IT WAS JUST a matter of time, some would say. The Benguela Cove estate alongside the Bot River Lagoon on the road to Hermanus has been on many a wine lover's radar since entrepreneur Penny Streeter and her family began investing in the area and particularly after cellarmaster Johann Fourie came on board five years ago. Their success at the 2021 Michelangelo Awards follows that in the Mosaic Top 5 Pinot Noir competition (SA) a couple of months earlier, and this after a number of achievements in 2020 that included a win at the Shiraz SA Challenge with their 2018 vintage.
Benguela Cove's latest Michelango awards include a trophy for the best Pinot Noir on show, the Vinography 2019, and the trophy for what was the most highly rated wine overall, the Catalina Semillon 2019 (scored 98/100). Unlike the Vinography that was already sold out at the cellar by the time the SA Pinot Noir Association were talking up their competition results, the Catalina 2019 has yet to be released, with the 2018 vintage on sale at the time of writing.
Also particularly successful at Michelangelo 2021 was Kobus Basson's Kleine Zalze of Stellenbosch who also fielded the panel's favourites in two classes – trophies going to the 2020 vintage of the Old Bush Vine Chenin Blanc and the Sauvignon Blanc Sur Lie in the Family Reserve range of wines. Other standout trophy winners included Arendskloof Chardonnay 2020 from Worcester at just R84 a bottle, the sparkling 2017 Cuvée Clive Cap Classique from Graham Beck in Robertson, the red blends Aslina Umsasane 2019 and Perdeberg's Endura 2017, as well as the 2017 Kruger Family Reserve Shiraz from Stellenview. All of the top-rated wines are listed below.
The 25th edition of this international wine and spirit competition, founded by Lorraine Immelman and now with four other co-owners, attracted well over 1800 entries. There were numerous judges (over 20) on the various panels, with Cape Wine Master Winnie Bowman the technical director. For more info about the show and for the full results, click here.
TROPHY LAUREATES
Arendskloof Chardonnay 2020
R84pb from Eagle's Cliff cellar, Worcester
Aslina Umsasane 2019 (Red Blend)
R225pb ex-producer, Somerset West
Bellingham Bernard Series Old Vine Chenin Blanc Limited Release 2019
R235pb from Franschhoek Cellar
Benguela Cove Catalina Semillon 2019
R650pb ex-cellar, Bot River
Benguela Cove Vinography Pinot Noir 2019
R550pb ex-cellar, Bot River
Endura Winemaker's Selection Cape Blend 2017
R350pb from Perdeberg cellar, Paarl
Flagstone Treaty Tree Reserve 2018 (White Blend)
R120pb ex-cellar, Somerset West
Graham Beck Cuvée Clive 2017 (MCC)
R780pb ex-cellar, Robertson
Heaven on Earth Organic Muscat d'Alexandrie NV
Primarily for export, from Stellar Winery
Kleine Zalze Family Reserve Old Bush Vine Chenin Blanc 2020
R240pb ex-cellar, Stellenbosch
Kleine Zalze Family Reserve Sauvignon Blanc Sur Lie 2020
R240pb ex-cellar, Stellenbosch
Kruger Family Reserve Shiraz 2017
R250pb from Stellenview cellar, Stellenbosch
Meerhof Mooistrooi 2021 (Straw Wine)
R300pb ex-cellar, Riebeek-Kasteel
Nederburg Private Bin R181 Merlot 2012
Auction Wine, cellar in Paarl
Nederburg Two Centuries Cabernet Sauvignon 2012
Museum Class, Paarl cellar
Niel Joubert Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2015
R160pb ex-cellar, Simonsberg-Paarl
Rooiberg Reserve Pinotage 2019
R125pb ex-cellar, Robertson
PLATINUM MEDALLISTS
Chamonix Old Vine Steen 2020 (Chenin)
R385pb ex-cellar, Franschhoek
Daschbosch Mossiesdrift Steen 2020 (Chenin)
R220pb ex-cellar, Rawsonville
Diemersfontein Shiraz 2019
R130pb ex-cellar, Wellington
Goedverwacht Great Expectations Sauvignon Blanc 2021
R80pb ex-cellar, Robertson
Meerhof Mooistrooi 2020 (Straw Wine)
R300pb ex-cellar, Riebeek-Kasteel
Mt Vernon Galileo 2015 (Red Blend)
R275pb ex-cellar, Simonsberg-Paarl
Paul René Chardonnay Brut 2017 (MCC)
R220pb from Wonderfontein cellar, Robertson
Perdeberg Dry Land Barrel Fermented Chenin Blanc 2020
R130pb ex-cellar, Paarl
Solitude Chenin Blanc 2019
R240pb from Le Belle Rebelle cellar, Breedekloof
Stellenbosch Vineyards Credo Shiraz 2018
R165pb ex-cellar, Lynedoch
Stellenrust Checkers Chenin Blanc 2019
Exclusive to supermarket chain
Vrede en Lust Boet Erasmus 2017 (Red Blend)
R240pb ex-cellar, Simonsberg-Paarl
Weltevrede Philip Jonker Brut The Ring 2013 (MCC)
R260pb ex-cellar, Bonnievale
