KANONKOP was judged South Africa’s champion Bordeaux Blend cellar at the Calyon Trophy 2008.
Winemaker Abrie Beeslaar was awarded the Calyon Trophy for the Paul Sauer 2004 at a gala dinner.
Duncan Woods received the gold medal award on behalf of winemaker Louis Strydom for the Ernie Els 2004 – the first runner-up, while the silver medal was awarded to second runner-up Julian Johnsen of Bowwood Mountain Vineyards for the Bowwood Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot 2004.
The other seven wines making the Top Ten were Môreson Magia 2003, Dombeya Samara 2005, Eikendal Classique 2004, Kanonkop Paul Sauer 2003, Klein Constantia Marlbrook 2006, Saronsberg Seismic 2005 and Stellenrust Timeless 2004.
A panel of experts tasted 87 entries from 61 producers with vintages ranging from 2006 to 2001. Results were audited by PricewaterhouseCoopers.
The Trophy winner receives R10 000 cash from Calyon and an air ticket for travel to Bordeaux – home of some of the world’s top red wine producers and the place of origin of the famous Blend.
Competition sponsor Calyon Crédit Agricole CIB operates in capital markets, structured finance, corporate banking and finance with South African and French corporates, parastatals, multinationals and financial institutions.
In line with its commitment to empowerment, Calyon will donate the competition’s entry fees, matched by an equal sum of its own, to a bursary fund for students wishing to advance their studies in the wine business.
Two students of the University of Cape Town’s Graduate School of Business Wine Business Course, Zanele Xaba and Gerard Martin, were the 2007 beneficiaries of the bursary worth R50 000.
All competition entries comprised a blend of at least two of the Bordeaux varietals exclusively (Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Malbec and Petit Verdot), said show chairman Michael Fridjhon.
