Another win for Calitzdorp Port as Axe Hill triumphs at CAPPA Challenge
THE STRING of Boplaas victories in South Africa’s annual CAPPA Port Challenge has been broken. However, Calitzdorp wineries’ ‘stranglehold’ on this championship staged by the Cape Port Producers Association remains firm!
Following wins for Carel Nel and his Calitzdorp family’s Boplaas Cape Vintage Reserve and Cape Tawny wines in 2013, 2014 and 2015, the 2016 SA Port Challenge trophy went to Mike Neebe and partners’ 2013 Axe Hill Cape Vintage – a wine from a small outfit on the outskirts of town using the Portuguese grape varieties Touriga Naçional, Tinta Barocca and Souzão.
The last time the competition was won by a cellar outside the Klein Karoo was in 2012 when KWV of Paarl triumphed with a Cape Tawny. In 2016, the non-vintage KWV Cape Tawny excelled again – ‘best in class’, the only entry other than the Axe Hill 2013 to be awarded a double gold medal and one of the best-value ports on the market at the cellar-door price of R85 a bottle. (Other top SA port prices here)
There were 62 entries in the 2016 CAPPA taste-off. The judges were Cape Wine Masters Christine Rudman (chair), Colin Frith, Winnie Bowman, Cathy Marston and Meryl Weaver.
Top Vintage Ports in 2016 CAPPA Challenge
DOUBLE GOLD MEDAL WINNER
Axe Hill Cape Vintage 2013 (Best in Class, Trophy for Overall Winner)
GOLD MEDAL WINNERS
Boplaas Cape Vintage Reserve 2005 (Museum Class)
Boplaas Cape Vintage Reserve 2006 (Museum Class)
De Krans Cape Vintage 2013
De Krans Cape Vintage Reserve 2005 (Museum Class)
De Krans Cape Vintage Reserve 2013
De Krans Cape Vintage Reserve 2014
SILVER MEDAL WINNERS
Badsberg Cape Vintage 2009
Boplaas Cape Vintage 2013
Boplaas Cape Vintage 2014
Boplaas Cape Vintage Reserve 2012
Boplaas Cape Vintage Reserve 2014
De Krans Cape Vintage 2014
Peter Bayly Cape Vintage 2006 (Museum Class)
Rooiberg Cape Vintage 2013
Top Tawny Ports in 2016 CAPPA Challenge
DOUBLE GOLD MEDAL WINNER
KWV Cape Tawny NV (Best in Class)
GOLD MEDAL WINNERS
Boplaas Cape Tawny 1995
KWV Port 1961 (Museum Class)
SILVER MEDAL WINNERS
De Krans Cape Tawny NV
Kasteelberg Cape Tawny NV (Riebeek Cellars)
Top Ruby Ports in 2016 CAPPA Challenge
SILVER MEDAL WINNERS
Calitzdorp Cellar Cape Ruby NV (Best in Class)
KWV Cape Ruby NV
Robertson Winery Cape Ruby 2013
