SOUTH AFRICA’S medal winners in the annual International Wine & Spirit Competition (UK) are announced during September, a month after the judging that takes place in Cape Town. The names of trophy winners from around the world are revealed mid-October, followed by an awards banquet in London end-November when more accolades are presented, including the IWSC trophy for SA Producer of the Year.

According to the organisers of the 2019 edition: “The range of medal-winners this year demonstrates the consistent quality of South African winemaking… Producers including Kanonkop, Beyerskloof and Stellenrust lead the pack alongside last year’s IWSC South African Wine Producer of the Year, Spier…”

Five wines were awarded 97 points – the highest score received by South African wines at IWSC this year – including a 2015 Cab from the Stellenbosch property of Bartinney (Banghoek farm pictured above), one of the 5 Star laureates in the 2019 edition of Platter’s SA Wine Guide. Another of the SA top-scorers at IWSC 2019 is the non-vintage Pongrácz Blanc de Blancs from Distell, grand champion at the Veritas Awards (SA) in 2018, and from Nederburg of Paarl, the 2018 Noble Late is also a multi-award winner, having triumphed at the Trophy Wine Show (SA) a few months previously.

The competition involves the judging of thousands of wines and spirits from around the globe, with over 400 judges convening in various locations and the winners announced in tranches during the course of the year. See below for the names of South Africa’s gold medallists, and for more info about the competition, the full results and the judges’ tasting notes, click here.

TOP-SCORING SA WINES

Bartinney Cabernet Sauvignon 2015
De Grendel Shiraz 2017
Graham Beck Blanc de Blanc 2014
Nederburg The Winemasters Noble Late Harvest 2018
Pongrácz Blanc de Blancs NV (MCC)

WHITE SA GOLD MEDALLISTS

CHARDONNAY

De Grendel Op die Berg Chardonnay 2018
Haute Cabriére Haute Collection Chardonnay 2017
La Vierge Apogée Chardonnay 2017
Uva Mira The Mira Chardonnay 2017

CHENIN BLANC

Kleine Zalze Family Reserve Old Bush Vine Chenin Blanc 2017
MAN Free-Run Steen Chenin Blanc 2018
SPAR South African Reserve Chenin Blanc 2017
Stellenrust Barrel Fermented Chenin Blanc 2017
Stellenrust Barrel Fermented Chenin Blanc 2018

SAUVIGNON BLANC

Nederburg Young Airhawk Sauvignon Blanc 2017
Spier Seaward Sauvignon Blanc 2019

NICHE VARIETIES

Asara Viognier 2018
Stellenbosch Vineyards Limited Release Verdelho 2018

WHITE BLENDS

Asara Joan 2018
Tokara Director’s Reserve 2016

SPARKLING SA GOLD MEDALLISTS

CAP CLASSIQUE

Graham Beck Brut Blanc de Blancs 2014
Newstead Brut 2015
Pongrácz Blanc de Blancs NV (JC Le Roux)

RED SA GOLD MEDALLISTS

CABERNET SAUVIGNON

Alto Cabernet Sauvignon 2015
Bartinney Cabernet Sauvignon 2015
Bartinney Skyfall Cabernet Sauvignon 2014
Kanonkop Cabernet Sauvignon 2006
Ormonde Cabernet Sauvignon 2015

PINOTAGE

Beyerskloof Diesel Pinotage 2015
La Cave Pinotage 2017 (Wellington Wines)

SHIRAZ

Cederberg Waitrose Shiraz 2017
De Grendel Shiraz 2017
Kanu Shiraz 2017
Lidl Winemaker’s Selection South African Shiraz 2017
Saronsberg Shiraz 2017

RED BLENDS

Constantia Glen Five 2015
Hidden Valley Hidden Gems 2016
Kanonkop Paul Sauer 2005
Beyerskloof Faith 2013
Kaapzicht Steytler Vision 2017
Spier Creative Block 3 2016

SWEET SA GOLD MEDALLISTS

UNFORTIFIED DESSERT

Nederburg Winemasters Noble Late Harvest 2018
Rustenberg Straw Wine 2018

• For SA cellar-door wine prices over the past two years, click here.