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

 

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