The London Wine Trade Fair was the venue for the announcement of the results of the 2012 Decanter World Wine Awards. This year entries were well in excess of 14 000 wines, up from last year’s 12 252 with Australia and South Africa the largest categories of entry.

There were 10 regional trophies awarded to South African wines and a total of 15 gold medals, the same number of trophies although a notable dip in the number of golds when contrasted with the 2011 figure of 27.

Decanter publishing director Sarah Kemp said the big jump in entries “demonstrated the confidence which producers and consumers have in the validity of the Decanter World Wine Awards”.

Chairman of the Awards, Steven Spurrier said when the competition was launched in 2003 “we had no idea” that it would grow to these sort of numbers. Taking an overview, Spurrier said that in 2011 only 2.5% of wines entered attained gold medals. “Ask yourself: what more does this wine have to do to get gold?” he exhorted judges at the briefing in April. “Try not to be too generous not too severe…” was his parting shot.

Regional trophies went to: Bellingham Bernard Series Bush Vine Pinotage 2010, Chamonix Pinot Noir Reserve 2010, Fleur du Cap Cabernet Sauvignon unfiltered 2010, Jordan 9 Yards Chardonnay 2010, Nederburg Manor House Shiraz Mourvedre 2010, Nederburg Edelkeur 2008, Nederburg Winemakers Reserve Noble Late Harvest 2010, Spice Route Chakalaka 2009, Spier 21 Gables Chenin Blanc 2010 and Villiera Monro Brut 2007,

Wines awarded gold medals were: Almenkerk Chardonnay 2011, Bouchard Finlayson Kaaimansgat Chardonnay 2010, Cirrus Syrah 2009 ,Diemersfontein Carpe Diem Pinotage 2010, Eikendal Merlot 2009, Ernie Els Merlot 2010, Ernie Els Proprietor’s Syrah 2010, Kasteelberg Shiraz 2010, KWV Cathedral Cellars Chenin Blanc 2011, KWV The Mentors Orchestra 2010, Namaqua Spencer Bay Pinotage 2010, Paul Cluver Chardonnay 2010, Saronsberg Provenance Shiraz 2010, Waterkloof Circle of Life 2010 and Zonnebloem A Place In The Sun Shiraz 2011.

(Declaration: Fiona McDonald served as both a judge and the Regional Chair for South Africa at the Decanter World Wine Awards.)

I admit that I’m an incurable optimist and a ‘glass half full’ person – but chatting to colleagues in the wine industry recently I realised it’s not just me but there really is a lot of good news around at the moment.

There’s been a lot of silverware coming the way of South African producers of late. Bottelary wine producer Kaapzicht was awarded an International Trophy for the best red wine over £10 at the 2009 Decanter World Wine Awards. (To allay certain local commentators’ sensitivities, I must declare that I was a judge at the 2009 Decanter World Wine Awards, along with Cathy van Zyl MW and Vashti Galpin CWM.) The wine in question was the Kaapzicht Steytler Pinotage 2006.

Following hot on its heels was the news that a South African red wine – in this case Haskell Pillars Syrah 2007 – also received trophies for the Best Red Wine and Best Shiraz on Show, this time at the Tri-Nations Challenge between Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. Life must be interesting in the Strydom household right now because Rianie (of Haskell) and husband Louis (of Ernie Els) are notoriously competitive!
SA has almost always filled the minor placings in this competition and when success has been achieved, it has usually been with white wines. I recall that both Ataraxia and Warwick have done particularly well with Chardonnay in recent years. Helping the Aussies and Kiwis ‘see red’ was Stellenbosch winery Kleine Zalze which took the trophy for Best Cabernet Sauvignon with its 2007 Family Reserve. Owner Kobus Basson and winemaker Johan Joubert can be supremely chuffed because they’d also just received the International Chenin Blanc Trophy and Stellenbosch White Trophy for the Kleine Zalze Vineyard Selection Chenin Blanc 2008 at the 2009 International Wine Challenge in London. (Another expression of interest here… I judged at the International Wine Challenge too!)

The Stellenbosch American Express™ Wine Routes is also in line for a Wine Enthusiast magazine Wine Star award. It’s up against Champagne, the Rhône Valley, Russian River Valley and Valpolicella for its success in wine production, promotion and marketing.
And the cherry on top was the 35th staging of Nederburg Auction which defied the gloomy prophesies of pundits by performing better than anticipated. Distell MD Jan Scannell admitted that he was anxious total sales would not exceed the R3 million mark – but they comfortably sailed past that benchmark and totalled R4 021 920. And while this was down on both the 2008 and 2007 figures Scannell said this had to be weighed up in terms of the global economic recession. And wine auctions have been hard hit. Both the Sonoma and Napa Valley auctions recorded declines – 30% and 60% respectively, so a 16% drop is not bad!

It’s awards season, as evidenced by multiple announcements at the London International Wine Trade Fair (LIWF) last week. While Sky News is trumpeting the success of their domestic producers in winning the first ever gold medal for an English wine at the London Wine Challenge (described in breathless tones as “the Oscars of the wine world”), South Africa comfortably took home nine golds in the same competition.

The wines which won the gongs were Tokara Red 2005, Engelbrecht Els Proprietor’s Blend 2007, Guardian Peak Lapa Cabernet Sauvignon 2007, Bizoe Henrietta 2008, Lomond Snowbush 2007, Kleine Zalze Vineyard Selection Chenin Blanc 2008, KWV Mentor Chenin Blanc 2006, Nederburg Winemasters Reserve Noble Late Harvest 2008 and Groot Constantia Sauvignon Blanc 2008.

The Decanter World Wine Awards also announced the recipients of the various regional trophies – 11 in the case of South Africa – at the LIWF. These wines will be tasted against the winners of the same categories for other nations with the results of the shootout being revealed at a bumper awards bash later in the year. But the SA trophy winners are as follows: Beaumont Hope Marguerite 2008, Bouchard-Finlayson Galpin Peak 2008, Cederberg Sauvignon Blanc 2008, Cederberg V Generations Cabernet Sauvignon 2006, Kaapzicht Steytler Pinotage 2006, Paul Cluver Weisser Riesling Noble Late Harvest 2008, Pongracz Desiderius 2001, Rustenberg Chardonnay 2007, Schalk Burger & Sons Welbedacht Hat Trick 2008, Perdeberg Rex Equus Shiraz 2007 and Swartland Indalo Shiraz Nature’s Way 2006.
Further kudos came South Africa’s way as Wines of South Africa’s CEO Su Birch was named the recipient of the Woman of the Year award from European drinks trade publication, The Drinks Business. Last year’s winner was Australian winemaker Vanya Cullen. But then Birch is no stranger to awards having been judged the Champagne Lanson Woman in Wine at the International Wine & Spirit Competition awards in 2005.

Congratulations to all.

A few years ago, a Springbok rugby coach spoke about the team having lost the ‘winning habit’.

At the time the words resonated because there was ostensibly nothing wrong with the team: it was as talented and skilful as ever, the players were fit and injury free, their opponents were no more powerful than previously – so what was responsible for the losing streak? Self belief, getting into a ‘winning habit’ – the conviction that, no matter what the situation, they could win.

Something that impressed me mightily about South Africa’s sporting successes of the past 18 months – notably in rugby and cricket – was team composure. I was in Upington for the Orange River Winery’s annual winemaker of the year competition at the time of the Rugby World Cup final. While a hall full of passionate supporters were almost rigid with tension, there was such self-belief and composure displayed by the men on the field. Springbok captain John Smit spoke about it afterward: they had a core conviction that they would not lose. They’d beaten the best and would do so again.

Likewise, last year’s cricket tour to Australia was historic for so many reasons – the first time in 16 years that the Aussies had lost a series at home, the first time since readmission that South Africa had beaten the Aussies in their own back yard, Graeme Smith coming of age and earning respect for his battling spirit and cool, confident captaincy, JP Duminy creating his own legend…

So why are we so modest when it comes to wine? Just look at what South African winemakers have done in the past year.
Probably the most significant achievement was the recognition by the highly regarded International Wine & Spirits Competition that Kanonkop’s Abrie Beeslaar was Winemaker of the Year. Not only that, but Kanonkop won the trophy for the best South African producer of the year and made history by walking off with the award for the best blended red wine in the world for an unprecedented third time!

I’m sure that many a jaw dropped at the Decanter World Wine Awards in London last year when it was announced that South Africa was one of the biggest winners of the night, taking home no fewer than six of the international wine trophies. There are only 26 awarded in total…
Specifically, the trophies were for best red Bordeaux-style blend under £10 (Amani), best red Rhône over £10 (Cederberg), best Sauvignon Blanc under £10 (Lomond), best Chardonnay under £10 (Paul Cluver), best Chardonnay over £10 (Rustenberg) and best white blend over £10 (Tokara).

At the other international biggie, the Concours Mondial, South Africa was the most successful country overall. It may not have had the highest number of entries with 199 of the 9000+ wines submitted, but 73 wines achieved a score of 80% or more – corresponding to a success rate of 37%. This is more than any other country – including Australia, Spain, France and Italy. Not only that, but Spier’s Private Collection Shiraz 2005 was adjudged the best red wine of the competition, something Spice Route’s Flagship Syrah 2000 achieved in 2003. To mark the growing regard for South Africa, the Concours Mondial organisers travelled to Stellenbosch in May last year to personally award the certificates and medals.

There’s no need for us to be arrogant but, like our sports heroes, let’s show more self belief and conviction in South Africa’s ability to produce some of the best wines in the world.