Pedigreed wines prevail in 2016 Perold championship for Cape Blends
ENTRIES in the Perold Cape Blend Competition are required to have Pinotage as a leading component – a minimum of 30% but no more than 70%. According to Pinotage Association chairman Beyers Truter: “When the Absa Perold Cape Blend competition was initiated in 2011, the aim was to promote a category that would yield bold, vibrant wines truly representative of South Africa… Apart from the prescribed Pinotage component, there are no restrictions on making a Cape Blend – the winemaker’s only limitation is his or her imagination.”
There were 50 blends on the tasting bench in 2016, with the panel of judges comprising convenor Jacques Roux (marketing director at DGB), Cape Wine Master Brad Gold and winemakers Johan Malan (Simonsig), Susan Erasmus (Vrede en Lust) and Thys Louw (Diemersdal).
Arguably the best value-for-money wine among the trophy winners – which range up to R575 for one of the Beyerskloof flagships – is Flagstone Dragon Tree 2014 at R88 a bottle from the cellar in Somerset West. For more info about the competition, click here. For availability and the prices of all the Cape Blends to receive good reviews recently, see here.
WINNERS OF 2016 PEROLD CAPE BLEND COMPETITION
Beyerskloof Faith 2014 – Pinotage, Cabernet, Merlot
Flagstone Dragon Tree 2014 – Cabernet, Shiraz, Pinotage, Malbec, Merlot
Idiom Cape Blend 2013 – Pinotage, Cabernet, Merlot, Shiraz
KWV Abraham Perold Tributum 2014 – Shiraz, Pinotage, Malbec, Cab, Petit Verdot
Pulpit Rock Louisa Reserve 2013 – Pinotage, Cabernet, Shiraz
MOST AWARDED CAPE BLENDS OVER THE PAST 10 YEARS
Beyerskloof Faith – Winery in Stellenbosch
Beyerskloof Synergy – Winery in Stellenbosch
Flagstone Dragon Tree – Winery in Somerset West
Grangehurst Nikela – Winery in Helderberg area, Stellenbosch
Idiom Cape Blend – Winery off Sir Lowry’s Pass outside Somerset West
Kaapzicht Steytler Vision – Winery in Bottelary ward of Stellenbosch
KWV Abraham Perold Tributum – Winery in Paarl
LB Cape Cuvée (Anura) – Winery in Simonsberg-Paarl
Simonsig Frans Malan – Winery in Koelenhof area, Stellenbosch
Wildekrans Barrel Select Reserve – Winery in Bot River
Windmeul Reserve – Winery in Paarl
