Named after the historic property first established in 1892, Taylors ‘St. Andrews’ wines exemplify the very best of handcrafted Clare Valley winemaking. We’re in Auckland with family member Justin Taylor to taste through the range at a relaxed lunch, with a menu matched to the wines. This is tasting wines in the best environment that you could hope for… around a packed table, sharing conversations and food that’s a perfect match for what’s in your glass. Justin quips: “As my mother would say “We know people who make it” – so we’re not going to run out!”
The St. Andrews wines are in the words of Justin Taylor “Our best. People are drinking less and drinking better. Tough economics times do turn, and we want people to know that these beautiful wines exist. In Australia, in table wines over $50, we are no.2 to Penfolds, and we’re trying to close that gap and give people an alternative. That if they want to buy a $70 bottle of wine, there’s a family-owned business that’s out there and makes beautiful wines”.
Justin tells a great story about how Taylors got into winemaking. “My father was asked a question in the 1960’s – ‘what do you know about wine?’ It seems that was a good test to have sat, as he was then sent to Bordeaux four or five times to go and understand and explore some of the best Chateaux. Mum was a tall, blonde-haired, blue-eyed Aussie girl, and lost her passport somewhere in the vineyards of Lafite. All the french winemakers were saying ‘Mr Taylor, we will look after your wife – you need to get on a plane’. Which could have been a very different family story. What my father came back with was a philosophy that we want to produce New World wines with Old World finesse”.
“The St. Andrews wines come from a vineyard that, back in 90s, we couldn’t make enough wine, and these vineyards were adjacent to ours. They date back to 1892 – just an amazing piece of Australian winemaking history. Dad would go over with a Christmas card every year and get chased away by a guy with a shotgun! Obviously he wouldn’t sell, so we purchased vineyards to the western side. The guy founds out how much we spent, and suddenly he’s for sale! We released the first St. Andrews wine in the late 90s”.
Taylors St. Andrews Riesling 2023 RRP: $40.00 NZD
Known for their long ‘hang time’ in Clare Valley, and good diurnal range, from warm days to cooler nights – fixing acidity. Riesling shows terroir better than almost any other wine. It is sometimes known as ‘Liquid Geography’.
This one is a quintessential Clare Valley Riesling from a cool, wet growing season that delivered exceptional fruit quality. A pale golden in colour in the glass. The perfume shows plenty of zesty lemon and lime, with some floral top notes. The palate is driven by a very linear acidity, highlighting those citrus flavours. Made without oak to preserve its vibrant character, there is a long, refresh finish. Should reward careful cellaring.
Taylors St. Andrews Chardonnay 2022 RRP: $40.00 NZD
I’ve always had high regard for this wine – it fits the ethos of Old World finesse meets New World fleshiness. A citrus lift with shortcake and nougat and then a peachy roundness. Very elegant with a broad, toasty oak spine. The palate shows more richness (love that French oak) with melon and pineapple, but carried on a bright acidity.
Taylors Reserve Parcel Merlot 2024 (RRP: $25.00 NZD) is new to NZ. The wine will be available for consumers from September 2025 – we were the first in the world to try it. It sits just above the white label Merlot in their range – which is the best selling Merlot in New Zealand.
Taylors winemakers have reserved parcels of exceptional fruit quality within the estate for special treatment and limited release. Selected for their uniqueness of character and outstanding quality these reserve parcels represent the finest aspects of each vintage. Justin explains: “The winemaker, Adam – who is a nutty professor, wine genius type – had this insane parcel of Merlot from the Adelaide Hills, and they really managed the tannin structure in this wine, because he wanted a fruit expression”.
An inkily dark garnet colour in the glass. The perfume is beautifully varietal, with rich plum, blackberry, violet and spice plus some savoury olive and tobacco elements. Matured in 3-yr old French oak barrels. The palate is both juicy and structured, with fine-grained tannins balancing the fruit and acidity. Finishes long and sweetening.
According to Justin “When the white label Cabernet Sauvignon was first released in 1973, it won a gold medal at every State Capital Show in Australia. It goes on to win the prestigious Montgomery Trophy for the best red wine under $20. When the vines went in the ground it was the biggest planting of Cabernet Sauvignon in the Southern Hemisphere”.
Taylors St. Andrews Cabernet Sauvignon 2020 RRP: $70.00 NZD, showcases their mastery of the varietal. The wine comes from the challenging 2020 vintage, which was marked by spring frosts, bushfires, and wild weather. Despite the conditions, the fruit quality was exceptional, delivering a wine of deep brick red colour with heady aromas of cassis, blackberry, toasted souk spices and graphite. The palate has more finesse than the bold perfume suggests. There is a broad smudge of French oak again, but supple tannins and plush fruit make for a very enjoyable expression. Set up so that it should age well – many of these top drawer Aussie Cabernets are best when pulled from the cellar after twenty years!
Taylors St. Andrews Shiraz 2021 RRP: $70.00 NZD, benefits from a much easier vintage – 2021 was shaped by ideal late-season conditions. This one is all about restrained elegance, although matched to an exhuberant spiciness from maturation in American oak for 18 months. A dense burgundy/ruby colour in the glass. The bouquet matches boysenberry, plum and liquorice with vanilla, cocoa and coconut on the nose. Quite full-bodied and concentrated, the core has a grip of chalky tannin and a smooth texture. The finish is suitably lengthy and plush.
