5 minute read
South African Brands on a Winning Streak
from Spotong Issue 22
by 3S Media
LIQUOR NEWS
SOUTH AFRICAN BRANDS ON A WINNING STREAK CONSTANTIA GLEN TWO 2016 STRIKES GOLD AT INTERNATIONAL WINE CHALLENGE KWV CLASSIC PINOTAGE AWARDED THE CHAIRMAN’S TROPHY AT ULTIMATE WINE CHALLENGE SOUTH AFRICAN BRANDIES MAKE IT IN NEW YORK
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The Constantia Glen flagship white blend has yet again stepped into the limelight, with the 2016 vintage bringing home a gold medal from the 2017 International Wine Challenge (IWC) in London. Full of praise for the Constantia Glen TWO 2016, the judges described this Sauvignon Blanc/Sémillon blend as a “ripe style” with a “rounded mid-palate and fresh vibrant acidity with clean long length”. Now in its 34th year, the IWC is accepted as one of the world’s most meticulously judged wine competitions. With over 15 000 entries from around the world this year, every wine is assessed blind and judged for its faithfulness to style, region and vintage. The IWC gold medal, which equates to a score of 95/100, is the latest international accolade to take pride of place in the Constantia Glen hall of fame. The Constantia Glen TWO 2016 also hit the spot for James Molesworth of Wine Spectator in the USA, who gave it a 91 point rating earlier this year. The blend of 70% Sauvignon Blanc and 30% Sémillon was matured on the lees for six months in French oak barrels. “This vintage of the Constantia Glen TWO shows incredible intensity, fruit concentration and depth, but remains poised and elegant,” says Winemaker Justin van Wyk. The award-winning Constantia Glen TWO 2016 is available directly from the estate, as well as at fine dining restaurants and boutique wine shops.
For more information visit: www.constantiaglen.com
KWV is pleased to announce that its KWV Classic Pinotage 2015 was awarded the Chairman’s Trophy – the highest accolade – at the 2017 Ultimate Wine Challenge (UWC). The UWC, a meticulously judged wine competition, assesses every wine blind, and judges each for its faithfulness to style, region and vintage. “We are thrilled with the result as it demonstrates our unwavering commitment to quality and enjoyment for our consumer across our portfolio,” says Wim Truter, KWV Chief Winemaker. “From the parcel and barrel selection that takes place for our Mentors range to the focus on upfront fruit, drinkability and varietal expression that you will find with the Classic Collection. The Classic Collection Pinotage is one of my personal favourites because of the lovely red fruit and spice flavours, coupled with quite delicate soft tannins.”
The UWC was held over the span of four weeks at the Ultimate Beverage Challenge evaluation centre in New York, where 13 of the world’s foremost wine experts – retail and restaurant buyers, journalists, authors and educators – convened to evaluate more than 1 200 still, sparkling and fortified wines, ciders and sakes from around the world. Frank Sinatra sang that if you could “make it” in New York, you’d succeed anywhere, and that’s clearly the case for three of Distell’s premium brandies, which have won top honours at the New York International Spirits Competition. Results of the annual New York International Spirits Competition were announced in June, and Oude Meester and Van Ryn’s brandies flew the South African flag high as they were judged alongside more than 600 entries from 23 countries around the world.
Two premium brandies from the Stellenboschbased Van Ryn’s Distillery won gold – the Van Ryn’s 12-year-old Distiller’s Reserve and the Van Ryn’s 20-year-old Collector’s Reserve. Another South African stalwart, the Oude Meester Souverein 18-year-old brandy, rounded off a trio of successful entrants that already have a myriad of other awards to their names.
This year’s judging panel consisted of a mix of restauranteurs, sommeliers, retail spirits buyers, distributors and importers.
NEDERBURG CHENIN RATED BEST IN SA BY DECANTER
The 2016 vintage of Nederburg’s Heritage Heroes, The Anchorman Chenin Blanc, has won a platinum medal at the 2017 Decanter World Wine Awards in London, for the best South African Chenin Blanc priced at over £15. The judging panel of this prestigious international competition comprised specialist tasters from around the world, including Masters of Wine and Master Sommeliers. Platinum medal wines are chosen from gold medal winners in a particular region and specific categories defined by wine style. The Anchorman is a wooded Chenin Blanc that commemorates Nederburg’s founder, Philippus Wolvaart, who bought the farm in 1791 and planted Chenin Blanc, among other varietals. Maker of white wine, Natasha Boks, says it offers a “superb combination of freshness and complexity with ripe apricot, orange and floral characters laced with spice and minerality.” “It is a most interesting and expressive wine that is a blend of very differently vinified components. One portion of fruit was fermented in second- and third-fill 300-litre barrels. A second component was fermented in stainless-steel tanks, while a third was fermented in very old, large vats and the remainder involved a fermentation technique usually reserved for red wines. Called carbonic maceration, whole bunches, which are neither crushed nor pressed, are allowed to ferment spontaneously. The resultant wine tends to be light and fruity. This technique was chosen for the freshness it would impart to the wine. After fermentation, the various components were kept on the lees for nine months prior to final blending and bottling.” Nederburg also walked away with three Decanter gold medals, for the 2012 and 2013 vintages of its Private Bin Eminence Noble Late Harvest, and the 2014 vintage of its Ingenuity White blend. Eminence is made for exclusive sale on the annual Nederburg Auction, while Ingenuity White 2014 and The Anchorman 2016 are available from the farm in Paarl, fine wine outlets such as Norman Goodfellows, top-rated restaurants and style bars, and online via
www.vinoteque.co.za.
Boks suggests serving The Anchorman 2016 with fish, poultry, veal, pasta and salads; and Nederburg Ingenuity White 2014 with quail, duck, guinea fowl, rabbit, lamb, free-range chicken or top-grade beef, prepared with spice, fruit and citrus seasonings. This wine’s abundant layering of flavours and refined structure render it an excellent wine to pair with food. Eminence is best enjoyed with pâtés, terrines, tomato soup, cake, pastries, tarts, mature cheeses and desserts.
