Page 29 - IWSCReport2017

UNITED STATES WINE PRODUCER OF THE YEAR TROPHY:
BLACK STALLION ESTATE (DELICATO WINERY)
Black Stallion Winery, located in the Oak Knoll District of
Napa Valley, was bought by Delicato Family Vineyards in 2010. It lies three miles north of the town of Napa, on the famed Silverado Trail. It takes its name from an equestrian facility, known as the Silverado Horseman’s Centre, which was based on the site for many years. Another claim to fame: the old property is where Francis Ford Coppola filmed the helicopter scene from Apocalypse Now.
Today the winery comprises nine acres of estate vineyards, a tasting room and hospitality centre, as well as two guest cottages. It is planted predominantly with Cabernet Sauvignon but also has small plots of Merlot, Malbec, Syrah, Pinot Noir, Zinfandel, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc.
The winery releases its wines in three tiers: prestige; limited- edition; and heritage wines. Production volumes remain small, regardless of the tier, with a focus on “crafting exquisite, ultra- premium wines that reflect the elegance and complexity of the Napa Valley”.
Black Stallion recently announced the completion of the installation of a solar-electric energy system comprising 1,000 solar panels fixed to the roofs of the winery complex. The system is expected to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by approximately 377 metric tons per year, equivalent to planting 357 acres of trees.
THE JING SONG TROPHY FOR CHINESE WINE PRODUCER OF THE YEAR, SPONSORED BY JING SONG: CHANGYU PIONEER WINE CO. LTD., YANTAI, CHINA
The history of the Changyu Pioneer wine company goes back to 1892 when Chinese businessman and politician Cheong Fatt Tze, known as “the Rockefeller of the East”, started a winery in the city of Yantai in Shandong province.
Importing vines from the US, in 1896 he signed a contract with Baron Max von Babo, the son of the celebrated Austrian viticulturist August Wilhelm von Babo, who founded the famous viticultural college in Klosterneuberg.
Unfortunately, in the early days of viticulture in China, perhaps Max’s inexperience of how to handle such a commission (he was acting local consul as well), combined with the outbreak of the World War I, led to a rocky start for the company.
With time, however, Changyu found its feet and is now the biggest producer of wine in China, with major wineries in Ningxia and Liaoning, Beijing and, of course, Shandong.
Having started with an Austrian viticulturist, Changyu worked to develop its Ningxia site, Château Changyu Moser XV, with another well-known Austrian, Lenz Moser – who chose the site in Ningxia because of its similarity to Mendoza in Argentina. Built in 2013, the finished ‘château’ cost around €70 million (£63m), boasts an 800- barrel cellar, bottling lines and a museum telling the story of the company’s progress since its founding.
Its flagship red, Château Changyu Moser XV, is a blend of 90% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Merlot. Currently Changyu is the only Chinese producer available in the UK. Its wines have previously been on sale in Britain through Berry
Bros & Rudd and are on wine lists at London’s Mandarin Oriental and The Dorchester, however 2017 marked the first time that its wines became available in a major UK supermarket, with both Sainsbury’s and Tesco taking on the brand.
Chinese Wine Producer shortlist
Changyu Pioneer Wine Co., Ltd. Yantai China Helan Qingxue Vineyard
Jade Vineyard
Tiansai Vineyards
Xinjiang Sandyland Wine Co., Ltd
US Wine Producer shortlist
 Grgich Hills Estate
 Quady Estate
 Black Stallion Estate (Delicato Winery)
28 winners’ guide 2017