SEIDELBERG Estate’s Cecilia 2006, launched in 2007 as a social upliftment initiative, was awarded a Gold Medal at the 2008 Femmes et Vins du Monde Concours International (Women and Wines of the World International Competition), which took place recently in Monaco.
The Cecilia 2006, a blend of Shiraz, Mourvèdre and Malbec, was one of only eight Gold Medal winners and the only South African wine to be included in this illustrious line-up.
The Cecilia 2006 was made by Cerina de Jongh, winemaker at Seidelberg Estate since 2002.
Taking place for the second consecutive year, the Women and Wines of the World International Competition is unique and boasts two key differentiators in that only women winemakers are eligible to enter; and the wines are tasted and judged exclusively by women.
The purpose of the Competition is to illuminate and acknowledge the professionalism and expertise of women in the world of wine and winemaking.
This year, 25 tasters, hailing from 15 different countries, judged wines from around the world.
Winemaker Cerina de Jongh personifies passion and dedication and these admirable attributes are not only confined to the arena of winemaking.
Having been blessed with a privileged upbringing and a well-knit family, Cerina felt an insuppressible desire to ‘give back’, seeking to improve the lives of those less fortunate.
Cerina’s generosity of spirit found expression in her other great love, winemaking, inspiring the launch of a special wine, Cecilia. For every bottle of Cecilia sold, Seidelberg Wine estate owner, Roland Seidel, donates R20 to Streetsmart (www. streetsmartsa.org. za) a charity, whose primary aim is to improve the lives of destitute street children in the greater Cape Town area. The wine is a blend of Shiraz (55%), Mourvèdre (30%) and Malbec (15%).
