently softens the tannin profile and creates a sublime texture to the wine.”
An integral part of The Legacy lies in the specific barrels used for long term maturation. Vicard, a sixth-generation cooperage in France, supplied a selection of its finest fine-grained, lightly-toasted barrels specifically for this wine, the staves of which were seasoned for 48 months prior to assembling.
Due to the oaks’ extremely tight grain, the wine enjoyed 36 months maturation in a cool, temperature controlled cellar, allowing the oak to impart powerfully savoury characters and textural richness. The complete wine is a polished wonder, according to Eggins.
