CURRENTLY riding the crest of a wave, Nederburg Wines has done it again. The Distell cellar in Paarl has scooped top honours in the 2008 Lexus Shiraz Challenge, run in conjunction with Wine magazine, for its Nederburg The Winemaster’s Reserve 2006.
The winning Shiraz was rated 4 and a half stars, top ranker ahead of four other four and a half star wines - the Stellenzicht Golden Triangle 2005, Saxenburg Private Collection 2005, Groot Constantia Gouverneurs 2006 and Lomond Conebush 2006 - and two four star wines.
For cellarmaster Razvan Macici and his team, the victory comes hot on the heels of their trophy win as the most successful producer at this year’s Old Mutual Trophy Wine Show.
Large volumes of the winning wine were produced - 550 000 litres, some 60 000 cases - and, selling at a very affordable R57 ex-cellar, it is also the best value Shiraz to emerge at this year’s tasting, the fifth Shiraz Challenge.
Some would argue that top-end wine is only possible when produced in small quantities, but Macici disputes this, saying it would be unacceptable for a cellar with the access to the variety, location and quality of grapes that Nederburg has, not to produce some of the best wines in the country.
The grapes used in The Winemaster’s Reserve Shiraz 2006 were sourced mainly from Philadelphia, as well as from Paarl, Durbanville and Stellenbosch.
Showing Macici’s Romanian influence, The Winemaster’s Reserve 2006 spent time in Romanian oak as well as French and American barrels, this contributing “an aromatic character and cinnamon and clove flavours”, according to Macici.
Shiraz lovers will be able to sample a selection of the best wines from the Lexus Shiraz Challenge at a public tasting in Cape Town on 14 August. Tickets, at a cost of R100 a person, can be booked by emailing subs@rsp.co.za or phoning 0860-110-203.
