Bon Courage entered two wines which received national certificates, namely the Top Shiraz and Top Fortified Dessert Wine, while Steenberg also received two national certificates for the Top Red Blend and the Top Merlot. Bloemendal entered the Top Sauvignon Blanc and the same wine also received the highest score of all the wines entered.
Twelve wines originating from eight different winegrowing areas in the Cape winelands received national certificates. Only a certified Wine of Origin made from grapes from a specific ward (smaller area within a district), estate or single vineyard qualified for the competition.
Terroir is the international wine term for a specific winegrowing terrain. This competition is the first of its kind in South Africa and probably the first of its kind in the world.
The 2006 SA Terroir Wine Awards national certificates for the top wine of a specific cultivar were awarded to the Meerendal Pinotage 2004 (Durbanville), Hartenberg Cabernet Sauvignon 2003 (Stellenbosch/Bottelary), Koelfontein Chardonnay 2004 (Ceres), Hamilton Russell Pinot Noir 2004 (Walker Bay), Hildenbrand Chenin Blanc 2005 (Wellington), Bergsig Touriga Nacional 2005 (Breedekloof), Bloemendal Sauvignon Blanc 2005 (Durbanville), Steenberg Merlot 2004 (Constantia) and Bon Courage Shiraz Inkara 2004 (Robertson). The Steenberg Catharina 2003 (Constantia) received the national certificate for the Top Red Blend, the Bon Courage White Muscadel 2005 (Robertson) the national certificate for the Top Fortified Dessert Wine and the Lord Neethling Weisser Riesling Noble Late Harvest 2005 (Stellenbosch, Neethlingshof) the national certificate for the Top Natural Sweet Wine.
The 151 wines judged from all the prime winegrowing areas of South Africa truly portray the terroir where the vineyards are cultivated to produce the flagship and reserve range wines aimed at the premium and ultra premium markets.
Most entries were Shiraz wines (24), followed by red blends (23), Sauvignon Blanc (20), Pinotage (18), Chardonnay (15), Cabernet Sauvignon (13), Merlot (10), Chenin Blanc (7), fortified dessert wines (7) and natural sweet (4). Two Cap Classique, Colombar and Touriga Nacional wines were entered and one Gewürztraminer, Cape Riesling, Pinot Noir and white blend.
The three wines that received the highest average points out of all the wines entered were the Bloemendal Sauvignon Blanc, Avondrood Sauvignon Blanc 2006 (Goudini) and Steenberg Merlot 2004.
Although only one Pinot Noir and two Touriga Nacional wines were entered, national certificates were awarded to the Hamilton Russell Pinot Noir 2004 and Bergsig Touriga Nacional 2005 because the panel gave these wines very high quality ratings.
All the wines were tasted blind at Elsenburg Agricultural College and the panel consisted of connoisseurs who have many years of experience in tasting all the wines from all the districts. They are Charl Theron (wine tasting and wine lecturer, panel member of the Wine and Spirits Board), Christine Rudman (Cape Wine Master), Marilyn Cooper (Cape Wine Master), Pierre Marais (wine consultant, previously cellar master of the Bergkelder) and Clive Torr (Cape Wine Master and winemaker).
"It is very significant that most of the results emphasized the reputation of certain areas as a prime terrain for certain varieties. Good examples are the top Sauvignon Blanc coming from Durbanville, the top Cabernet Sauvignon from Stellenbosch, the top Merlot van Constantia, the top Pinot Noir from Walker Bay and the top Muscadel from Robertson.
"However, the Touriga Nacional from Breedekloof was quite a surprise. This is a traditionally Portuguese port cultivar and it now shines in the Breedekloof as an exceptional red wine. It is almost inspiring to see that nothing wil ever stagnate here in the Cape winelands and we can look forward to many new taste sensations," says wine journalist and project leader of the SA Terroir Wine Awards, Marius Labuschagne.
The first SA Terroir Wine Awards was made possible by the sponsorship of Novare, a young South African independent investment consulting firm. Fifty percent of Novare is owned by the Mvelaphanda Group Limited, established by Tokyo Sexwale in 1998, who also owns a wine farm in Franschhoek. The chairman and director of Novare and Chief Operating Officer of Mvelaphanda Group Limited, Dr. Jackie Mphafudi, and CEO of Novare, Johan Henn, handed over the national certificates at the awards function.
Meerendal - winemaker Karl Lambour and viticulturist Liza Goodwine; Hartenberg - winemaker Jaco van der Merwe and vineyard manager Wilhelm Joubert; Koelfontein - vineyard manager Zulch Conradie; Hamilton Russell Vineyards - viticulturist Johan Montgomery and winemaker Hannes Storm; Hildenbrand - winemaker and vineyard manager Renie Hildenbrand; Bergsig - winemaker Chris du Toit and vineyard farmer Plum Lategan; Bloemendal - winemaker and owner Jackie Coetzee, cellar manager Boetman Langeveldt; Steenberg - winemaker John Loubser and farm manager Johan de Swardt; Bon Courage - winemaker Jacques Bruwer and vineyard farmer and owner André Bruwer; Neethlingshof - winemaker De Wet Viljoen and viticulturist Eben Archer.
Caption for photograph
The first winners of national SA Terroir Wine Awards certificates. In front from left are Jaco van der Merwe (Hartenberg), Jacques Bruwer (Bon Courage), Reni Hildenbrand (Hildenbrand), Chris du Toit (Bergsig) and Zulch Conradie (Koelfontein). At the back John Loubser (Steenberg), De Wet Viljoen (Neethlingshof), Jackie Coetzee (Bloemendal), Hannes Storm (Hamilton Russell) and Karl Lambour (Meerendal).
Besides the national SA Terroir Wine Awards certificates, the top wines were also selected in the different categories identified for the Terroir Wine Awards.
The winning wines are:
Breedekloof District and Worcester District Terroir Awards
Top Sauvignon Blanc: Avondrood Sauvignon Blanc 2006
Top Chardonnay: Bergsig Chardonnay 2005
Top Pinotage: Slanghoek Pinotage 2004
Top Touriga Nacional: Bergsig Touriga Nacional 2005 (national certificate winner)
Top dessert wine: Bergsig Cape LBV 1997
Constantia Ward and Cape Point District Terroir Awards
Top red: Steenberg Merlot 2004 (national certificate winner)
Top white: Groot Constantia Chardonnay 2004
Durbanville Ward and Philadelphia Ward Terroir Awards
Top red: Meerendal Pinotage 2004 (national certificate winner)
Top white: Bloemendal Sauvignon Blanc 2005 (national certificate winner)
Olifantsrivier Region and Cederberg Ward Terroir Award
Top red: Richard Fryer Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot 2003
Paarl District Terroir Awards
Top Chenin Blanc: Hildenbrand Chenin Blanc 2005 (national certificate winner)
Top Sauvignon Blanc: Doolhof Sauvignon Blanc 2006
Top Cabernet Sauvignon: Seidelberg Rolands Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2003
Top Shiraz: Nelson Estate Shiraz 2002
Wellington Ward and Voor-Perdeberg Ward Terroir Awards
Top white: Doolhof Sauvignon Blanc 2006
Top red: Wamakersvallei La Cave Pinotage 2004
Robertson District and Swellendam District Terroir Awards
Top Sauvignon Blanc: Bon Courage Sauvignon Blanc 2006
Top Chardonnay: Rietvallei Chardonnay 2005
Top Shiraz: Bon Courage Inkara Shiraz 2004 (national certificate winner)
Top dessert wine: Bon Courage White Muscadel 2005 (national certificate winner)
Stellenbosch District Terroir Awards
Top Sauvignon Blanc: Uitkyk Reserve Sauvignon Blanc 2005
Top Chardonnay: Sterhuis Chardonnay 2005
Top Shiraz: Fort Simon Shiraz 2003
Top Cabernet Sauvignon: Hartenberg Cabernet Sauvignon 2003 (national certificate winner)
Top Pinotage: Hartenberg Pinotage 2003
Top red blend: Overgaauw Tria Corda 2004
Top dessert wine: Lord Neethling Weisser Riesling Noble Late Harvest 2005 (national certificate winner)
Jonkershoek Ward and Banghoek Ward Terroir Award
Top red: Rainbow's End Shiraz 2004
Simonsberg-Stellenbosch Ward Terroir Awards
Top red wine: Muratie Ansela 2003 and Le Bonheur Prima 2001
Top white wine: Uitkyk Reserve Sauvignon Blanc 2005
Bottelary Ward Terroir Awards
Top red: Fort Simon Shiraz 2003
Top white: Sterhuis Chardonnay 2005
Swartland District and Darling District Terroir Awards
Top white: Tukulu Chenin Blanc 2005
Top dessert wine: Allesverloren Port 2001
Tulbagh District and Ceres Ward Terroir Awards
Top red: Koelfontein Shiraz 2004
Top white: Koelfontein Chardonnay 2004 (national certificate winner)
Walker Bay District, Overberg Ward, Agulhas Ward and Kleinrivier Ward Terroir Awards
Top red: Hamilton Russell Pinot Noir 2004 (national certificate winner)
Top white: Raka Sauvignon Blanc 2006
Released by ML Communications. For more information or photographs, contact Marius Labuschagne at tel. 021 – 975 8166.