The Artizan Rare Muscat continued its remarkable success winning its 15th Trophy for Best Fortified Wine at the Western Australian Wine Awards, earlier this month. Judges were impressed “Excellent wine, detailed and nuanced, black cherry, dark chocolate, layers of orange peel, dark spice, caramel and toffee.”

This award would not be possible without the passion and foresight of our founders Graham and Merilyn Hutton to lay muscat down nearly 50 years ago. It’s a privilege to build on their legacy and continue to produce fortified wines with class and refinement.

Article by Nicky Lefebvre first appeared in the Augusta Margaret River Mail Newspaper, Wednesday 13 April 2022 

"EVERYTHING about this wine is exquisite - from flavour to label."

So say the 2022 London Wine Competition judges, who awarded Margaret River region winery Gralyn Estate the highest prize of the event, the coveted 'Wine of the Year'. Judging for the 2022 competition took place at St Mary's Church in London's Marylebone this week, with a record, 300 wines submitted from 36 countries. To be a medal winner, wines must score highly in all three criteria, with a weighting on scores for quality.  The only wine to score 97 points, the Gralyn Estate Artizan Rare Muscat NV was also awarded 'Best in Show by Country' and 'Best Wine of the Year by Quality'.

Gralyn Estate was founded in Wilyabrup in 1975 and was the first to open a commercial cellar door in Margaret River in 1978.

Owners and winemakers Scott and Annette Baxter took the helm two years ago from Annette's parents, founders Graham and Merilyn Hutton. Scott Baxter said the secret to the success of the fortified wine came down to the quality of the fruit, the barrel age, and blending and freshening. "Very old brandy barrels are used to store the Artizan, so as not to impart too much oak character, allowing it to develop rancio complexity," Mr Baxter said.” These wines are precious as there is considerable loss each year from evaporation, what's described as the Angel's Share, and this gives the wine it’s power." The wine is produced using the Solera System, a winemaking practice where younger wines are blended in barrels storing older wines, and hence termed non-vintage or NV. The solera in the Artizan Rare Muscat NV dates back 40 years. "We're winning accolades now because Annette's parents had the foresight 40 years ago to barrel age this beautiful wine," said Mr Baxter." They knew it was special, they knew it had its place and they believed that they were on to something for which we're very grateful, because now we're reaping the rewards of their vision and hard work." Gralyn Estate was awarded Gold for both its 2017 and 2018 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon.


Image: Scott and Annette Baxter toasting to their success at the London Wine Competition 

The results of the 2022 London Wine Competition have just been released overnight. Gralyn Estate has been announced the overall winner, with our Artizan Rare Muscat awarded 97 points and Wine of the Year!

The Artizan Rare Muscat won Wine of the Year and also topped three prestigious categories - Gold Medal with 97 Points, Best in Show by Country, and Best Wine of the Year by Quality, a tremendous accolade for this storied wine.

"1300 wines from more than 36 Countries participated in the 2022 London Wine Competition. To be an award winner at the London Wine Competition, you will need to have a top-quality wine that offers both the trade and the consumer great value for money. It takes a lot to win big at the London Wine Competition. No wonder, the 2022 London Wine Competition saw a wine that checked all the boxes and grab the title of the Wine of the Year."

"Gralyn Estate Artizan Rare Muscat is a fortified wine and a specialty of the Estate’s legacy of wines. It is made from the Muscat varietal. This wine is produced using the Solera System. Within this winemaking practice, younger wines are blended in casks storing older wines. This process makes a blend of differently aged wines which results in no fixed vintage date. Blended over the years, these high-quality wines all hold a little bit of a legacy within them. Wines made within the Solera system are termed non-vintage or NV."

"The award winner at the 2022 London Wine Competition, Gralyn Estate Artizan Rare Muscat, is matured in old oak casks and is a limited release. Everything about this wine is exquisite  — from flavour to label. It is rich and sports intense flavours of raisin and toffee. This exquisiteness also reflects in the intricate label which is an original artwork by Merilyn Hutton."

Judges Comments - 2022 London Wine Competition

A South West winery has been recognised on the global stage, taking out one of the premier categories at the 2022 London Wine and Spirits Competition. Wilyabrup’s Gralyn Estate was recognised with the Wine of the Year award for its Artizan Rare Muscat, which was the only wine to score 97 out a possible 100. Gralyn also took out the best in show by country category.

The renowned competition seeks to “judge drinks in the same way consumers buy them” in which entrants are marked on quality, value for money and packaging and design.

Gralyn Estate owner Scott Baxter said the honour was owed to his wife’s parents. “We’re winning accolades now because Annette’s parents had the foresight 40 years ago to barrel-age this beautiful wine,” he said. “They knew it was special, they knew it had its place and they believed that they were on to something for which we’re very grateful, because now we’re reaping the rewards of their vision and hard work.”

Gralyn Estate was also awarded gold for both its 2017 and 2018 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon at the London Wine and Spirits Competition.

This year a record number of wines was submitted, 1300 from 36 countries. The spirits category also had a record number of entrants with about 2500 spirits brands from more than 80 countries vying for gold, silver and bronze medals.

Chief executive of the Beverage Trade Network, Sid Patel, said the competition was of a higher calibre compared with previous years. “We were blown away not just by the standard of wines and spirits entered but by the numbers of producers and import in the 2022 competition,” he said.

Story by Brianna Redhead - Article first appeared in the Busselton Dunsborough Times 8th April 2022

Nice write up in the West Australian Newspaper this week with the recent success of our Artizan Rare Muscat. 

Story by Taylar Amonini for The West Australian, Busselton Dunsborough Times
South West winemakers say it’s time for Australians to “rediscover fortified wines” after a Margaret River vineyard scooped a trio of national wine awards.  Hot on the heels of the 11th trophy win in the 2021 ANZ Boutique Wine Show for their Gralyn Estate Artizan Rare Muscat… The team snapped up a double gold medal at the Global Fine Wine Challenge and Gold at the Melbourne Royal Wine Awards, with their Rare Muscat, further cementing it as one of the pre-eminent names in Australian fortified winemaking.

Wine writer and consultant Erin Larkin said the Margaret River winemakers were at the forefront of the resurgence of fortified wine in Western Australia. “Gralyn Estate have been pushing the fortified cart for decades and I think that’s really significant and important.”

On the back of winning its 11th Trophy at the Boutique Wine Awards in Sydney last month, the Artizan Rare Muscat has just scooped up another two awards further cementing its reputation as one of Australias great fortified wines. It has received a Double Gold medal at the Global Fine Wine Challenge and a Gold medal (95pts) at the Royal Melbourne Wine Awards.

The string of awards on the Artizan Rare Muscat matches us against the best in the country and those that are the best in the country are amongst the best in the world. We are winning accolades now because Graham and Merilyn were laying material down nearly 50 years ago with the foresight that they truly believed in the fruit that they were growing and the wine that they were making.

“This is rich with classic mature fortified muscat flavours, with notes of dried figs, dates, rum-soaked raisins, toffee, coffee grounds, brandy-soused plum pudding and dark spices, with hints of clove, cinnamon and brown cardamom. Those flavour cascade onto the viscous palate, with toasted walnuts and treacle joining in, the fortifying alcohol gently cutting through the richness, giving this lift through the back palate, flavours persisting for minutes.” 
Rory Kent - Young Gun Of Wine 2021

Our Artizan Rare Muscat has just taken out top Trophy honours at the 2021 ANZ Boutique Wine Show for best fortified wine. We are immensely proud of this wine having received this prestigious trophy for the second consecutive year.

The Artizan is one of Australias great fortifieds, developed from a solera dating back more than 40 years. Very old brandy barrels are used to age this wine, giving it rancio complexity and power. A small amount is bottled annually to retain freshness. 

Available to taste and purchase from our Cellar Door or buy online via the website.

“A decadent glass of fortified, rippling with raisin, fig, date and coffee notes, this is rich and unctuous, leaving endless layers of flavour to linger on the palate. A perfect accompaniment to the Christmas table." 

Our 2001 Shiraz Cabernet has done it again! Equal top wine in The World’s Greatest Shiraz Challenge in the latest issue of Winestate Magazine.
[September 2021]

This award winning shiraz blend has aged gracefully - achieving 5 Stars and 98 points in both The 2015 and 2021 World's Greatest Shiraz Challenge. In the latest competition it was equal top to Penfolds Grange and Henschke Hill of Grace - a great accolade for an 'aged' Margaret River wine from one of the region's smallest, but most highly regarded boutique wineries. 

SHOP - 2001 Shiraz Cabernet

"A beautifully matured wine. Makes you think of a comfortable old leather chair. It is generous and brooding and drinking very well right now."
98 Points Winestate Magazine - Worlds Greatest Shiraz Challenge 2021

“An exceptional group of concentrated wines.” Agreed the judges. “I have not seen a better flight of shiraz and syrah wines with such a lovely level of elegance and concentration.” said one judge. “These are not over extracted and show beautiful balance of expensive, appropriately handled oak, with the expressive fruit.” “Again the aged wines showed their pedigree, fabulous wines of great character and consistency.” Said another.
Judges comments, Winestate Magazine - Worlds Greatest Shiraz Challenge 2021

“Lovely example of the great Aussie blend. It is still amazingly bright and alive, beautifully complex with a perfect, seamless palate.”
5 Stars Winestate Magazine - World’s Greatest Shiraz Challenge 2015

“An awesome class of iconic wines. Here we see delivery of harmonious, intense wines with length and complexity but above all - drinkability!”
Judge, Winestate Magazine - World's Greatest Shiraz Challenge 2015

 

Nice feature on our Artizan Rare Muscat by Young Gun of Wine recently…

“A decadent glass of fortified, rippling with raisin, fig, date and coffee notes, this is rich and unctuous, but with the fortifying alcohol lifting the sweetness, leaving endless layers of flavour to linger on the palate.”

“Made from a solera that dates back nearly 40 years, this is rich with classic mature fortified muscat flavours, with notes of dried figs, dates, rum-soaked raisins, toffee, coffee grounds, brandy-soused plum pudding and dark spices, with hints of clove, cinnamon and brown cardamom. Those flavour cascade onto the viscous palate, with toasted walnuts and treacle joining in, the fortifying alcohol gently cutting through the richness, giving this lift through the back palate, flavours persisting for minutes.”

Read the full review behind one of Australia’s great wine styles, via Young Gun Of Wine website

https://younggunofwine.com/wines-we-love/gralyn-artizan-rare-muscat

Image: Young Gun of Wine - Wines We Love

Continued success for our Artizan Rare Muscat.  Esteemed wine writer Huon Hooke of the Real Review recently awarded the Artizan Rare Muscat '98 points' and classified it as one of Australia's best muscats. 

"Deep tawny-amber colour with a yellow-green rim, very viscous when swirled in the glass - the signs of a wine of great age. The bouquet is fresh and yet shows great depth of aged muscat character. It's very concentrated, profound and ultra-rich on the palate: tremendous persistence and super-satisfying to sip. A glorious old liqueur muscat of sublime character."      98/100
Huon Hooke, The Real Review