AVONDALE has been rated top MCC sparkling wine after several rounds of ‘blind’ tastings chaired by one of the world authorities on bubbly and a panel of judges including Masters of Wine and one of the gurus of the Australian wine industry. The Paarl cellar won the trophy for best South African sparkling wine at the 2015 ‘Champagne & Sparkling Wine World Championships’ with their six-year-old Cap Classique pipping a Graham Beck of the same age from Robertson and a three-year-old from Klein Constantia. This follows outstanding performances in 2014 from Graham Beck (trophy for the Blanc de Blancs 2009), Klein Constantia (gold for the Brut 2011) and Simonsig (silver the Kaapse Vonkel Brut 2010).

Now in its second year, the Championships are presided over by British Master of Wine Tom Stevenson with the assistance of fellow MW Essi Avellan of Finland and the eminent Dr Tony Jordan, senior judge at various Australian and international wine shows and board member of the Wine Australia Corporation.

After the judging of hundreds of wines entered in the competition, 15 of the gold medallists were declared trophy winners, including the ‘World Champion’ Louis Roederer Cristal Rosé Brut 2004. South Africa’s top performers at the Championships were as follows:

BEST SOUTH AFRICAN SPARKLING WINE @ CSWWC 2015

Avondale Armilla Blanc de Blanc Brut 2009 – Chardonnay, R218pb

ALSO GOLD MEDAL WINNERS FROM SOUTH AFRICA @ CSWWC 2015

Graham Beck Rosé Brut 2009 – Pinot Noir Chardonnay, R210pb
Graham Beck Brut Zero 2009 – Chardonnay Pinot Noir, R280pb
Klein Constantia Brut 2012 – Chardonnay, R205pb

SA SILVER MEDAL WINNERS @ CSWWC 2015

Graham Beck Cuvée Clive Brut 2009 – Chardonnay Pinot Noir, R580pb
Pongrácz Brut NV – Pinot Noir Chardonay, R110pb

For more info about the competition and judging procedures plus full results of the competition, click here.

Avondale Armilla is made from organically-grown Chardonnay grapes on one of South Africa’s leading organic and biodynamic wine farms. After the second fermentation, the wine was left on the lees (spent yeast) for five years before release to give it richness and complexity while retaining the acidity, freshness. According to the owner of the farm, Jonathan Grieve: “All the threads that represent Avondale at its most excellent are evident here – the influence of the stars, a handcrafted style, limited volume and the use of naturally organic processes.”