Strong suits
Tuesday, May 31st, 2011
The London International Wine Fair was held at the enormous Excel exhibition venue in London’s Docklands on May 17 – 19. The opening day of the show was dominated by the announcement of both the Decanter World Wine Awards (DWWA) and the International Wine Challenge (IWC) results. Adding to the information overload, the organisers of the Concours Mondial de Bruxelles competition also announced its results the same day. (Cue a flurry of press releases by PR agencies operating on behalf of their successful medal or trophy-winning clients…)
A snapshot of the stats shows that at the DWWA South Africa was awarded 26 golds and a further 10 regional trophies – that’s out of a total competition entry of 12 252 wines and overall gold medal tally of 237.
More than 10 000 wines were entered into the IWC with an overall 406 gold medals awarded – with just 13 of those going to South Africa.
At Concours Mondial, the entries tallied 7 386 in all which includes the spirit section. 2 145 medals (gold, silver and bronze) were awarded with SA taking 78 in total to occupy sixth spot on the medals table, behind France, Spain, Portugal, Italy and Chile. Of that number, three were Grand Gold (scoring 96+ out of a possible 100 points) and 34 gold.
A few interesting things I noted were that both Decanter and the International Wine Challenge’s results showed a better performance by white wines than red (20 to 16 at the former and 10 to 3 at the latter). But the Concours Mondial was totally difference with a preponderance of gold medals awarded to red wines – 28 reds to 9 whites.
Also interesting to see which producers performed well. Great that Thelema are mentioned in dispatches again (Concours and Decanter) with both their Stellenbosch and Sutherland wines. Grande Provence and Dieu Donné fly the flag for Franschhoek red wines while Spier and Klein Zalze display their versatility. Nederburg once again gets rewards at more than one competition for its noble late harvest.
A list of the gold medallists at the various competitions follows.
Decanter Regional trophy winners:
Whites:
Allee Bleue Chenin Blanc 2010
Glen Carlou Chardonnay 2009
Kleine Zalze Family Reserve Sauvignon Blanc 2010
Lomond Snowbush 2009
Nederburg Winemaster’s Reserve Noble Late Harvest 2010
Waterkloof Circumstance Chenin Blanc 2009
Reds:
Cirrus Syrah 2007
Doolhof Signatures Of Doolhof Pinotage 2009
Klein Constantia Cabernet Sauvignon 2008
KWV The Mentors Orchestra 2008
Decanter gold medal winners:
Whites:
Asda Extra Special Fairtrade Chenin Blanc 2010
Beaumont Wines Hope Marguerite 2010
Cape Point Vineyards Isliedh 2010
Cape Point Vineyards Chardonnay 2009
Drostdy-Hof Chardonnay 2010
Jordan Nine Yards Chardonnay 2009
Kleine Zalze Vineyard Selection Chenin Blanc 2010
KWV Cathedral Cellar Chardonnay 2010
Lomond Pincushion Single Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc 2010
Longridge Chenin Blanc 2010
Nederburg Winemasters Reserve Chenin Blanc 2009
Nederburg Private Bin Edelkeur 2007
Quoin Rock The Nicobar 2009
Steenberg Semillon 2010
Reds:
Dieu Donné Cross Collection Shiraz-Viognier 2008
Fleur Du Cap Unfiltered Cabernet Sauvignon 2009
Holden Manz Big G 2009
Longridge Cabernet Sauvignon 2008
Rickety Bridge Paulina’s Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2008
Rijk’s Estate Syrah 2007
Saronsberg Full Circle 2008
Saxenburg Shiraz Select 2006
Spier Mitchells Pass Malbec 2010
Stellenzicht Golden Triangle Pinotage 2008
Thelema Mountain Vineyards Sutherland Cabernet Sauvignon-Petit Verdot 2008
Waterkloof Circumstance Syrah 2008
IWC gold medal winners:
Backsberg Family Reserve White 2009
Edgebaston Berry Box 2009
Klein Constantia Estate Vin de Constance 2005
Fleur Du Cap Unfiltered Semillon 2010
Fleur Du Cap Unfiltered Viognier 2010
Groot Constantia Grand Constance 2008
Groot Constantia Sauvignon Blanc 2010
Kaapzicht Steytler Pentagon 2007
Nederburg Winemasters Reserve Noble Late Harvest 2010
Oldenburg Chenin Blanc 2010
Spier Creative Block 3 2009
Spier Landmark 21 Gables Chenin Blanc 2009
Tokara Reserve Collection Stellenbosch Chardonnay 2009
Concours Mondial Grand Gold winners:
Dieu Donné Cabernet Sauvignon 2008
Spier Private Collection Shiraz 2008
The Grande Provence 2006
Gold Medal winners:
African Anthology Naledi Cabernet Sauvignon 2008 (Spier)
Alvi’s Drift AD Drift Fusion 2008
Backsberg Klein Babylonstoren 2005
Bellingham The Bernard Series Old Vine Chenin Blanc 2010
Cederberg Cabernet Sauvignon 2008
Cederberg Shiraz 2008
Clos Malverne Cuvée Auret 2009
Dieu Donné Merlot 2008
Driehoek Shiraz 2009
Eikendal Classique 2008
Ernie Els Cabernet Sauvignon 2009
Ernie Els Proprietor’s Blend 2008
Grande Provence Cabernet Sauvignon 2008
Groote Kaap Viognier 2010 (Spier)
Kaapzicht Steytler Pentagon 2007
Kasteelberg Viognier 2009 (Riebeek Cellars)
KWV Cathedral Cellar Chardonnay 2010
KWV The Mentors Chardonnay 2010
KWV The Mentors Shiraz 2009
Linton Park Cabernet Sauvignon 2008
Nederburg Foundation Chardonnay Viognier 2010
Plaisir de Merle Chardonnay 2009
Provenance Shiraz 2008 (Saronsberg)
Rust en Vrede Estate 2008
Saronsberg Shiraz 2008
Saronsberg Viognier 2009
Spier Creative Block 3 2009
Spier Creative Block 5 2009
Spier Private Collection Cabernet Sauvignon 2008
Sutherland Cabernet Sauvignon Petit Verdot 2008 (Thelema)
Sutherland Syrah 2008 (Thelema)
Sutherland Viognier Rousanne 2009 (Thelema)
Thelema Cabernet Sauvignon 2007
Thelema Cabernet Sauvignon 2008
