28 WINES were assessed in the 2022 Malbec Challenge (SA). By the end of the day: 13 gold medallists, one winner. On the panel: professional wine judge Carrie Adams (chair), sommelier Gregory Mutambe and social media marketer Janine van Zyl (First Pour). Event coordinator: Celia Gilloway.
“The tiny, thick-skinned little grapes of the Malbec vine produce inky black wine with medium to robust tannins,” Adams commented. “Well-made Malbec smells and tastes of red and black plums, raspberries, chocolate and tobacco, and works very well with intelligent oak management. Whilst best known as a component of the classic Bordeaux blend, these wines were all 100% Malbec.”
According to Adams: “Not surprisingly, the winning wine was Fairview. Charles Back wears the badge for innovation in South Africa when it comes to pioneering the lesser-known grape varieties. The wine [2021 vintage] is a serious crowd-pleaser… It exudes ripe raspberries, caramel and a spicy twist at the end.”
Well, some of us found it a little surprising. A niche variety in the Cape, Malbec has been a sporadic release from Fairview, a hard sell. At the time of writing there was very little info about it relative to most other current releases on offer from the farm in Paarl – besides the name of winemaker Anthony de Jager on the front label and a brief note in the online marketplace. The price just R125 a bottle – R105 if you're a member of the Fairview Wine Club. Perhaps Back didn't see it coming either. And maybe the tide is turning in South Africa for a grape championed by the Argentinians and Chileans.
GOLD MEDALLISTS
Anura Malbec Reserve 2019
R175pb ex-cellar, Paarl
Blaauwklippen Malbec 2021
R200pb ex-cellar, Stellenbosch
DA Hanekom Langrug Malbec 2019
Price t.b.c. (Durbanville producer)
Doolhof Bloedklip 2018
R945pb ex-cellar, Wellington
Doolhof Bloedklip 2020
R945pb ex-cellar, Wellington
Dornier Malbec 2018
R170pb ex-cellar, Stellenbosch
Fairview Malbec 2021 (Winner)
R125pb ex-cellar, Paarl
Hillcrest Saartjie Single Vyd Malbec 2020
R185pb ex-cellar, Durbanville
La Couronne ‘1688' Malbec 2020
R250pb ex-cellar, Franschhoek
Le Pommier Jonathan's Malbec 2021
R150pb ex-cellar, Banghoek-Stellenbosch
Mt Vernon Malbec 2019
R275pb ex-cellar, Simonsberg-Paarl
Sonklip Malbec NV
Own-label, Stellenbosch cellar
Spijker Malbec 2020
R140pb ex-cellar, Stellenbosch
