Hawke's Bay's reputation as one of the world's top spots for syrah has been reinforced with Sileni Estates picking up a top Platinum medal at the prestigious Decanter World Wine Awards staged in London.
Sileni CEO Nigel Avery said the award was both good for the region and for the estate as syrah was a relatively new varietal for them.
"To achieve an award of this level bodes very well for the future," he said, adding it was a testament to both the region's climate and soil types as well as the overall vineyard management and winemaking approach.
It was the 2014 Estate Selection Peak Syrah that grabbed the judging panel's taste attention and ultimate awarding of a Platinum medal.
The Decanter World Wine Awards is one of the world's largest and most influential competitions and this year's event drew more than 17,000 entries, with 134 Gold medals being awarded.