The 15th year of the Amorim Cap Classique
Challenge
The
awards ceremony for this prestigious competition, sponsored by Portuguese cork
producer Amorim, was held last Wednesday at the Twelve Apostles Hotel. There were
113 entries for the four categories: Blanc de Blancs, Rosé, Blended Brut and a
Museum Class for wines including and before the 2008 vintage. And there were a
few surprises this year. The labels usually at the top were not up there and
two producers both took home two top awards. The wines are tasted blind by a
panel of experienced judges and this year there was a change in judging
procedures in that categories were narrowed, with judging no longer being done
separately on vintage and non-vintage wines. And to promote inclusivity among
producers, entries were open to non-members of the Cap Classique Producers
Association. The winners are: Best Brut and Overall Winner: Anura Brut 2011;
Best Rosé: J.C. Le Roux Pinot Noir Rosé 2010; Best Blanc de Blanc: Colmant Brut
Chardonnay NV; Best Museum Class: J.C. Le Roux Scintilla Vintage Reserve 2008;
Frans Malan Legacy Award: John and Erica Platter
The 12 Apostles Hotel has become the home of this
award ceremony , now the second longest running competition for a single
category of wine. It is not difficult to see why, when celebrating MCC with this
wonderful view on such a beautiful day.
Taking our seats inside the conference venue
PRO for the Cap Classique Producers Association,
Emile Joubert, gets proceedings started
Joaquim Sá, Managing Director for Amorim South
Africa, told us that in 2015 MCC producers in SA sold 3,5m bottles in South
Africa, with another 2,5m being exported to Africa, Europe, the Far East and
America. 15 years ago local sales of MCC were just 700 000 bottles p.a. But
they must look to their laurels as there has been an explosion of sales of imported
Champagne in South Africa, which sold over 700 000 bottles last year and sales
seem to be growing by 20% per annum
We were poured some Colmant Brut Chardonnay MCC
non-vintage to accompany our starter. Our waiter Alfred Muswaka, who is
training as a sommelier, pours here for Fatima Oliveira and Marlize
Uys
Also at our table were Lucille Botha, Christian Eedes and Nicolas
Follet and, not in the picture, Heidi Duminy, Higgo Jacobs and JP Colmant
The astoundingly simple starter of Eggs on Toast; what an absolute hit. A sweet brioche toasted, buttered, covered with a very
fresh hen's egg cooked sous vide at 63⁰C, with pickled shimeji mushrooms, nicely
browned field mushrooms, crisp smoked bacon pieces (missing on my plate!)
covered in a potato and chive foam sauce and topped with a little truffle. OK,
not that simple, just delicious. The textures and flavours all went so well
together and with the crisp, rather French style Colmant Blanc de Blanc
Francois Jacques Malan of Simonsig. His Grandfather, Frans Malan, produced the first MCC
Next, head judge Alan Mullins told us that the
wines have improved year on year. He has judged since the start and this year
there were lots of smiles, as the judges were left bubbling with enthusiasm for
the quality and the consistency. The judges this year were: Allan Mullins
(Chair), Jeff Grier, Higgo Jacobs, Cathy Marston, Paul Gerber, Linley Schultz
and Heidi Duminy. Sandile Mkhwanazi joined the panel as associate judge. “In
previous years there has been a fair percentage of unacceptable Cap
Classiques”, says Mullins. “We found wines made with unripe grapes that were
distinctly green and acidic, others that had been released too early and lacked
flavour, and those that showed clumsy handling in the cellar. “But this year we
were overwhelmed with fresh, bright and well-made wines”. They tasted the wines
out of wine glasses rather than flutes as it shows the wine to better
advantage. There were not many double golds this year because of the high
quality of entries. They don't want ripe fruity flavours, just good acidity,
and no greenness. Crushing is important, blending very. The blenders of MCC are
the rock stars of this difficult art. Wines need to spend time on the lees for
richness, but the cost of the time on lees is also important and dosages are
vital as they bring balance to the wine
Alan gets a round of applause
Next we were served the JC Le Roux Scintilla
Vintage Reserve 2008 while we watched the awards being presented. JP Colmant
won the trophy for Best Blanc de Blancs with the Colmant Brut Chardonnay MCC
non-vintage. The panel especially found the Blanc de Blancs Class a big
improvement on previous years. “Wooding of the base wines was evident, but this
had been well judged and subtle. There was a move towards broader wines rather
than austere acidic examples”, Alan Mullins says. The House of JC le Roux, one
of South Africa’s premier Cap Classique producers, took two trophies, winning
the Rosé section with the JC le Roux Pinot Noir Rosé 2010 as well as the Museum
Class with the JC le Roux Scintilla Vintage Reserve 2008. Anura Vineyards won
the Best Blended Brut category and they were the overall winners
Jean Pierre Colmant brought his Trophy for the best
Blanc de Blancs to his place at our table
Lots of discussion about the awards at the tables
while we wait to be served the second course
The second course, smoked Hout Bay Hake with a pea
puree, spicy crisp chorizo, corn salad and a creme fraiche mousse. The fish on
our plates was pappy and completely tasteless, but we really liked the flavours
and textures of the rest of the dish, although calling the pea puree pannacotta
was a bit of a stretch. It was paired with the JC le Roux Scintilla Vintage
Reserve 2008, winner in the Museum class
Then for the main course of Barbequed Pork Belly
on an aubergine puree and a great Sherry Prune Jus, a burnt apple gel, pickled
Daikon and an interesting Bitterballen. A rich well flavoured dish, tender, if
a little fatty, pork with a lovely sauce, rich aubergine, the daikon made no
impact and the popcorn crackling underwhelmed
Served with the winning Brut, Anura
Vineyards’ MCC Brut 2011. This was a wine you either loved, or not. It is
complex
Elunda Basson, cellarmaster for J C le Roux
Joaquim Sá, managing director for Amorim South
Africa presents the top award, a handsome sword (useful for doing sabrage on
bubbly bottles) to outgoing Anura Cellarmaster Johnny Calitz
Tymen makes his speech of thanks
Once a year they present the special Frans Malan
Legacy Award to people in the industry for their past services. This year it
was presented by Francois Malan jointly to John and Erica Platter, who started the John Platter Wine Guide
in 1980. They sold the Guide a few years ago, and it is now owned by the John Platter
SA Wine Guide (Pty) Ltd and sponsored by Diners Club
Erica Platter, who edited the guide, made a very
amusing thank you speech about being regarded as the wife in support rather
than the equal partner she is. Lynne empathises
John Platter's killer remark in his speech was
that they really knew very little about wine, something most of us would
roundly contradict
Head Sommelier of the 12 Apostles Hotel Greg
Mutambe
The winners with their trophies pose with Joaquim
Sá, managing director for Amorim South Africa
Erica Platter with their award and Francois Malan
Francois Jacques Malan, John Platter, Erica Platter and
Dessert was a lovely mango mousse, a rich milk
chocolate Crémeux, a nice sharp contrasting kiwi sorbet and a coconut whipped
ganache, crisp and crumbly. Don't know who did the whipping? or why? It wasn't
bad. The hazelnut sponge looked like broken brown bread and didn't add much to
the dish
And finally with good black coffee, some Petit
Fours. Liked the little chocolate cups filled with a tea? flavoured cream
topped with mini Maltesers. Those caramel rice crispy bars were a bit soggy and
stuck to the teeth
© John & Lynne
Ford, Adamastor & Bacchus 2016
