“THE WINE stood out for its absolute harmony – spectacular citrus purity with intricate biscuity etchings. Truly pristine” – 2020 Cap Classique Challenge judging convenor Heidi Duminy describing the competition winner Newstead Brut 2015 from Plett. Although, when the Challenge results were announced the name of this champion South African sparkling wine was given as Newstead Blanc de Blancs 2015, which doesn’t tie-in with the label.

Newstead Brut is made from Chardonnay, and ‘Brut’ is generally interpreted as a degree of dryness, e.g. Extra Brut equating to extra dry, with no link to any particular variety of grape. However, apparently some in the Cap Classique Producers Association who host the Challenge would prefer to refer to all 100% Chardonnay versions of sparkling wine made according to the traditional method as Blanc de Blancs, with Brut denoting a blend, typically comprising Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, sometimes including Pinot Meunier.

Subsequently, consequently, wine lovers hunting down the winning wine online will/would find Newstead describing the bubbly as Brut Blanc de Blanc – even though the words ‘Blanc de Blanc’ don’t appear on the bottle, even though the winning wine is sold out, the current-release 2015 Brut having spent two more months on the lees (spent yeast), with version three to follow in December. The Newstead that won the Challenge spent 40 months on the lees, and, according to proprietor Sue Lund, a version was released after spending 42 months on the lees, with another that spent 54 months on the lees to be released at the end of the year. “The label does not indicate the difference but… we will be adding this to the labels or, more likely, the corks, from next year.”

In 2019, before its success at the 2020 Cap Classique Challenge, the 2015 vintage of Newstead Brut earned a gold medal at the International Wine & Spirit Competition (UK) and double gold at the Michelangelo Awards (SA). This after the 2014 and 2012 won Michelangelo double golds, with the Newstead Rosé having also shone at Michelangelo (double gold for the 2014 and 2016 vintages) as well as in Platter’s SA Wine Guide where the 2015 was Highly Recommended.

NEWSTEAD BRUT 2015
WO Plettenberg Bay. Cap Classique (bottle-fermented). 100% Chardonnay. Hand-picking. Berry-sorting. 5% underwent wood treatment (old barrels). 40 months on the lees (spent yeast). Disgorged August 2019. Released November 2019. 7510 bottles.
Alc 11.9 | RS 8.0 | TA 8.3 | pH 3.2
Producer’s Tasting Notes: brioche and marzipan notes with an elegant lime finish.
R245pb ex-cellar.