2014 Muscadel Awards at Noop restaurant, Paarl

After The Eedes Cabernet event, we were off that evening to Paarl to the awards dinner for the top Muscadels. It was held at Noop restaurant which we must admit to having passed by for a few years and this was our first visit. We were suitably impressed with the food and the company was a lovely selection of people in the industry who make good Muscadels. There were five awards and we got to taste all of these wines, including a very exciting KWV 1968 Muscadel. And this wine and another featured again at the Old Mutual Trophy awards this week

Noop Restaurant is on Paarl Main Street, still the longest main street in the world

Their specials of the day menu

We meet everyone involved

And sip wicked muscadel cocktails with other media, Anel Grobler and Jan Laubscher of Spit or Swallow

Two sauvignons from Rooiberg and Badsberg were served at dinner

The red wines served

Master of Ceremonies, Lolly Louwrens, made a short introductory address

Steven Baard from Enartis SA, was the sponsor for the evening

The interesting menu

The starter was something South Africans hardly ever see – Abalone - as most of these are poached and sold in Asia. They used to be very prolific around our coast., now they are scarce and very expensive. This morsel was crisp and tender and nicely flavoured with lemon on a spoonful of risotto

We really really liked and enjoyed this cauliflower and Gorgonzola soup and hope to attempt our own soon. Great depth of flavour

We had the presentation of the awards between starter and main course

Master of Ceremonies, Lolly Louwrens, announcing the 6 awards 

Badsberg Cellar was crowned king of the Muscadel kingdom at the 12th annual 2014 Muskadel SA awards function, sponsored by Enartis SA and hosted on 22nd May at Noop Restaurant in Paarl. Out of 25 entries, the 2013 Badsberg Red Muscadel won the only platinum award. Here Henri Swiegers, Chairperson of Muskadel SA, presents the award to Willie Burger, cellar master at Badsberg Wine Cellar. 

KWV won gold with a very special entry - a 1968 White Muscadel Jerepigo. This aged wine was quite extraordinary in its power and intensity. With a huge balsamic nose, this wine lasts and lasts in the glass and on the palate. There are spicy hints of turmeric, rich prune tart and a toasty end. This wine also took the Trophy for the Best Museum Class Fortified Fine at the Old Mutual Trophy Awards this week. Here, winemaker Anneke du Plessis accepts the award

Orange River Cellars built on their 2013 Muskadel SA success by winning gold medal for their 2013 White Muscadel. They also won the Old Mutual Trophy trophy this week for the Best Fortified Red Muscadel. Other winners from the Breede River Valley are Nuy Cellar with two gold awards for their 2013 Rooi and 2013 Wit Muskadel, while Bon Courage won gold for their 2013 Red Muscadel.

Delightful Honey and Soy basted pork belly with an unusual curry flavour cashew nut cream and a tempura litchi. Very unusual treatment for this fruit, but most of us like it a lot

There were two main Courses – this was the second one. Deboned lamb neck with a rich jus mash and a muscadel jus

And dessert was a huge but classic Muscadel Malva pudding with crème anglaise and ice cream

After dinner we all had a chance to taste the winning Muscadels

The line up

The winners pose for a group shot
Back l to r: Henri Swiegers (Muskadel SA chairperson), Steven Baard (Sales Manager at Enartis SA)
Front: Willie Burger (Badsberg), Steven Smuts (Bon Courage), Stefan Steenkamp (Orange River Cellars), Anneke du Plessis (KWV), Christo Pienaar (Nuy), Charl Myburgh (Nuy)

 Lynne and Linley Schultz, Managing director of from Alvi’s Drift, taste through the prizewinning wines

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© John & Lynne Ford, Adamastor & Bacchus 2014