Tuesday, June 04, 2024

The Trophy Wine Show Judges' Feedback Session at the Grande Roche

The Trophy Feedback session was held this year at Grande Roche, where it was held several years ago
Grande Roche has been through a renovation

This is where we hear a report back about the judges' findings after tasting the various categories of wines,
but we are given no information about the brands as they are all tasted blind

The dates of the two Trophy Public tastings have just been revealed and they are as follows:

Johannesburg - Wednesday 12 June
Venue:  Sandton Convention Centre (Bill Gallagher Room), Maude Street, Sandton
Time: 17:00 to 21:00 (No first entry after 20:30)

Tickets cost R295 each per single entry. Tickets are limited and include the sampling of all wines,
a delicious deli snack (value R100) and the tasting glass to take home
Discounts for Smart Shopper cardholders apply (two tickets for the price of one)

Buy tickets for the Johannesburg show via Webtickets

Cape Town - Wednesday 19 June
Venue: CTICC 2 (Hall 8), corner Heerengracht & Rua Bartholomeu Dias, Foreshore Cape Town
Time: 17:00 to 21:00 (No first entry after 20:30)

Tickets cost R250 each per single entry
Tickets are limited and include the sampling of all wines and the tasting glass to take home
Discounts for Smart Shopper cardholders apply (two tickets for the price of one). Light meals will be on sale

Buy tickets for the Cape Town show via Webtickets

Grapes surround the property

Nestled under the famous Paarl (pearl in Afrikaans) Rock, are some of the historic cottages which are part of the hotel

The Feedback session is held in their conference centre

A good Cap Classique always makes a good welcoming drink, no matter the hour

A smiling server pouring a glass. Sad that the hotel is still using flutes for Cap Classique and other bubblies
Riedel glasses are used for all the tastings in the competition

Judges Eben February and Gynore Hendricks

Lynne in conversation with two International judges, Lisa Feretti-Brown MW (USA) and Fongyee Walker MW

South African Judges

James Petersen, CEO of Wine Cellar Fine Wine Merchants in Cape Town,
a former wine buyer for The Vineyard Connection in Stellenbosch
Graduated with distinction at the Michael Fridjhon Wine Judging Academy in 2007
and attended the Advanced Wine Judging Academy in 2014
More than 18 years of judging experience at various wine competitions,
including panel chair for the Standard Bank Chenin Blanc Challenge, panellist for Winemag.co.za
and roving chair for Platter’s South African Wine Guide
First judged at The Trophy Wine Show in 2008 and on 10 occasions since

Eben February
National sales manager at the Great Heart Wine Company, Franschhoek,
with a career in the hospitality industry that began in 2012 as a wine tutor at Delaire Graff Estate in Stellenbosch
Holder of three Cape Wine Academy qualifications, including the Introduction into Wine, the Certificate Course
and Wines of the World
Manager of the Jordan Estate tasting room for seven years
before moving to Mullineux & Leeu Family Wines as manager of the wine studio from 2021 to 2023
Graduate of the Michael Fridjhon Wine Judging Academy in 2018, currently studying WSET Level 3
Associate judge at the Trophy Wine Show in 2018, 2022 and 2023

François Rautenbach
Wine and hospitality technical specialist for Agile Minds (Pty) Ltd,
erstwhile founding general manager of the Singita Premier Wine Direct programme for the wildlife conservation brand
Deeply invested in hospitality – having lived and worked in Africa, France, the UK and Australia
with emphasis on wine, food, service, brand and training excellence
Cape Wine Academy Diploma graduate
Distinction graduate of the Michael Fridjhon Wine Judging Academy in 2008
and attended the Michael Fridjhon Advanced Wine Judging Academy in 2014
Associate judge at The Trophy Wine Show in 2008, judge from 2011 to 2017 and 2019 to 2022

International Judges

 Fongyee Walker MW (China)
Co-founder (with Edward Ragg) of Dragon Phoenix Wine Consulting,
Beijing’s first and fully independent wine consulting and education service established in 2007
In 2016, she became the first resident of mainland China to achieve the Master of Wine qualification,
with her dissertation about winter vine burial practices in Hebei and Ningxia
She has delivered WSET and trade-targeted wine courses in Mandarin for such bodies as Wine Australia,
the Hawke’s Bay Wine Association, the Napa Valley Vintners,
and is responsible for wine courses specifically tailored to mainland Chinese students
The star of Wok ’n Wine, a popular internet-broadcast show about food and wine matching involving Chinese cuisines,
which has more than four million viewers, as well Carpe Vinum, featuring the wine regions of Italy, 
which has become one of the most-watched wine shows on video-sharing platforms such as China’s Billi-billi
Writer for Decanter Magazine, Wine Review, RVF China and Wine in China, as well as a columnist for Decanter China
As a wine judge, she has participated in numerous wine competitions including the International Wine Challenge (UK),
the Hong Kong International Wines and Spirits Competition, as well as the Royal Melbourne Wine Show,
the Trophy Wine Show (2014), the Qantas Western Australia Wine Show, AWOCA (Wines of Chile)
and the Hunter Valley Wine Show.

International Judge Claire Blackler MW (UK)
Head of ‘Claire Drinks’ in the UK,
a wine and spirits education and consultancy business,
having transitioned from a decade in pharmaceutical research
She provides WSET courses and tailored training globally, drawing from her extensive knowledge
gained initially through a simple love of wine and further developed through the Master of Wine program,
completing the qualification in 2021
Beyond education, a wine competition judge, providing sensory evaluation and copy writing services,
collaborating on events and marketing projects, compiling wine lists
and offering private cellar guidance

International Judge Lisa Feretti-Brown WM
and South African Judge Mandla Patson Mathonsi

Lisa Feretti-Brown WM
Born and raised in rural Maine, USA, she has since spent over 25 years in the wine industry,
living and working in London, Tokyo, Singapore, and now Napa, California
A Master of Wine since 2008, receiving the Madame Bollinger Medal for excellence in wine tasting
In the same year she began working for Robert M Parker Jr at The Wine Advocate,
initially reviewing Australian and New Zealand wines, becoming editor of the publication in 2013,
reviewing the wines of Bordeaux, the Napa Valley and Sonoma County
Lisa’s first book, Taste Like a Wine Critic: A Guide to Understanding Wine Quality, was published in 2015
In 2021, she left The Wine Advocate to become co-founder of The Wine Independent,
a fresh, new take on wine websites, focusing on storytelling and emotive photography
as much as expert wine reviews
First judged at The Trophy Wine Show in 2015

Madla Patson Mathonsi is National brand ambassador for Beck Family Estates –
The House of Graham Beck in Robertson and Steenberg Vineyards on the Constantia wine route
Recipient of the Eat Out Wine Service Award in 2014
Head sommelier at the DW11-13 restaurant in Johannesburg
and sales representative at the Reciprocal Wine Company from 2015 to 2018
Completed the Cape Wine Academy Certificate Course, WSET Levels 1, 2 and 3
A member of the Hugues Lepin Sommelier and Wine Academy
Graduate of the Michael Fridjhon Wine Judging Academy in 2016
Associate judge at The Trophy Wine Show from 2016 to 2018 and judge since 2019


South African Judges

Gynore Hendricks
Winemaker of the Great Heart Wine Company in Franschhoek, assistant winemaker at Mullineux Wines
Completed BAgric in Cellar Technology at Elsenburg in 2016
Participant in the Cape Winemakers Guild Protégé Programme from 2017 to 2019,
during which time she worked at Tokara and De Grendel as well as Mullineux Wines
Worked two harvests abroad (Burgundy and Napa Valley)
Distinction graduate of the Michael Fridjhon Wine Judging Academy
Associate judge at The Trophy Wine Show in 2021. Judge in 2022 and 2023

Heidi Duminy CWM
Cape Wine Master and principal of the Cape Wine Academy
Formerly communications manager for DGB, brand manager for Veuve Clicquot and Krug,
as well as trade marketing manager of the LVMH portfolio of Champagnes and spirits
Wine marketing specialist and group marketing manager for Meridian Holdings
Distinction graduate of the Michael Fridjhon Wine Judging Academy in 2011
and Advanced Wine Judging Academy attendee in 2014
Convener for the Amorim Cap Classique Challenge since 2017,
chair of the Diner’s Club Winemaker of the Year panel in 2020, and sparkling wine judge at the Veritas Awards since 2011
Associate judge at The Trophy Wine Show in 2012, 2014 and 2015, judge since 2016

Narina Cloete
Winemaker at Blaauwklippen Agricultural Estate, Stellenbosch
Honours BSc Agriculture (Oenology), cum laude graduate of Stellenbosch University
Completed harvests at Glen Carlou, Dornier, AA Badenhorst Family Wines and Stellenzicht
Joined Quoin Rock Winery in 2008 as assistant winemaker and was winemaker there from 2010 until 2014
Having served on the wine-judging panels of South Africa’s Young Wine Show, FNB Sauvignon Blanc Top 10,
Cape Vintners Classification, Blaauwklippen Blending Competition and Veritas Awards,
she has also judged in Spain at the Zarcillo International Wine Competition 2018
Distinction graduate of the Michael Fridjhon Wine Judging Academy in 2013
and attended the advanced Wine Judging Academy in 2014
Trophy Wine Show associate judge in 2013, 2014 and 2016, and judge from 2017 to 2021

Michael Fridjhon opened the session and asked for questions from the floor



To hear our recording of Michael's address, and the questions and answers please click here


Attending was a good spread of Media and Wine industry people including winemakers 

The mike was passed to the judge who led the tasting which was the subject of the question

Following the Feedback session, we ventured onto the terrace to taste some of the wines entered
There were some exceptionally good wines so the results are going to be very interesting this year

Salmon canapés topped with herb cottage cheese

Mini bao buns

Blinis with a savoury topping

Another served on a crisp cracker

All our stories can be seen in the Blog Archive near the top of the column on the right

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