TROPHY WINNERS:

• Fleur du Cap Unfiltered Merlot 2014 (Bergkelder)
• Jordan Nine Yards Chardonnay 2015
• Kanonkop Black Label Pinotage 2013
• Nederburg Two Centuries Cabernet Sauvignon 2013
• Plaisir de Merle Grand Brut 2014 (Cap Classique Sparkling)
• Stellenrust Barrel Fermented Chenin Blanc 2016

ABOVE ARE the names of the most successful South African entries at the 2017 International Wine & Spirit Competition in the UK, class winners all at the last major wine awards banquet of the year. Thing is, a couple of months earlier the organisers applauded them as gold medallists, i.e. a rung below the ‘outstanding gold’ laureates that you might have thought the class winners would come from – either that or don’t even mention the names of the top guns until the trophy presentation. Surely!

Whatever… Kanonkop came away winners big time: cellarmaster Abrie Beeslaar crowned IWSC Winemaker of the Year (not for the first time) and, besides the trophy for best Pinotage, ‘outstanding gold’ medals for three vintages of their Cabernet Sauvignon (2005, 2010 and 2012), plus gold medals for the Kanonkop Pinotage 2009 and two vintages of their Bordeaux-style red blend Paul Sauer (2010 and 2012).

And what consistent performances by some of the other trophy winners! Jordan Nine Yards 2015 was also Highly Recommended in the Platter’s Guide, Nederburg’s 2013 Two Centuries Cab struck gold at Veritas before the 2014 vintage scored 99/100 in Platter’s, and the 2016 vintage of Stellenrust’s flagship Chenin had previously placed among the winners in the Chenin Blanc Top 10 Challenge, awarded double gold at the Michelangelo Awards and rated 5 Stars in Platter’s.

For more, see here.