HE’S DONE IT again! Elgin winemaker Richard Kershaw MW was one of the four top-scoring South African producers at the 2024 International Wine & Spirit Competition in London – the 97/100 for his 2020 Kershaw Clonal Selection Chardonnay following more scores in the high 90s for two other Chardonnays he had a hand in, the 2021 Lothian at the Trophy Wine Show (SA) as well as the 2022 Lothian and 2023 Whalehaven Seascape Reserve at the International Wine Challenge (UK). And that’s not all: the 2021 Lothian also achieved gold at the Decanter World Wine Awards (UK), and Kershaw’s 2020 Deconstructed Lake District Bokkeveld Shale CY96 won him the Chardonnay trophy at South Africa’s inaugural Fine Wine Awards. A champion of note!

Also 97-pointers at this, one of the biggest wine competitions in the world, were the Capensis Silene Chardonnay 2022, the DeMorgenzon Reserve Syrah 2021 and the sparkling Cap Classique Villiera Monro Brut 2017. The Cap Classique category was described by the judges as one of the highlights of the show, delivering fantastic value and complexity, and the Cape’s “Chardonnays performed brilliantly”. See below for all of the SA gold medal winners, and for all the medallists click here – trophy winners to be announced in September.

SA GOLD MEDALLISTS

CHARDONNAY

Bartinney Hourglass 2022
R495pb ex-cellar, Banghoek-Stellenbosch

Bouchard Finlayson Crocodile’s Lair 2022
R225pb ex-cellar, Hemel-en-Aarde Valley

Capensis Silene 2022
R375pb ex-producer, Banghoek-Stellenbosch

Jordan Barrel Fermented 2022
R275pb ex-cellar, Stellenbosch Kloof

Kershaw Clonal Selection 2020
R598pb ex-cellar, Elgin

CHENIN BLANC

Cederberg Five Generations 2023
R360pb ex-cellar, Cederberg

Endura Single Vineyard 2022
R250pb ex-Perdeberg cellar, Paarl

L’Avenir Single Block 2022
R450pb ex-cellar, Simonsberg-Stellenbosch

Villiera Barrel Fermented 2023
R215pb ex-cellar, Koelenhof-Stellenbosch

WHITE BLEND

Constantia Glen Two 2022
R350pb ex-cellar, Constantia

Kershaw GPS Cape South Coast Semillon Sauvignon Blanc 2022
R395pb ex-cellar, Elgin

SPARKLING CAP CLASSIQUE

Desiderius Pongrácz 2018
R595pb ex-producer (Heineken), Stellenbosch

Graham Beck Ultra Brut 2017
R390pb ex-cellar, Robertson

Hazendal Blanc de Blanc Brut 2020
R275pb ex-cellar, Bottelary-Stellenbosch

Newstead Brut Blanc de Blanc 2017
R290pb ex-cellar, Plettenberg Bay

Villiera Monro Brut 2017
R410pb ex-cellar, Koelenhof-Stellenbosch

CABERNET FRANC

Backsberg Patriarch 2022
R225pb ex-producer, Franschhoek

CABERNET SAUVIGNON

Diemersdal Journal 2022
R385pb ex-cellar, Durbanville

Mont Rochelle 2020
R230pb ex-cellar, Franschhoek

PF (Peter Falke) 2022
R300pb ex-cellar, Helderberg-Stellenbosch

Spier 21 Gables 2020
R380pb ex-cellar, Vlottenburg-Stellenbosch

Warwick Blue Lady 2020
R550pb ex-cellar, Simonsberg-Stellenbosch

MALBEC

Journey’s End Pioneer 2022
R225pb ex-cellar, Sir Lowry’s Pass, Somerset West

PINOTAGE

Flagstone Writer’s Block Pinotage 2021
R380pb ex-cellar, Somerset West / Strand

SHIRAZ/SYRAH

Cederberg Shiraz 2020
R280pb ex-cellar, Cederberg

Cederberg Shiraz 2021
R280pb ex-cellar, Cederberg

DeMorgenzon Reserve Syrah 2021
R475pb ex-cellar, Stellenbosch Kloof

Spier Seaward Shiraz 2022
R150pb ex-cellar, Vlottenburg-Stellenbosch

RED BLEND

Bacco Red Blend 2021
R360pb ex-cellar, Paarl

Franschhoek Cellar Last Elephant 2021
R550pb ex-cellar

Vilafonté Series C 2019
Museum Class, Stellenbosch cellar

Vilafonté Series M 2019
Museum Class, Stellenbosch cellar

Vilafonté Series M 2022
R1260pb ex-cellar, Stellenbosch

Endura Winemaker’s Selection Cape Blend 2021
R350pb ex-Perdeberg cellar, Paarl

SWEET/DESSERT

Nederburg Winemasters Noble Late Harvest 2023
R150pb (375ml) ex-cellar, Paarl

Vin de Constance 2020 (Natural Sweet)
R1400pb (500ml) ex-Klein Constantia cellar