Constantia triumphs at the Classic Wine Trophy Show

The news that the country’s oldest wine estate Groot Constantia won the laurels at the Classic Wine Trophy Show comes as a bonus to CEO Jean Naudé who is increasingly turning his thoughts eastwards. As the March newsletter vouchsafes “Jean invited Chinese Consul General Hao Guanfeng and Mrs Kong Wei, Vice Consul General Song Lianjie, as well as Consul Mr Defu Xu to a traditional South African Braai at his home on the Estate. A wonderful evening was enjoyed by all. Groot Constantia has forged a strong business relationship with China; thousands of Chinese tourists visit the Estate every year.”

Jean in a striped shirt braais for assorted Chinese nobs

Another unexpected bonus was the news that the Classic panel of ten men with French names chose several Pinotages for Gold Medal Glory, including the Groot Constantia Pinotage 2009, which is a stunner in a true Burgundian mold.

In the midst of a messy public legal battle between two high profile wine shows – the Old Mutual Trophy Wine Show and Top 100 SA Wines – involving charges of plagiarism, the comments of Classic judge Jean Vincent Ridon on this blog raise a smile: “when the Old Mutual Trophy started to use tasting procedures that the Classic Wine Trophy was implementing, I never screamed, offended, trying to make the new competition look bad… Wine is a world of gentleman, at least it should be.” All wine lovers will surely cry hear, hear!