The 2012 Old Mutual Trophy Wine Show saw virtually the same number of entries as the 2011 event, but yielded a dramatically higher number of Gold and Silver medals. At the post-judging industry feed-back session, the regular panellists – as well as the overseas judges with prior experience of the competition – commented on the markedly better quality of the top wines in most of the classes. This is a clear indication of the ever-increasing number of fine wines available on the local market. In all, 42 Gold medals were awarded (compared with 25 in 2011) and of these, seven were from Museum Class entries (compared with five in 2011). Most of the major classes were represented among the Golds, though the absence of a Riesling among these top awards was a disappointment.
Chairman of the Judges & Master of ceremonies, Michael Fridjhon
Joy Khaole, Old Mutual’s Sponsorship Manager presented the AwardsFairbairn Capital Trophy for the Top Producer went to KWV SA. KWV's top results came from winning the Miele Trophy for Best Chardonnay, the Best White Wine Trophy, as well as the Trophy for the Best Museum Class Fortified. In addition KWV SA collected 10 Silver and 16 Bronze medals. It was collected by Richard Rowe and Johann Fourie
Eikendal earned second place, closely followed by Jordan Wine Estate and Vergelegen. Nico Grobler and Sjaak Nelson received the awards
Eikendal won the Old Mutual Trophy for the Best Red Wine, the Riedel Trophy for the Best Bordeaux-style Red Blend and a Gold Medal for its Chardonnay. Jordan won the American Express Trophy for the Best Cabernet Sauvignon and the Best Chenin Blanc Museum Class TrophyVergelegen swept up two Sauvignon Blanc Semillon Blend Trophies – one for the Museum Class
Grande Roche Trophy for the Best White Blend: Thelema's Sutherland Viognier Roussanne 2009, which received a Gold Medal at the 2011 Show. Received by Rudi Schultz
The Secret Cellar Sauvignon Blanc 2011 collected the Old Mutual Discovery of the Show award. The Trophy is awarded to the Gold Medallist whose final score – at the trophy judging – divided by its declared price on the entry form, yields the highest index (adjusted for category). In short, it is an award for the best value Gold Medal wine, and this year may indeed have yielded the best value index in the history of the show. It was received by Ultra wine selector, Mark Norrish
Tony Mossop Trophy for the Best Cape Port – which recognises the role played by the late Tony Mossop in developing the Cape Port industry – was awarded to Mike Neebe, a shareholder of the property formerly owned by Tony Mossop, for the Axe Hill Cape Vintage 2009
The Harold Eedes Trophy for the Show's Best Chenin Blanc, presented by Anthea Eedes, went to Tokara's Miles Mossop for the Tokara Chenin Blanc 2009. Like Tony Mossop, the late Harold Eedes was an iconic figure in the Cape wine industry – the founder of Wine Magazine and a driving force behind the improvement in wine quality which this year's Show results celebrate. It was received by viticulturalist Thys Lombard, Tokara marketing manager on Miles' behalf
The award of not one but two Gold medals in the Méthode Cap Classique category is a first in the history of the show. Geoff Grier received the Trophy for The Villiera Woolworths Vintage Reserve Brut 2007, and the Du Preez Estate’s Kobus vd Merwe received the other Gold for Hendrik Lodewyk MCC NV
Jeremy Borg's Painted Wolf Shiraz 2009 – winner of the British Airways Comair Trophy for the Show's best Shiraz (and one of only three Gold medals in the 136-wine strong Shiraz class) – comes with its own conservationist message.
Some of the money from every bottle he sells goes to an Endangered Wildlife Trust fund for Wild Dog research
The Old Mutual International Judges' Trophy – for the wine which, in the opinion of the three international judges, was the best wine at the trophy judging – was awarded to Charles Hopkins for the De Grendel Shiraz 2010. 
In theory, this wine will represent the Show’s top wine from an international perspective.
Charles Hopkins was elected chairperson of the South African National Wine Show Association (SANWSA) during the recent Annual General Meeting of the Association
Sine Qua Non: The show would not work without Alex Mason-Gordon and Outsorceress Janice Fridjhon
Lunch, prepared by Mount Nelson chef Rudi Liebenberg: Peppered duck breast, corn fried duck confit, duck giblet salad, sweet and sour pickled persimmonThe official photographer every year is Shawn Benjamin, who marshalls all the recipients and captures their images very efficiently and diplomatically.
Lamb loin with a soft butternut crust, BBQ Iamb neck, potato pave, spinach with sesame, Jerusalem artichoke purée
Almond cake, almond praline ice cream, vanilla pears
The official photographer every year is Shawn Benjamin who photographs the guests and all the winners very efficiently and diplomatically
Within the next two weeks, a series of tastings will be taken to six major centres countrywide including a Masterclass® in Windhoek. Wine lovers in Cape Town and Johannesburg will be able to taste 218 (141 in 2011) Trophy, Gold, Silver and some Museum Class medal winning wines at public tastings. Each show visitor will receive a copy of the Icons - which contains details of all the winning wines, together with vintage information, advice about wine service and chapters contributed by all three international judges. Icons will appear with next week’s issue of Financial Mail and with the July issue of WineLand.All these photographs are ©John Ford, Adamastor & Bacchus 2012
Filled rolls
on The Charcuterie table for the hungry wine-filled tasters
Neil Jewell
and assistant, from Bread and Wine on Moreson,
with their delicious charcuterie
