Santé classic wine awards
2005-12-01
A NUMBER of French wine experts visited Paarl last week to judge the Santé Classic Wine Trophy entries at the Santé‚ Winelands Hotel and Wellness Centre where Glen Carlou won the Jury Prize for best value for money.
The Red Wine Trophy went to the Spice Route Malabar 2002, while the White Wine Trophy was awarded to the Amani Chardonnay 2003.
Other red wines which received gold medals were Anatu Shiraz 2003, Fairview Solitude Shiraz 2003, Glen Carlou Pinot Noir 2004, Glenwood Shiraz 2004, Hamilton Russell Ashbourne Pinotage 2001, Hartenberg Cabernet Sauvignon/Shiraz 2003, La Motte Shiraz 2003, Lindhorst Statement (Shiraz/Merlot/Cab) 2003 and Ridgeback Shiraz 2003.
White wines which won gold were Bouchard Finlayson Chardonnay 2004, Eikendal Chardonnay 2004, Groot Constantia Chardonnay 2004 and L’Avenir Chardonnay 2004. The gold medal for dessert wine went to De Krans Tawny Port and the gold medal for sparkling wine went to Graham Beck Blanc de Blanc 2000.
The Classic Wine Trophy is now in its eighth year and judging by the entries retains its popularity on the South African wine competition calendar.
Comment from the Sommeliers on this year’s entries was that eighty percent of the red wines were of a very high standard with great improvement with alcohol, balance and extraction.
In the past the judges found the wines overripe, porty and too jammy. In a time of global warming more termpature adapted cultivars are doing better, such as Shiraz and Rhone-based blends.
White wines that stood out were mostly the sea breeze terrorr grown wines. These wines were awarded for their finesse and balance.
South African Charonnay specifically, is now able to compete with the best in the world, while Pinotage is a great cultivar on its own.
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