CLEARLY the biggest winners at the Old Mutual Trophy Wine Show 2018 are Warwick, Leeuwenkuil and Spier: Warwick the Most Successful Producer with trophies for their 2015 Cab Franc and Sauvignon Blanc Semillon blend, Professor Black 2017; Leeuwenkuil for their 2015 Heritage Syrah, judged best red overall; and Spier for their 21 Gables Chenin 2016, the top-scoring white wine overall. These producers are hardly newcomers to the podium – particularly Warwick with Cabernet Franc and Spier with Chenin Blanc, their wonderful consistency over many years reflected in the SA Wine Classification.

However, other highlights at this, one of South Africa’s premier wine competitions of the year, include the Discovery of the Show, i.e. the Best Value Gold Medallist, this time a wine from the Robertson valley, from a producer outside Ashton: Arabella Pinotage 2017 at just R50 a bottle from the tasting room and R47 or lower at certain discount retailers. Which is a whole lot less than the Best Pinotage on Show, De Grendel Amandelboord 2016, selling at the cellar for the reasonable sum of R190 pb. Diemersdal Private Collection is also very good value: R150 pb for the Best Bordeaux-Style Red Blend on show, and that up against the highly regarded 2015 vintage of Meerlust Rubicon at over R400 a bottle.

The judges: Michael Fridjhon (show chairman), Master Sommelier Isa Bal (UK), Charles Chevallier of Domaines Barons de Rothschild Lafite (France), Master of Wine Debra Meiberg (Hong Kong), Blaauwklippen winemaker Narina Cloete (SA), Cape Wine Master Heidi Duminy (SA), Winemag editor Christian Eedes (SA), Druk My Niet winemaker Alexandra McFarlane (SA), ambassador for Creation Wines, Reciprocal Wines and Riedel, Nkulu Mkhwanazi (SA), and Wine Cellar manager James Pietersen (SA). For info about the panel, more about the Trophy Wine Show and full results of the competition, click here.

For the judges favourites among the 977 wines assessed, see below, i.e. all of the gold medallists, with the trophy winners highlighted in purple:

 

Top Whites at Trophy Wine Show 2018

CHARDONNAY

DeMorgenzon Reserve Chardonnay 2017
R375 pb at the cellar, Stellenbosch Kloof

Fleur du Cap Unfiltered Chardonnay 2016 (Bergkelder)
R144 pb at the cellar, Stellenbosch

Glenelly Estate Reserve Chardonnay 2016
R230 pb at the cellar, Stellenbosch

Tokara Reserve Collection Stellenbosch Chardonnay 2016
Winner of the trophy for Best Chardonnay on show
R190 pb at the cellar, Helshoogte, Simonsberg-Stellenbosch

CHENIN BLANC

DeMorgenzon Reserve Chenin Blanc 2017
R375 pb at the cellar, Stellenbosch Kloof

Grande Provence Chenin Blanc 2017
R90 pb at the cellar, Franschhoek

Marras Swartland Los Tros Chenin Blanc 2017
R65 pb at the cellar, Voor-Paardeberg, Swartland

Spier 21 Gables Chenin Blanc 2016
Winner of the trophies for Best Chenin Blanc on show
and Best White Wine Overall
R198 pb at the cellar, Stellenbosch

SAUVIGNON BLANC

Boschendal Elgin Sauvignon Blanc 2017
R295 pb at the cellar, Franschhoek

Cape Point Noordhoek Sauvignon Blanc 2017
R135 pb at the cellar, Noordhoek

De Grendel Koetshuis Sauvignon Blanc 2017
R160 pb at the cellar, Panorama / Durbanville

Stark-Condé Round Mountain Sauvignon Blanc 2017
Winner of the trophy for Best Sauvignon Blanc Overall
R185 pb at the cellar, Jonkershoek Valley, Stellenbosch

Steenberg Sauvignon Blanc Reserve 2011
Winner of the trophy for Best Museum Class Sauvignon Blanc on show
Sold out at the cellar, Tokai / Constantia

Survivor Sauvignon Blanc 2017 (Overhex)
R120 pb at the cellar, Worcester

WHITE BLENDS

Backsberg Family Reserve White 2017
Winner of the trophy for best White Blend on show
R225 pb at the cellar, Simonsberg-Paarl

Vergelegen G.V.B White 2013
Winner of the trophy for best Museum Class White Blend on show
Sold out at the cellar, Somerset West

Warwick Professor Black 2017
Winner of the trophy for Best Sauvignon Blanc Semillon Blend
R300 pb at the cellar, Simonsberg-Stellenbosch

SPARKLING CAP CLASSIQUE

Laborie Blanc de Blancs 2011 (KWV)
Winner of the trophy for Best Sparkling Wine on show
R130 pb at the cellar, Paarl

 

Top Reds at Trophy Wine Show 2018

CABERNET FRANC

Warwick Cabernet Franc 2015
Winner of the trophy for Best Cabernet Franc on show
R320 pb at the cellar, Simonsberg-Stellenbosch

CABERNET SAUVIGNON

Middelvlei Cabernet Sauvignon 2016
R131 pb at the cellar, Devon Valley, Stellenbosch

Rainbow’s End Cabernet Sauvignon 2016
R160 pb at the cellar, Banghoek, Stellenbosch

Rustenberg Peter Barlow Cabernet Sauvignon 2015
Winner of the trophy for Best Cabernet Sauvignon on show
R500 pb at the cellar, Simonsberg-Stellenbosch

MERLOT

Eagles’ Nest Merlot 2014
Winner of the trophy for Best Merlot on show
R175 pb at the cellar, Constantia

PETIT VERDOT

Springfontein Limestone Rocks Child in Time Petit Verdot 2012
Winner of the trophy for Best Niche Variety on show
R425 pb at the cellar, Stanford

PINOTAGE

Arabella Pinotage 2017
Winner of the trophy for Discovery of the Show
R50 pb at the cellar, Ashton

De Grendel Amandelboord Pinotage 2016
Winner of the trophy for Best Pinotage on show
R190 pb at the cellar, Panorama / Durbanville

Diemersfontein Woolworths Reserve Pinotage 2016
Exclusive to Woolworths, from Wellington cellar

SHIRAZ

Backsberg Pumphouse Shiraz 2016
R140 pb at the cellar, Simonsberg-Paarl, Simonsberg

Beaumont Dangerfield Syrah 2016
R195 pb at the cellar, Bot River

Leeuwenkuil Heritage Syrah 2015
Winner of the trophies for Best Shiraz on show,
the International Judges’ favourite and Best Red Wine Overall
R300 pb at the cellar, Voor-Paardeberg, Swartland

Springfontein Daredevils’ Drums Bunches Broken Shiraz 2016
R315 pb at the cellar, Stanford

Stellar Woolworths Organic Shiraz 2017
Exclusive to Woolworths, from Klawer cellar

Zandvliet Shiraz 2015
R110 pb at the cellar, Ashton

RED BLENDS

Middelvlei Momberg 2016
Winner of the trophy for Best Shiraz-Based Blend on show
R293 pb at the cellar, Devon Valley, Stellenbosch

Buitenverwachting Christine 2012
R400 pb at the cellar, Constantia

Diemersdal Private Collection 2016
Winer of the trophy for Best Bordeaux-Style Blend on show
R150 pb at the cellar, Durbanville

Meerlust Rubicon 2015
R410 pb at the cellar, Stellenbosch

Olifantsberg Silhouette 2014
R210 pb at the cellar, Brëerivier, Breedekloof

 

Top Sweets at Trophy Wine Show 2018

DESSERT

Buitenverwachting ‘1769’ 2015 (Noble Late Harvest, Unfortified)
Winner of the trophy for Best Unforified Dessert Wine on show
R300 pb (500ml) from the cellar, Constantia

Landzicht White Muscadel 2016 (Fortified)
Winner of the trophy for Best Fortified Wine on show
R52 pb from the cellar, Northern Cape

 

• Public tastings of the trophy, gold and silver medal winners are scheduled to take place in Cape Town on 13 June and in Johannesburg on 15 June. Details here.