THE ANNOUNCEMENT of the top award winners at the 2020 International Wine & Spirit Competition (IWSC) was not without a surprise or two… No doubt the 2015 vintage of Bartinney Skyfall Cabernet Sauvignon and Quoin Rock’s Bordeaux-style ‘Red Blend’ – both of Stellenbosch – are worthy of their places among the competition’s 30 Wines of the Year, but apparently the competition was tougher in the Chardonnay class.

The organisers released the names of the medallists a couple of weeks in advance of the trophy winners, at which point it was divulged that of the 12 South Africans that had achieved gold, the top-scoring wine – 97/100 – was Bouchard Finlayson Missionvale Chardonnay 2018. However, come the trophy judging, Missionvale missed out. (Although in a sideshow highlighting the five top-rated New World Pinot Noirs in an IWSC tasting conducted earlier in year, the Hemel-en-Aarde Valley producer’s Galpin Peak 2017 was one of the wines showcased, the others comprising two New Zealanders, one Australian and one from the USA).

According to the IWSC, the standout wines at the trophy-judging stage came from all corners of the globe, with the sparkling and fortified categories receiving the highest number of gongs. France, Germany and Hungary took home plenty of trophies, while Australia and South Africa also delivered spectactularly. The panellists in the final round included: John Hoskins MW, Alex Hunt MW and Dirceu Vianna Junior MW, as well as Freddy Bulmer of the Wine Society, Elizabeth Kelly MW, Alistair Cooper MW and sommelier/restaurateur Isa Bal MS.

TROPHY LAUREATES

Bartinney Skyfall Cabernet Sauvignon 2015
R350pb ex-cellar, Banghoek, Stellenbosch
Scored 95/100. “Complex, and irresistibly smooth and supple below the (rose) hip. Tease me with cigar tobacco, and watch me evolve into something delicious. Something divine. A Stellenbosch at its most prime.”

Quoin Rock Red Blend 2015
R600pb ex-cellar, Simonsberg-Stellenbosch
Scored 96/100. “Delicate and focused nose with black fruits and floral notes. Concentrated and well-balanced palate with ripe tannins and nicely integrated oak. This is a plush yet elegant example which shows complexity and length.”