Another South African success story in London
International Wine and Spirit Competition announces trophies and southern hemisphere awards
It's been a good year for South Africa on the international show scene (despite all those burnt rubber flavours). After picking up six international trophies on the Decanter Awards, Cape winemakers have repeated the feat on this year’s International Wine and Spirit Competition, taking six of the 23 international trophies on offer. These have just been announced, together with the full southern hemisphere results (a spread out judging schedule allows the southerners to also submit wines after the current harvest; northern results, apart from trophies, were announced in May).
The trophies and successful Cape producers are:
• Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande Trophy for Blended Red Wine
Kanonkop Paul Sauer 2003 (the 1991 and 1995 vintages of Paul Sauer have previously won this trophy – as has Vergelegen)
• Mission Hill Trophy for Chardonnay
Delheim Chardonnay Sur Lie 2007
• Spier Trophy for Chenin Blanc
Bellingham Bernard Series Old Vine Chenin Blanc 2007 (ex The Maverick)
• Spier Trophy for Merlot
Hartenberg Merlot 2005
• KWV Trophy for Pinotage
Tesco Finest Beyers Truter Pinotage 2006
• Denbies Estate Wine Trophy for Best Bottle Fermented Sparkling Wine
Bon Courage Jacques Bruére Brut Reserve 2004 (beating allcomers bar Champagne, which for some some reason presumably known to the IWSC organisers has its own categories).
This may not be the end of South Africa’s impressive performance, as the Winemaker of the Year will be announced at the November banquet when the awards are handed over. The South African and the International Wine Producer of the year will be announced at the same time.
Giving some context to these results, South Africa's six trophies came from an entry of 590 wines, whereas Australia, which picked up only half as many international trophies, entered 1013 wines. Italy (635), Spain (644) and France (917) also entered more wines than South Africa but only Italy managed to take trophies (three) open to other countries.
One good result on one competition does not make a high-flyer; probably the most useful way of looking at these results is to relate them to other shows, with different sets of rules and judges. Using this criterion, many of the successful producers on the IWSC have a track record which confirms their status. The benefit to brand South Africa is also something all producers can grow on.
As for gold medals, 107 were awarded altogether. Australia was easily the front-runner here, with 34. South Africa and France each took 19 (making South Africa’s proportional result at least comparable with Australia’s) and New Zealand 11.
The South African golds were for:
• Bellingham Bernard Series Old Vine Chenin Blanc 2007
• Bon Courage Courage Jacques Bruére Brut Reserve 2004
• Bon Courage Inkará Shiraz 2006
• Boplaas Tawny Port NV
• Boschendal Reserve Collection Shiraz 2004
• Delheim Chardonnay Sur Lie 2007
• Dombeya Boulder Road Shiraz 2006
• Fairview The Beacon Shiraz 2005
• Graham Beck The Ridge Syrah 2003
• Hartenberg Merlot 2005
• Kanonkop Paul Sauer 2003
• Kanonkop Paul Sauer 2004
• Nederburg Edelkeur 2005
• Saronsberg Full Circle 2005
• Simonsig Frans Malan 2005
• Spier Private Collection Cabernet Sauvignon 2005
• Stellenbosch Hills Chardonnay 2007
• Tesco Finest Beyers Truter Pinotage 2006
• Vergelegen Red 2003