PLETTENBERG BAY winery Newstead Wines has become the first producer outside the traditional Cape winelands to be crowned winner of the Amorim Cap Classique Challenge. Newstead Brut 2015 won a double gold medal, trophy for Best Blanc de Blancs and was the top-scoring Cap Classique overall.

This was the 19th Amorim Cap Classique Challenge, sponsored by the Portuguese company celebrating 150 years of producing cork stoppers for the wine industry internationally. Before the 2020 victory of Newstead Lund Family Vineyards, never had a Plett wine producer won a gold medal at the Challenge, let alone a double gold or trophy. Some 121 entries were received for this year’s competition, in which none of the double gold medal winners (scored 93+) came from the Stellenbosch, Franschhoek or Tulbagh cellars renowned for sparkling wine production according to the traditional method championed by the Champagne houses of France. And yes, most of the big names were in the line-up.

According to the Cap Classique Association: “Newstead Wines, one of the pioneers of the Plettenberg Bay winelands on the Cape South Coast some 520km east of Cape Town, was founded by Doug and Sue Lund in 2006, with their first wines being made in 2012. Although Newstead’s Cap Classiques have won various accolades in the past, this is the first time the winery has featured at the Amorim Cap Classique Challenge. The award for this year’s overall winner, given to the wine that achieved the highest accumulated score from the five judges, is sure to herald-in a new era of recognition for the Plettenberg Bay wine region.”

On the tasting bench were 41 Brut blends (typically from Chardonnay and Pinot Noir), 37 Blanc de Blancs (100% Chardonnay), 26 Rosé, 11 Demi-Sec (medium sweet) and 6 Museum Class entries (eight years or older). This year’s judges were Cape Wine Academy principal Heidi Duminy (convenor), Cathy Marston (International Wine Education Centre in South Africa), sommelier Penny Setti (Chefs Warehouse) as well as winemakers Paul Gerber (Colmant) and Pierre de Klerk (Graham Beck). 95 of the 121 entries were considered medal-worthy: 9 double golds (93+), 6 golds (90+), 56 silvers and 24 bronze medals. The top laureates were as follows:

DOUBLE GOLD MEDALLISTS

Babylonstoren Sprankel 2015
Blanc de Blancs, Simonsberg-Paarl Cellar, R650pb

Bon Courage Jacques Bruére Blanc de Blanc 2011
Robertson Cellar, R205pb

Des Dieux Claudia Brut 2009
Museum Class, Hemel-en-Aarde Producer

Graham Beck Blanc de Blancs 2015
Robertson Cellar, R280pb

Newstead Brut 2015
Overall Trophy Winner, Plettenberg Bay Cellar, R245pb

Klein Roosboom Marné Brut NV
Trophy Winner, Durbanville Cellar, R195

Lord’s Brut NV
McGregor Cellar, R179

Lourensford ‘Cuvée 101’ 2010
Museum Class Trophy Winner, Somerset West Cellar

Paul René Brut 2016
Blanc de Blancs, Wonderfontein Cellar in Robertson , R215