Thursday, June 06, 2019

Western Cape tasting at The Taj for the 2019 South African Wine Tasting Champs

Once a year Jean Vincent Ridon, the Flying Sommelier and urban winemaker, holds the South African Wine Tasting Championships. The competition started in 2013. The mission of this show is "To find the best natural wine taster, across all South African communities, to educate and empower them, so they will fly the national colours high in the world competition." Last Saturday, it was the turn of professional and amateur wine tasters in the Western Cape to challenge themselves once more. It took place at the Taj Hotel during the day. The competition is also held in Durban - this was on the 11th of May - in Johannesburg on the 8th of June and again at the Cape Town Tops @Spar Wine Show on the 13th of July at Grand West. The winning team will represent South Africa at the World Blind Tasting Challenge, the Olympics of wine tasting, in France. The National Finals to select that team will be held on the 21st July 2019 at the Taj Cape Town
Checking in to take some photographs and taste some wine. We do not enter the competition, but love to see who is tasting
The Cape Town results from this tasting have already been announced and the following have qualified for the finals:
Samarie Smith
Gareth Robertson
Edwina Frantz
Matija Leskovic
Georgio Meletiou
Anita Streicher Nel (Captain of 2018 and before)
Anton Swarts (member of Team 2018 and before)
James Walls
For more details check out the web page of Wine.co.za, who are sponsors 
There were 152 visitors, with 112 taking the test
First you go to taste the wines from several wine farms - you need to taste them all. The wines in the competition are among these wines and you will later have to identify them in the competition room. The wines are not selected by the judges; they also have no idea which wines are to be tasted
Eben Bezuidenhoud had wines from Creation to taste
Joris van Almenkerk pours one of his wines for Fairview winemaker Stephanie Wiid
Some easy drinking sparkling wines from Spier - good palate refreshers
Abigail Mitton, Marketing Manager at The Winery of Good Hope, showed the Radford Dale wines
And there were wines from Spice Route
The tasters take this competition very seriously and put a lot of thought and memory into their efforts
Lynne with Fairview winemaker Stephanie Wiid and Black Pearl owner/winemaker Mary-Lou Nash CWM
Taking a selfie with Jean Vincent Ridon, who organises the tastings and is one of the judges
Jean Vincent Ridon
This is the room where the competition takes place. First you register, then taste 10 wines blind - 5 white wine and 5 red wines. You need to identify the wines and note down where they come from
Raymond Noppe CWM studying the questions. There are also some questions about wines and winemaking
Gareth Robertson - Sales and Marketing Manager, Anthonij Rupert Wines - with pen to hand
Lots of serious tasting and contemplation. It is very, very quiet in the room
Relaxing afterwards, Jacqueline Lahoud chats to another competitor about the tasting.
Joris talks to one of his previous interns
Enjoying the experience!
Can I remember what this was?
Posted by MENU at 5:35 pm 0 comments

Old Mutual Trophy Wine Show 2019 Awards luncheon at The Mount Nelson

This years Old Mutual Trophy Awards presentation was held on Tuesday, 4th June 2019 at the Mount Nelson Hotel. The results are now out and you can look at all of them on https://www.trophywineshow.co.za/2019-results/ . Fewer awards this year, but some great surprises and one rather well deserved and emotional trophy
The wines served at the function were the Silver medallists and we were welcomed with two MCCs: the very fine Noble Hill Blanc de Blanc and the Quoin Rock Black Series. We were pleased to see the sparkling wines being served in proper Riedel wine glasses, which allow a better appreciation of the wine, and not the narrow flutes, which fell out of favour internationally years ago

Crisp and sparkly deliciousness lined up on the bar
Getting our badges on entry
Francois Rautenbach of Singita, who was a judge again this year, and Jeremy Borg of Painted Wolf Wines in discussion
Michael Crossley, Michael Fridjhon and John Skotnes
A bunch of wine makers, each hopeful of a high award, and many did receive them
Canapés were served. Sago crackers with lamb kitfo (raw lamb) and Trout tartare on cauliflower latkes
Blaauwklippen winemaker Narina Cloete (who was one of the judges) and winemaker Cobus van Zyl of Neethlingshof
Lunch and the awards ceremony were held in the Planet Restaurant
The Trophies on display
Michael Fridjhon begins the formal part of the day
Ms Thobile Tshabalala, Head of Brand for Old Mutual and sponsors of the Old Mutual Trophy competition. She told us she has become a wine convert since she has been involved with the show. No longer does she drink Catembas - red wine and Cola - she now has a taste for fine wines. Old Mutual recognises the impact the wine industry has on our economy
The Gold Medal awards were presented and the recipients photographed with their certificates
The luncheon menu

The starter was delicious. A small, warm twice baked asparagus and cheddar cheese soufflé with a good sufficiency of tender dill cured sea trout, served with a horseradish cream and some spears of fresh asparagus with some salad leaves. There were good crisp rolls on the table to go with this
The main course was a tender grilled beef sirloin, with a mushroom wrapped oxtail sausage
- very flavourful on a cauliflower puree with baby rainbow carrots and tender young green beans
John's was served without the wrapping of mushrooms
JC Le Roux Winemaker Andiswa Mapheleba, who was at our table,
with the Old Mutual Trophy for Best Museum class Sparkling Wine: the 2011 Desiderius Pongràcz
Also at our table was winemaker Lutske Doubell of D'Aria who received the Trophy for Best Museum Class:
Sauvignon Blanc D'Aria The Songbird Sauvignon Blanc 2014 
Winemaker JD Rossouw of Wildeberg (previously Boutinot) received the Trophy for Best Semillon: Wildeberg White 2018
This is quite an award for a new farm in Franschhoek that is still planting its grapes. The wine was sourced from another Franschhoek estate. Definitely one to watch. He was also at our exciting table. We love to sit with winners!
And we also had with us Glen Carlou winemaker Johnnie Calitz, awarded a Gold Medal for his Glen Carlou 2017 Syrah 
Winemaker Mick Craven of Mulderbosch with Anthea Eedes, who presented him with the Harold Eedes Trophy for Best Chenin Blanc. Mulderbosch also won the Old Mutual International Judges’ Trophy and Old Mutual Trophy for Best White Wine Overall: Mulderbosch Single Vineyard Chenin Blanc Block 2017. Cellarmaster Adam Mason could not be present on the day, sadly
Dessert was a Green Apple Delice with layers of cake, cream, nuts, coconut and almond paste, a sliver of green Pistachio cake, and was topped with a Guava and Vanilla ice cream on apple. The very sweet dessert was accompanied by two classics, Miles Mossop's 2017 Kika and the KWV Classic Collection Cape Tawny Dessert Wine NV (this had some age!)
And then, after dessert, it was time for the final awards:
Old Mutual Trophy for Best White Wine Overall: Mulderbosch Single Vineyard Chenin Blanc Block 2017
and they also took the Old Mutual International Judges’ Trophy for the same wine
Old Mutual Trophy for Best Red Wine Overall: Kruger Family Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2017
Old Mutual Trophy for Discovery of the Show: Best Value Gold Medallist Bonnievale Barrel Select Cabernet Sauvignon 2015
Old Mutual Trophy for Most Successful Producer Overall: Painted Wolf Wines 
Michael Fridjhon with a delighted and rather emotional Jeremy Borg of Painted Wolf Wines with his Old Mutual International Judges’ Trophy for the Best Producer Overall. We also had a tear in our eye. This award has been long coming and is so deserved. Jeremy also received Trophies for his 94 point Painted Wolf Black Pack Mourvèdre 2017 and 94 point Painted Wolf Roussanne 2018. If you read our Feedback report, we mentioned that the judges had said there were both an excellent Mourvedre and a Roussanne that they had tasted; now we know that they came from - the same talented winemaker
All the proud Trophy winners - formal
and joyous!
And we didn't forget about the hard workers, to whom we say a sincere thank you for a very well organised event: Janice Fridjhon, Alex Mason Gordon, and out of picture Tarryn Vincent & Monica Mountjoy. Packing up to get ready for the Old Mutual Trophy Wine Show Public tasting to be held in Johannesburg next Wednesday at the Sandton Convention Centre and in Cape Town on the 20th of June at the CTICC. Tickets are available on WebTickets
The table seating plan
Posted by MENU at 4:38 pm 0 comments

Wine Concepts Chardonnay Pinot Noir Celebration at the Vineyard

We really enjoyed tasting some of the best Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs at Wine Concepts Chardonnay and Pinot Noir Celebration last Friday evening.  There is such a wide selection - and so many friends to chat to about their wine while tasting it
We made a good attempt and tasted as many as we could between 5 and 8 pm
Bevan Newton Johnson with John Collins who markets the wines for them
We think Bevan was surprised that we liked both wines so much
We bought some of the lovely Southend Chardonnay
The Family Vineyards might have to wait until we have another windfall, it's a little out of our price range
Natalie and Joris van Almenkerk were showing their lovely, crisp and limy 2017 Almenkerk Chardonnay from Elgin,
4 stars in Platter
Always a delight to see Kevin and Hanli Grant of Ataraxia. Tasting their layered and delicious 2017 Chardonnay and deep and complex Pinot Noir was a pleasure and Lynne was tempted to buy some of the Chardonnay. Kevin is a very talented winemaker indeed; he has made successful wines for many other farms and guided and tutored winemakers in the art of making fine wines
Winemaker/co-owner of The Fledge and Co, Leon Coetzee, chats to journalist Fiona MacDonald
His wife Margaux was at home with the new baby. He was showing their 2017 Katfis Pinot Noir and their 2016 Pinot Noir
Georgie Prout, Marketing Manager for Glen Carlou, chats to tasters at their counter
Cape Wine Master Jacqui Henderson, Sales Manager of Iona Wines, pouring a tasting of their 2017 Chardonnay
They also had their excellent 2017 Pinot Noir for tasting
We hope to visit the girls from Journey's End on the farm very soon
They were showing the  2017 Chardonnay, the 2017 Destination Chardonnay and the 2018 Haystack Chardonnay
From La Bri, the really good 2018 Chardonnay
And back on the Newton Johnson, stand a discussion with Sue Proudfoot of Wine Concepts Kloof St....
..."Yes" says Bevan, and "Yay" says Sue! (No idea what was going on, we guessed)
Jane Eedes with John Seccombe of Thorne & Daughters with their 2018 Pinot Noir. Love that Hokusai Wave t-shirt!
It was a very successful and enjoyable show. Thanks to all at Wine Concepts for making it happen
Posted by MENU at 11:24 am 0 comments
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