A cheerful welcoming team
The obligatory glass of a good Blaauwklippen Cap Classique, nicely chilled
Media members mingle with each other and speak to the contestants
Clive Torr CWM and Michael Bampfield Duggan of Wine Concepts
Blaauwklippen head winemaker Narina Cloete, MC Guy McDonald
and Nanette de Hart, Blaauwklippen Brand Home & Destination Manager
Sisters Narina Cloete and Nanette de Hart
Greek Keftedes - they were wonderfully moist and moreish, with a yoghurt Tzatziki dip
Accompanied by good Pita bread
"Do you think they are ready to begin?"
MC Guy McDonald opened the proceedings. He is always entertaining
There were 65 entries last year. This year there were 79!
Speaking to a mostly attentive audience
The judging panel was Narina Cloete, Clive Torr CWM, winemaker Marius Lategan, Guy Macdonald,
winemaker Alister Rimmer and, in addition, Wine Judge Michael Fridjhon was happy to join them this year
He commented while tasting the blends, "This is difficult!" Perhaps it speaks to the quality of this year's entries?
Narina Cloete celebrates 10 years as Blaauwklippen's head winemaker this year,
She is a previous Diners Club Young Winemaker of the Year laureate
and she was acclaimed Woman Winemaker of the Year in 2025
It was her birthday the day before, so we all sang the song!
She welcomed us all to the 43rd year of the Blaauwklippen Blending Competition Award lunch
She told us some exciting news, as of that morning the Blaauwklippen Blanc de Blanc Cap Classique was in the bottle
She spoke about the blending wine components and the decision to make a South African style Bordeaux blend,
about the competition and the four wine clubs that have reached the final
Blaauwklippen head viticulturist Jaco van der Westhuizen also known as Boom (tree); he is rather tall
He spoke about the vintages of the wines, temperatures and rain in 2024 and 2025 which was a good harvest
The winning blend has always been bottled in magnums, which are available for sale on the estate
and if you think a magnum is large, try this...
The Lunch Menu
Just released Blaauwklippen chardonnay on ice; we were the first group to taste it
Released in time for this event, it was served with the first course
It has golden fruit on the nose and palate with a hint of wood support on the end from 30% new barrels
Clean on the palate which becomes full, lovely stone fruit and good fruit acidity; long flavours
We really enjoyed it
The first course was entitled Loaded whipped Feta
topped with olive oil, green olives, chilli flakes, crisp onion and pistachio nuts
Served with warm traditional Greek village bread. Lots of creamy cheese enhanced by the green olives
and the crunch of the onion and nuts, scooped up with the toasted bread
Then a member of each club was able to tell us about his club. It was really fun to be able to chat to them all
Carignan My Wayward Son member Ryan de Metz from Pretoria was their spokesman
This was the third time they had reached the finals. The club meets to taste wine, local and overseas, over a meal
This year, it was tasted with a 6 hour roasted beef
DeVine Club, from Saldhana Bay, up our West Coast
Franz von Moltke and Marina were two of the six members of the family club
Frans told us the club had entered this competition for the last 18 years
They were finalists 5 years ago and they so enjoy doing it. Franz has a mussel and oyster farm
Lyttelton Wyngilde, from Pretoria
was represented by Thiens van der Walt and Kalise van der Walt, Krisjan Corf and Nikita McMillan
Thiens told us about the eight members who are family and friends
Ongava International Wine Tasters, Namibia
Ricardo Coelho and Cathrine Rütz represent the first club from Windhoek to enter. Ongava means Rhino
The club is 33 years old and is truly international, with members from Namibia, South Africa, Germany and Australia
Twenty members only, so they can do a one bottle tasting and meet once a month
It is an established wine club. Ricardo runs two businesses in Windhoek; one is a wine boutique
This was their first attempt
An enhanced Greek village salad served with the main course
Everyone received a very traditional plate with a Kleftiko lamb shank wrapped in paper
The Kleftiko lamb was perfectly cooked and fell off the bone. It was in a good rich sauce with the potatoes
Lots of textures and flavours and a perfect match for the winning Blaauwklippen magnum,
this year a blend of 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Malbec, 20% Cabernet Franc
It was one of the best competition entries we have tasted over the years
The Cabernet Franc takes centre stage on the nose despite being the smallest contributor
There is savouriness, pepper, perfume and then a hint of Malbec
Silky on the palate, full of dark berry fruit and alcohol, licorice, dark plum and black cherry
It earned an unexpected WOW from us
Nanette de Hart brought in the floating trophy
Guy announced the winner.... Carignan My Wayward Son
.... Nadine and Ryan de Metz of Carignan My Wayward Son, from Pretoria
The winning blend was 20% Cabernet Franc, 10% Clone 46 Cabernet Sauvignon,
36% Clone 169 Cabernet Sauvignon, and 40% Malbec
It was bottled by winemaker Narina Cloete under the Blaauwklippen label
and is available for sale online and at the Tasting House
Dark cassis, blueberry and floral violet notes lead the nose, with hints of dark chocolate and fruitcake spice beneath
The palate is rich in texture, with a creamy mid-palate and a flavourful, lingering finish carried by fine, expressive tannins
Desert was an almond and walnut topped Baklava and Vanilla Ice cream
It is a very good winning wine and the food was also much appreciated
Thank you Narina and Blaauwklippen. Perhaps we might enter next year ?????
All the stories we have produced since 2012
can be opened from the archive list near the top of the column on the right of this page
