Tag Archives: IWSC

Three IWSC trophies for Cape wines but weird rating system

WHO CAN BLAME the trophy winners at London’s International Wine & Spirit Competition for having mixed feelings about their success… Who would have thought it possible that the wines judged to be the best gold medallists on show would be given scores lower than those of some of the other gold medallists that didn’t go on to earn a trophy,

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IWSC gold medallists include bargain from Boekenhoutskloof

HAVING achieved 95/100 for the current release of their flagship red blend at the Decanter World Wine Awards in London, Constantia Glen went one better with a score of 96 at the last of the biggest competitions of its kind in 2023, the International Wine & Spirit Competition. Constantia Glen Five 2020 was one of the three top-scoring South African

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Some international wine trophies count more than others – UK

WITH MANY if not all wine competition organisers who honour overall champions at their shows, local and international, the choice has mostly to do with how many awards each producer wins, rather than which are the favourite wines. Yes, usually trophies count more than gold medals, golds count more than silvers, etc, but no, it’s not necessarily a case of

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South Africa top at International Wine & Spirit Competition

SOUTH AFRICA came away from the 2022 International Wine & Spirit Competition (UK) with more gold medals than any other country, including France. Of the thousands of wines entered, nearly 700 were from 169 producers in the Cape, with 88% of these awarded a medal: 28 gold, 234 silver and 355 bronze. Top-scoring for South Africa were Kanonkop Cabernet Sauvignon

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Some of South Africa’s luxury wines are as good as we’re told they are

THE STORY of Vilafonté has much to do with the brand, the positioning and marketing thereof. Front and centre though is a commitment to quality and a style that can “stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the great wines of the world”. This is one of South Africa’s leading luxury wines, but not the smoke and mirrors variety. Here the degree of confidence

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A Shiraz, Noble Late and Cab-led blends among SA stars at IWSC

THE International Wine & Spirit Competition organisers in the UK are holding back on announcing their 2021 trophy winners, but in the meantime they’ve disclosed the names of gold medallists including 26 South African wines (see below for those scored 96 or 95 out of 100) while teasing the audience with some feedback from the judges. The top-scoring SA wines

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And… IWSC trophies for SA wines go to Bartinney Cab, Quoin Rock Red

THE ANNOUNCEMENT of the top award winners at the 2020 International Wine & Spirit Competition (IWSC) was not without a surprise or two… No doubt the 2015 vintage of Bartinney Skyfall Cabernet Sauvignon and Quoin Rock’s Bordeaux-style ‘Red Blend’ – both of Stellenbosch – are worthy of their places among the competition’s 30 Wines of the Year, but apparently the

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Missionvale Chardonnay wows with 97 out of 100 at IWSC 2020

A DOZEN South African wines earned gold medals at the 2020 International Wine & Spirit Competition in the UK. Top score of 97/100 in this regard went to the 2018 vintage of Bouchard Finlayson Missionvale Chardonnay from the Hemel-en-Aarde Valley, with three wines scored 96 points, namely the Nicolas van der Merwe Cabernet Sauvignon 2017, the Quoin Rock Red Blend

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Too low? Too high? If only we could all agree on wine rating definitions

THE CONTENTIOUS issue of wine ratings and awards continues to flare up from time to time, with outspoken wine lovers, wine scribes, critics and judges at odds with each other to the point of disbelief, even outrage. The problem? Firstly, there’s not enough consensus regarding which scoring system to use – star ratings aside, there are different versions of the

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Another world-class showing! Kanonkop reigns supreme at IWSC awards

TROPHY FOR the most Outstanding Wine Producer at the 2019 International Wine & Spirit Competition and the most successful in the history of the event, going back to 1969. An impressive ‘feather in the cap’ for Kanonkop, Stellenbosch and the Cape winelands in general, it was one of the highlights during an awards banquet at the Guildhall in London end-November,

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Oops! Something odd about IWSC trophies not going to top-scoring wines

HOW DID THAT HAPPEN? In September 2019 the International Wine & Spirit Competition organisers in the UK announce that the 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon from Bartinney of Banghoek in Stellenbosch is one of the South African entries to be scored 97 points – as reported here. A month later – see here – the IWSC announces that at the show’s awards

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Bartinney, Pongrácz and Nederburg among trophy contenders at IWSC

  SOUTH AFRICA’S medal winners in the annual International Wine & Spirit Competition (UK) are announced during September, a month after the judging that takes place in Cape Town. The names of trophy winners from around the world are revealed mid-October, followed by an awards banquet in London end-November when more accolades are presented, including the IWSC trophy for SA

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Cap Classique extraordinaire! Villiera’s flagship bubbly in a class apart

“BRIGHT GOLD colour with brioche, buttered toast and apple pie nose. The fine bubbles are creamy on the rounded, full palate. Intense with a silky-smooth long finish. A joy!” These are the tasting notes of the judges at the 2018 International Wine & Spirit Competition who considered Villiera Monro Brut 2012 the best of over 200 sparkling wine entries from around

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Tulbagh limits Stellenbosch dominance – 2018 IWSC trophy update

SEEING IS BELIEVING! Wine lovers might have wondered why, when announcing most of their 2018 results as regards South African entries in September, for some reason the organisers of the International Wine & Spirit Competition in London chose to include Warwick among the few South African wineries singled out for special mention, i.e. even though this Stellenbosch estate wasn’t among the

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One really good review after another for 21 Gables Chenin Blanc

SPIER 21 GABLES is a range of single varietal wines, the premium offerings from this Stellenbosch outfit. The name pays tribute to the farm’s Cape Dutch architectural legacy, and forming the cornerstone of the range are a Chenin Blanc and a Pinotage, both included among the Top 10 of their type in the SA Wine Classification, with the portfolio having

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Pinotage Trophy for 2014 vintage of Beyerskloof Diesel at IWSC 2018

BEYERSKLOOF of Stellenbosch has been awarded the trophy for best Pinotage in the 2018 International Wine & Spirit Competition, with the judges commending the 2014 vintage of Beyerskloof Diesel for its “great concentration of flavours on the palate, silky smooth texture, and long finish with a hint of chocolate”. The Pinotage specialists were also honoured for their Cape Blend, Faith, among

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IWSC crowns Kanonkop… but talk about leapfrogging to the podium

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

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It’s clobbering time… Gold galore for Kanonkop Cab in IWSC, London

KANONKOP, Spier and Nederburg have placed top of their class in the 2017 International Wine & Spirit Competition, London – Kanonkop leading with three vintages of their Cabernet Sauvignon from the Simonsberg in Stellenbosch, Spier of Stellenbosch excelling with the same vintage of their Pinotage that triumphed at Mondial earlier in the year as well as at the 2016 Veritas

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IWSC 2016: South Africa top-scores with Chenin, Pinotage AND Cabernet

DeMORGENZON is unquestionably one of South Africa’s top white wine producers and the success of this Stellenbosch outfit on the show circuit internationally over the past couple of years has been particularly impressive. The team returned from the 2016 Decanter World Wine Awards in London with a trophy for best Chardonnay, which could have put a few Burgundian noses out of joint,

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Kanonkop, Jordan, Cluver and Forrester among stellar performers at IWSC 2015

THE GOOD people of Kanonkop on the Simonsberg in Stellenbosch regularly mention that doing well in competitions is not of prime concern… Yet the estate and/or their agents continue to enter various vintages in various taste-offs and they continue to shine with their Pinotage, their Bordeaux-style red blend Paul Sauer, their Cabernet. And it can be frustrating, albeit understandable, when the award winners are ‘sold out’ at

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