ELGIN is best known for Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Sauvignon Blanc… Merlot less so. Chenin Blanc even less so. Yet Elgin Merlot and Chenin are what Cape wine producers excelled with most at the 2022 Global Fine Wine Challenge, hosted in Sydney, with the competing nations including Australia, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa and the USA. In previous years, South Africa has come close to being the most successful country overall, but this time round the show was dominated by Australia, who won three of the four awards for best wines on show, six of the 20 or so classes and nearly twice as many double gold medals (29) than New Zealand and South Africa (17 each).
The Elgin Merlot champions, namely the Downes family / Shannon Vineyards, were represented on the tasting bench, but in choosing their absolute favourite expression of the variety the panel rooted for a wine that turned out to be from one of Shannon's neighbours, Elgin Vintners. The 2019 vintage, the same wine that was among the winners of the SA Merlot Association's Top 10 Competition six months earlier, with Max Hahn and James Rawbone-Viljoen the owners of this property near the Palmiet River.
South Africa's champion Chenin Blanc at the Challenge was made using grapes from a single vineyard on a farm in Elgin owned by one of numerous wine producers based elsewhere in the Cape who opt not to limit themselves to fruit grown where they are based. The 2020 Kogelberg Chenin, from the Simonsberg-Paarl cellar of the Buys family's Vrede en Lust, follows the celebrated 2019 vintage scored 97 at the Trophy Wine Show and awarded double gold at the Challenge.
Prestigious as it might be, the Global Fine Wine Challenge is a little irritating for some inasmuch as the details are released in piecemeal fashion. For the warmest of the SA wine reviews, see below; for the names of all of the winning wines, click here; and for how the 120 entries from each country were assembled, click here. However, for the names of the judges, their comments, an overview and whether or not there will be a public tasting of the winning wines or an awards function over dinner, we were told to wait.
TROPHIES / CLASS WINNERS
Elgin Vintners Merlot 2019
R230pb ex-cellar, Elgin
Vrede en Lust Kogelberg Chenin Blanc 2020
R175pb ex-cellar, Simonsberg-Paarl
DOUBLE GOLD MEDALS
Babylonstoren Chardonnay 2021
R325pb ex-cellar, Simonsberg-Paarl
Beeslaar Pinotage 2020
R620pb ex-producer, Stellenbosch
Boekenhoutskloof Syrah 2019
R495pb ex-cellar, Franschhoek
Delaire Graff Estate Banghoek Reserve Merlot 2019
R450pb ex-cellar, Banghoek-Stellenbosch
Delheim Gewürztraminer 2020
R175pb ex-cellar, Simonsberg-Stellenbosch
Ernie Els Major Series Cabernet Sauvignon 2018
R250pb ex-cellar, Helderberg-Stellenbosch
Flagstone Dark Horse Shiraz 2018
R350pb ex-cellar, Somerset West/Strand
Glen Carlou Collection Red Blend 2019
R295pb ex-cellar, Simonsberg-Paarl
Graham Beck Pinot Noir Rosé 2017 (MCC)
R350pb ex-cellar, Robertson
Groot Constantia Merlot 2018
R283pb ex-cellar, Constantia
Hogan Divergent 2021 (Red Blend)
R395pb ex-cellar, Banghoek-Stellenbosch
Jordan Cobblers Hill 2018 (Red Blend)
R470pb ex-cellar, Stellenbosch Kloof
Landskroon Paul de Villiers Shiraz 2019
R160pb ex-cellar, Paarl
MR de Compostella 2018 (Red Blend)
R1650pb from Raats, Vlottenburg-Stellenbosch
Paul Cluver Estate Chardonnay 2020
R280pb ex-cellar, Elgin
Paul René Chardonnay Brut 2018 (MCC)
R235 ex-Wonderfontein cellar, Robertson
Rijk's Reserve Pinotage 2016
R560pb ex-cellar, Tulbagh
Rustenberg Stellenbosch Malbec 2021
R130pb ex-cellar, Simonsberg-Stellenbosch
Vrede en Lust Kogelberg Chenin Blanc 2019
R175pb ex-cellar, Simonsberg-Paarl
GOLD MEDALS
B Vintners Haarlem to Hope 2021 (White Blend)
R275pb from Raats, Vlottenburg-Stellenbosch
Boschendal Jean Le Long Prestige Cuvée Blanc de Blancs 2009 (MCC)
R820pb ex-cellar, Franschhoek
Boschkloof Syrah 2020
R260pb ex-cellar, Stellenbosch
Brookdale Single Vineyard Chenin Blanc 2020
R295pb ex-cellar, Paarl
Cederberg Five Generations Cabernet Sauvignon 2020
R700pb ex-cellar, Cederberg
Cederberg Five Generations Chenin Blanc 2021
R305pb ex-cellar, Cederberg
Cederberg Shiraz 2019
R260pb ex-cellar, Cederberg
De Krans Cape Vintage Reserve 2018 (Port)
R340pb ex-cellar, Calitzdorp
Delaire Graff Cape Vintage 2019 (Port)
R485pb ex-cellar, Banghoek-Stellenbosch
Delheim Edelspatz Botrytis Riesling 2020
R330pb (375ml) ex-cellar, Simonsberg-Stellenbosch
Driehoek Syrah 2019
R225pb ex-cellar, Cederberg
Glen Carlou Collection Merlot 2018
R295pb ex-cellar, Simonsberg-Paarl
Glen Carlou Syrah 2019
R180pb ex-cellar, Simonsberg-Paarl
Klein Constantia Sauvignon Blanc 2021
R165pb ex-cellar, Constantia
La Vierge Jezebelle Chardonnay 2021
R170pb ex-celar, Hemel-en-Aarde Ridge
Noble Hill Estate Reserve 2021 (White Blend)
R199pb ex-cellar, Simonsberg-Paarl
Nomoya Vermentino 2021
R240pb ex-cellar, Paarl
Oldenburg Chardonnay 2021
R260pb ex-cellar, Banghoek-Stellenbosch
Olifantsberg Grenache Blanc 2020
R215pb ex-cellar, Breedekloof
Rust en Vrede Estate 2018 (Red Blend)
R500pb ex-cellar, Helderberg-Stellenbosch
Stark-Condé Stellenbosch Cabernet Sauvignon 2020
R350pb ex-cellar, Jonkershoek-Stellenbosch
Tokara Reserve Collection Elgin Sauvignon Blanc 2021
R165pb ex-cellar, Simonsberg-Stellenbosch
Warwick First Lady Pinotage 2020
R110pb ex-cellar, Simonsberg-Stellenbosch
