'Personality' wines emerging from Paarl Challenge
2010-08-05
A DISTINCT improvement in quality and emerging ‘personality’ were identified by judges as defining characteristics at the Santam Agriculture Paarl Shiraz/Chenin Challenge 2010. The winners of the challenge will be announced on Friday 13 August. Of the 48 wines entered into the two categories, minimal faults were found, with “pure fruit flavours” and “better concentration” found across the board. Charles Hopkins, judging on the Shiraz panel said, “Fynbos and spicy characters were prominent in the wines – and this seems to be an emerging style. “A definite improvement in the selection of the grapes, the wine making process and use of oak has become evident in the past few years.” Chenin class panel member Ken Forrester found “very good fruit quality” to be the common thread in the wines that made the top ten; with “different sites and soils” and “cooler, elevated slopes” seen by the Chenin enthusiast as Paarl’s main advantages in producing premium Chenin Blanc wines. This is the first year that a trophy will be awarded to a Chenin Blanc at the awards, which began ten years ago with an exclusive focus on Shiraz. The wines are narrowed down in a two-stage process to the top ten and the top three, before a trophy is awarded to the best wine in each category. A seated consumer tasting will be held on Friday 15 October at Rhebokskloof Estate. Tickets will be available from eWine.co.za from 10 August at a price of R120 per person.
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