2016 Diners Club Winemaker of The Year Awards Dinner at La Residence, Franschhoek

Diners Club is the sponsor of this prestigious annual event and, each year, they set the categories of wine to be entered for the Young Winemaker of the Year and the Winemaker of the year. This year they asked for a red blend from the Young Wine Maker of the year (under 30 years of age) and a Chenin for the Winemaker of the Year. The gala dinner and awards ceremony was held again at La Residence in Franschhoek. It was a sparkling evening full of anticipation, joy and celebration

A golden plate of small canapés

We were welcomed with a glass of Colmant Brut Reserve MCC from Franschhoek

A band played soft music on the terrace

We take our seats in the long gallery

Jean-Pierre Rossouw, publisher of the Platter Wine Guide (owned by Diners Club) was the MC for the evening. He welcomed everyone and explained how the awards ceremony would proceed. This is the 36th year of the competition and the 16th year for the Young Winemaker of the year competition. It is a tradition to pair the winning wines with the food being served and, this year, the starter would be served with the red wine from the winner of the Young Winemaker Award and the main course with the Winemaker of the Year's Chenin. The Award wines are on sale now

The prizes are very generous indeed: The winning Winemaker receives R50 000, while the Young Winemaker receives R25 000. Both winemakers are awarded two return business class tickets on Delta Airlines to any wine producing region in the USA

There was a lovely moment when Lesego Chauke-Motshwane, Managing Director, Diners Club South Africa took the stage in her sparkling gown as they played the song Diamonds in the Sky. She took over her role only one month ago from Ebrahim Matthews. Diners has very strong links with the wine industry, as they sponsor many awards. She then announced that Philip Viljoen, the Young Winemaker of the Year 2015, would hand over the award to the 2016 winner

Head of Diners Club Card division told us who the finalists for Young Winemaker were and which wines they entered: Tamarin Turck-Nel, 2014 Cederberg Shiraz; Murray Barlow from Rustenberg in Stellenbosch: 2013 Rustenberg Buzzard Kloof Syrah, 2014 Rustenberg Buzzard Kloof Syrah and 2015 Rustenberg RM Nicholson red blend; Louis van der Riet from Calitzdorp: 2013 De Krans Cape Vintage Reserve; Petri de Beer: 2015 Credo Limited Release Grenache, from Welmoed Cellar, Stellenbosch

And the winner is: Murray Barlow with his Rustenberg RM Nicholson red blend of Shiraz, Merlot and Cabernet sauvignon. Murray was Young Winemaker of the Year in 2013 and was a finalist last year

Last year's winner, Philip Viljoen of Bon Courage, hands Murray the trophy to very loud applause

He was delighted with the award

The new generation is taking over. This talented young man was born into a family with a long history of winemaking, with the Barlows having owned Rustenberg in Stellenbosch since 1941. Growing up amongst the vineyards and in the cellar, Murray's passion for the farm and wine grew and he decided to pursue his studies with a view to joining the family business. After completing his undergraduate studies at Rhodes University, Murray completed the 2009 and 2010 vintages at Rustenberg before reading his Masters in Oenology at the University of Adelaide in Australia, where he graduated Cum Laude in 2011. He is now Cellar Master at Rustenberg and is still under 30

Murray spoke about the wine and the competition. We found the wine to be superb. It is full of expensive fresh oak incense notes with cassis and cherries in layers, cassis leaves and black pepper and chilli on the end. Sweet and sour fruit in abundance with mulberries, cherries and cassis. Lots of room to age and grow and it goes very well with food

The menu

The starter of tender Springbok Carpaccio with a smoked forest mushroom mousse, wild mushrooms, boysenberries, dried porcini mushroom and walnut crumble. They were, we think, trying to replicate their interpretation of the wine on the plate. Rather too generous with the cress salad and not enough springbok was the consensus on the table!

Time for the Winemaker of the year Award. Lesego Chauke-Motshwane with Johan Fourie, last year's winner, about to award the Trophy. The finalists were: Lizelle Gerber for 2016 Boschendal Rachelsfontein Chenin Blanc from Franschhoek; Pierre Wahl for 2014 Rijk's Private Cellar Chenin Blanc from Tulbagh; Jasper Raats for 2014 Longridge Chenin Blanc from Stellenbosch; Jacques Erasmus for 2016 Spier Ideology Chenin Blanc from Stellenbosch; and Tertius Boshoff for 2015 Stellenrust 51 Barrel Fermented Old Bushvine Chenin Blanc from Stellenbosch

And the winner is Pierre Wahl, for his 2014 Rijk's Private Cellar Chenin Blanc. Pierre was born in Port Elizabeth and then lived in Gauteng. He studied wine at Elsenberg College, and was the youngest in his class to take cellar technology. After graduating in 1995 he joined Neil Joubert in Paarl and in 1998 went to Moreson in Franschhoek where he gained much of his wine making experience and had a chance to travel the world of wine. In 2002 he took a leap of faith and went to work for Rijks Private Cellar in the then little recognised area of Tulbagh, which is now known as a quality wine area. Pierre has won many wine awards and has done a lot of consulting in the Tulbagh area. He went off to Northern Rhône in France for a harvest in 2007. Rijk's cellar is known for its world class, award winning Chenin Blanc, Pinotage and Shiraz

It was a very popular award, Pierre was given a standing ovation. This very humble winemaker spoke of his delight at winning and about his wines. The winning wine, his 2014 Rijk's Private Cellar Chenin Blanc, is a very worthy winner. It is a quite spectacular rendition of what South Africa can do with Chenin Blanc. It is barrel fermented. We found honeyed, buttery smoke on the nose and tongue tingling, luscious ripe fruit on the palate. Honey and lime, ripe lemons, winter melon, toasted muffins, and long flavours with a toasty end, the perfect food wine too. We loved it when we tasted it on the farm with Pierre earlier this year, when we found it rich and elegant and we are not at all surprised that it won

We drank the wine with our main course

This terrine was served as the vegetarian option

We had Pan seared, very fresh Franschhoek Trout, with a lovely lemongrass infused sweetcorn puree, asparagus spears, a chilli tuille, a coconut and lime sauce and rather strangely half a peach. It was a nice peach, but peach does not pair well with fish. With the wine yes

Diners Club MD Lesego Chauke-Motshwane with Young Winemaker of the year Murray Barlow and his wine. An autographed bottle was awarded to the best social media exponent of the evening

Beaming Young Winemaker of the Year, Murray Barlow, with Pierre Wahl, the Winemaker of the Year, and their trophies. Both are delighted with their prizes and are planning their trips to the USA wine areas

With dessert, a Dark Chocolate Delice with salted peanut caramel and a beetroot and Honeycomb ice cream, we had the unctuous, honey sweet Nederburg 2010 Noble Late Harvest Edelkeur

And then it was time to dance the night away. Ludwig Maske from La Cotte Wines in Franschhoek

Linda Coltart and Chef Margot Janse were enjoying themselves, as were we. Then it was time for carriages and our B&B in Paarl

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© John & Lynne Ford, Adamastor & Bacchus 2016

Hemel-en-Aarde Wines Classic Chardonnay Celebration

South African Chardonnay has been through ups and downs in popularity and quality over the last 20 years and, thankfully, now seems to be firmly entrenched as one of our best producing noble varieties, as long as wood is used judiciously. But is it better grown in some areas of the Cape than others? We were invited to this Celebration last weekend and certainly it does shine in the Hemel and Aarde Valley with quality, great purity of fruit and finesse. Regardless of which part of the valley it is grown in, it thrives and produces great wines if handled correctly and this the valley is doing

In need of a large venue, the Hemel-en-Aarde Wine Growers’ Association found one outside the valley in Voëlklip, a five star luxury property with plenty of space and a lovely site, The Thatch House. It is midway between Voëlklip at the end of Hermanus and Stanford, on the lagoon

There were two levels for the tasting. You could come along and picnic on the lawn and do an informal tasting of wine on the terrace, or you could do what we did, the formal guided tasting inside the hall, followed by lunch outside around the pool

Tables and chairs or blankets and cushions were provided. as well as umbrellas

The views from the lawn are lovely

A brisk wind, good for sailing, calmed down later in the day. The jetty got a little wet

Winemakers making sure their wines were on their stations for the informal tasting and picnic

Canapés on arrival for the guided tasting were pork and cape gooseberry sticks...

... and pear and blue cheese slices

Claudia 2010 MCC from Domaine des Dieux was the welcome bubbly

Nice generous glasses poured by Megan Parnell of Domaine des Dieux. Lynne chatting to Gordon Newton Johnson

We take our places for the guided tasting.  All the wines are from  the 2015 vintage, which is turning out to be a really great one, especially for white wines and Chardonnay.  It is difficult to express how good the tasting was without going into overdrive on adjectives. These wines will win awards and international recognition, some have already.  Seldom have we been privileged to taste such a great bouquet of clarity, quality and finessed Chardonnays from one area and been so impressed. Our average score for the 12 wines was 17.5 and there was one 19 and five 18s.  Hemel en Aarde surely can count itself as one of South Africa's major Chardonnay producing areas

The wines from the three wards: Hemel en Aarde Valley, Upper Hemel en Aarde Valley and Hemel en Aarde Ridge are incredibly good and are beginning to win major local and international awards. Several of the winemakers are members of the Cape Winemakers Guild

This is a list of scores awarded by Tim James MW, one of Britain's leading wine writers and judges on international wines, and Wine correspondent for the Observer

add @@@ from below here This was a box of one Chardonnay from each the 10 farms participating which was on a silent auction. Every bottle was signed by the winemaker. the proceeds of the auction will go to the Ellen Gordon Community school

Dieter Odendaal, Sales and marketing manager of Creation, starts the tasting

Chairman of the Hemel-en-Aarde Wine Growers’ Association, Peter Clarke, said: “The valley has the finest grapes, water, great soil, climate and big characters. It is wonderful the results the winemakers have been achieving. We must celebrate the achievements of the others as that brings us strength". He has great enjoyment interacting with them

Dr Winnie Bowman CWM said: "It is an exciting journey for Chardonnay, especially in 2015 which is a great vintage. South African Chardonnays are winning Trophies or high awards in international competitions, making sure SA wines are recognised in the wine world. 79 entries for Chardonnay in Platter this year 17 got 5 stars, four are from the valley. Kevin Grant from Ataraxia says that, formerly, Chardonnay was avoided. ABC (Anything But Chardonnay) was the buzz word, but now it stands for Absolutely Brilliant Chardonnay.

Anthony Hamilton Russell told us that this is the first time the valley has sat down together and tasted all the chardonnays. The three appellations have real and positive differences which are highly desirable and show expression of place

Gordon Newton Johnson introduced his Chardonnay

The packed hall

Four winemakers from the valley waiting to pour their wines: Emul Ross of Hamilton Russell, Reino Thiart of Bottega Family Wines, Gordon Newton Johnson and Hannes Storm

The tasting finished, we moved to the outside terrace for lunch

Natalie Opstaele of Almenkerk chats with Anne Wessels of Restless River

One the verandah, all the wines were available to taste. These ladies were showing the Bouchard Finlayson 2014 Missionvale Chardonnay

Nathalia Ventura with the Storm Chardonnay

The busy outside tables and the picnickers

Kevin Grant was abroad on business but his Ataraxia Chardonnay showed very well. This was a barrel sample of the unreleased 2016, hence the inexpensive screw top bottle

Extra food available for the picnickers

"I love my Granny!"

Chocolate anyone?

Creation wine being poured into the sensible glasses provided for the picnic. Stems don’t work on the lawn

Anne Wessels from Restless River showing their wine

Newton Johnson, poured for guests

Roberto Bottega from Whalehaven had their 1996 and 2016 Chardonnays to taste

The guided tasting and lunch wines

Good friends of ours, Dr Peter Roos and Michele Guttler were also having a great time

Our lunch menu. The food was made by Chefs Madre and Tullishe and paired with Chardonnay

Gordon Newton Johnson produced a huge rabbit out of his hat, a 5 litre jeroboam of Family Vineyards Chardonnay 2012, here being enjoyed by Deon Oliver and Kara Miller

Winemakers Gordon and Nadia Newton Johnson 

and that bottle, which was shared around all the tables, much enjoyed and yes, it was finished

The starter of mushrooms in aspic jelly and Banting seed crackers

John got the Banting crackers with cheese and olives instead

The main course of Geelbek (Cape Salmon). Never has Lynne enjoyed Cape Salmon this much, it was so moist and tender, it can be dry and rather gamey. It was in an absolutely superb saffron seafood sauce. The dish was topped with three arancini rice balls

Dessert was that "dropped on the floor" (their description) crème brulée with hazelnut brittle and berries. It was a bit curdled but tasted fine. Obviously difficult to transport? Ah deconstruction, when will it end?

Enjoying the day were Peter Finlayson of Bouchard Finlayson, Johnnie and Dr Winnie Bowman

We don't think anyone jumped in the pool. We left at 3.30. to reach our overnight destination in Paarl, shower and change and arrive at the Diners Club Winemaker of the Year function in Franschhoek at 6. It's a long way away. We were only 15 minutes late

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© John & Lynne Ford, Adamastor & Bacchus 2016