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Top 100 SA Wines 2012 results

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in the news » Top 100 SA Wines 2012 results
published on: 20 April 2012      source: Top 100 SA Wines
 
The eagerly awaited winning wines from South Africa's Top 100 Wine Challenge were announced last night together with the launch of the new edition book Top 100 SA Wines and Wine Lists 2012.
The country’s greatest winemakers, vineyard representatives and owners, together with their partners, celebrated in customary style at Rodwell House in St. James, with a jazz band, canapés, awards ceremony and then the unveiling and tasting of the winning Top 100 wines.

As stated by Lynne Sherriff MW, Chairman, Masters of Wine Institute: “The decision to draw upon the experience and knowledge of internationally renowned Masters of Wine as judges is a clear commitment to rigour and quality.”

From overall entries of a little under 400 of South Africa’s best wines, the 100 winning wines included 4 MCC bubblies, 38 white wines, 51 red wines, 2 natural sweets and 4 port style wines.

Tim Atkin MW judging chairman quotes: “This is one of the best organised events I have been involved with, a first class affair. The quality of the wines entered this year made the judges' task exceptionally difficult. I am proud of the wines that came through the rigours of the judging process.”

Higgo Jacobs, tasting director, reflects: “The quality of entered wines was of the highest level. The Thursday shootout was between 60 possible worthy winners, to potentially join the already passed ‘definite’ wines in completing the Top 100 list. Starting at 8h00, marginal wines were retasted up to three times each (and a minimum of twice), by as many as three panels. By 16h00 it was not over. Compare that to last year’s half-day playoff. Without any doubt this was a remarkably difficult task.”

Gary Jordan of highly regarded Jordan Wine Estate notes: “We are delighted to top the charts this year with a total of five of our wines chosen as Top 100 winners. The investment in our vineyards and care and attention to both vineyard and cellar practices is clearly paying dividends when respected international judges award wines across our entire range. Two Best Value awards were a further endorsement.”

Dewaldt Heyns from acclaimed Saronsberg comments: “For us it’s always about quality. Top 100 SA Wines applies rigorous judging methodology and uses world class judges and this approach appeals to us. The recognition we have gained with four winning wines plus two Best Value awards this year is a fantastic endorsement of our terroir, our wine styles and of the efforts of the Saronsberg team in our relentless pursuit of quality.”

David Niewoudt from renowned Cederberg Private Cellar states: “The power of the Top 100 SA Wine brand and its global footprint appeals to our commitment and focus on effectively distributing our fine wines worldwide. With four winning wines this year, our vineyard sites and viticulture practices speak for themselves. We are thrilled that our wine quality is so consistently highly regarded by top international judges.”

Jasper Raats from top Longridge Wine Estate shares: “The team is ecstatic with receiving three Top 100 awards as well as two Best Value awards this year. This recognition endorses our top quality focus and is tremendous for our brand and consumer appeal. We are especially happy that our Chardonnay is a repeat winner! Top 100’s year-long promotion strategy is a unique and compelling feature that suits our market focus and is the reason we take part in it.”

Alvi’s Drift Private Cellar records: “The production team is over the moon regarding the results. Having three wines included in the Top 100 is a fantastic achievement of which we are all really proud. The bonus of also winning three Best Value awards proves that drinking great wines does not mean having to break the bank.”

Overall consistency standings for Top 100 winning vineyards over the 2011 and 2012 Challenges put Cederberg and Saronsberg as joint winners at nine wines each, Jordan with seven winning wines, followed by Oldenburg and Simonsig with five winning wines each.

A new feature this year was the introduction of innovative Best Value Awards. These were awarded to Top 100 winning wines with a typical retail price of = R120 for red wines and = R100 for white wines. There were a total of 29 Best Value awards granted, fantastic news for consumers in tough times.

Robin von Holdt adds: “It is both pleasing and encouraging to see our dynamic wine industry positively partnering with Top 100 SA Wines. We jointly seek to promote finest SA wines both in SA and abroad. Stalwarts such as Allée Bleue, Anwilka, Bon Courage, Boschendal, Bosman, Cape Point, Diemersdal, Groot Constantia, Hamilton Russell, Ken Forrester, Klein Constantia, La Motte, L’Avenir, Le Riche, Miles Mossop, Mulderbosch, Neethlingshof, Oldenburg, Overgaauw, Paul Cluver, Raats, Rickety Bridge, Rustenburg, Saxenburg, Simonsig, Starke Condé, Sumaridge, Teddy Hall, The Bernard Series, Tokara, Vondeling and many others, are indicative of the support that we so greatly value from our talented wine makers. New blood is always a profound and welcome measure. It is therefore both exciting and relevant to see the likes of Avontuur, Boplaas, Bredell’s, Calitzdorp, Dalla Cia, Doolhof, Driehoek, Eenzaamheid, Eikendal, Elgin Heights, Elgin Vintners, Ernie Els, Glenwood, Jean Daneel, Kanu, Landau, Lomond, Louis, Mount Sutherland, Nelson, Nitida, Rietvallei, Shannon, Swartland, The High Road, Tierhoek, Van Loveren, Vilafonté, Warwick, Wildekrans and others, stake their place in the sun with us too.”

Positive feedback from vineyards leaves the Top 100 team delighted with the success of the 2012 Challenge and the emerging power of their consumer friendly ‘demyth the bunk’ slogan. The brand is already recognised as a leading consumer label both in SA and abroad. It enjoys a massive Google rating, a high-growth digital footprint with tens of thousands of airwaves followers. This is all very good news for winning vineyards, as they engage in the battle to win and to grow their own recognition, distribution, sales and global market share.

The 2012 Top 100 SA Wines and Wine lists book is now available to purchase directly from winning vineyards, restaurants and from www.top100sawines.com. The book provides consistent, useful, accurate information on each winning wine and producer. Each winning wine is profiled on a two page spread with producer and wine details and also incisive comments from the judges and winemaker. The 287 pages also contain industry stats and information, feature articles, full colour maps and imagery. This year’s publication includes details on Top 100 restaurants wine-list winners, with contact details and QR links for easy booking.

Visitvineyards.com – wine magazine quotes: “An excellent introduction, thorough and rigorous, to the best wines in South Africa, and highly recommended at the price.”

Top 100 SA Wines is pleased to now offer Public Tasting Festivals of winning wines as follows:

Thursday 10th May at One&Only, VA Waterfront, CT. Doors open at 17h30
Thursday 17th May at Hyatt Regency in Rosebank, JHB. Doors open at 17h30

These offer the opportunity to taste the 100 winning wines in style and comfort with attendant wine makers. To purchase tickets visit www.webtickets.co.za Tickets are limited so do please book early.

Alphabetically listed Top 100 winning wines from the 2012 Challenge:

Allee Bleue Isabeau 2011
Allee Bleue Pinotage 2009
Alvi's Drift AD Chardonnay 2011
Alvi's Drift AD CVC 2011
Alvi's Drift Viognier 2011
Anwilka 2009
Avontuur Estate Dominion Royale Shiraz Reserve 2009
Bon Courage Cap Classique Jacques Bruere Brut Reserve 2007
Boplaas Cape Tawny Reserve Port 1997
Boplaas Cape Vintage Reserve Port 2009
Boschendal Grande Cuvee Brut 2007
Bosman Family Vineyards Erfenis 2010
Bosman Family Vineyards Optenhorst 2010
Calitzdorp Cellar Cape Ruby 2010
Calitzdorp Cellar Touriga Nacional 2010
Cape Point Sauvignon Blanc Reserve 2010
Capelands Estate Redstone 2010
Cederberg Cabernet Sauvignon 2009
Cederberg Five Generations Cabernet Sauvignon 2009
Cederberg Ghost Corner Sauvignon Blanc 2011
Cederberg Shiraz 2009
Christina van Loveren Shiraz 2010
Dalla Cia Giorgio 2007
Diemersdal MM Louw Sauvignon Blanc 2011
Doolhof Wine Estate Signature Malbec 2010
Driehoek Shiraz 2010
Eenzaamheid Chenin Blanc 2011
Eikendal Cabernet Sauvignon 2009
Elgin Heights Shiraz 2010
Elgin Vintners Shiraz 2008
Ernie Els Big Easy 2010
Ernie Els Proprietors Syrah 2010
Ernie Els Signature 2008
Glenwood Chardonnay Vigneron's Selection 2010
Groot Constantia Gouverneurs Reserve 2009
Groot Constantia Gouverneurs Reserve White 2010
Hamilton Russell Vineyards Chardonnay 2011
Hamilton Russell Vineyards Pinot Noir 2010
Jean Daneel Chenin Blanc 2010
Jordan Chardonnay 2010
Jordan Chenin Blanc 2011
Jordan Nine Yards Chardonnay 2010
Jordan The Outlier Sauvignon Blanc 2010
Jordan The Real McCoy Riesling 2010
JP Bredell Wines Bredell's Cape Vintage 2003
Kanu KCB Chenin Blanc 2009
Ken Forrester The FMC 2010
Klein Constantia Cabernet Sauvignon 2009
Klein Constantia Vin de Constance 2007
La Motte Pierneef Shiraz Viognier 2009
La Motte Shiraz 2009
Landau du Val Late Vintage Semillon Private Collection 2010
L'Avenir Grand Vin Pinotage 2009
Le Riche Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve 2009
Lisha Nelson Cabernet Franc 2008 2008
Lomond Pincushion Sauvignon Blanc 2010
Lomond Single Vineyard Conebush Syrah 2008
Lomond Single Vineyard Sugarbush 2010
Lomond Single Vineyards Pincushion 2011
Longridge Brut 2008
Longridge Chardonnay 2009
Longridge Merlot 2008
Louis Wines Louis 2008
Miles Mossop Max 2008
Mulderbosch Chardonnay Barrel Fermented 2008
Mulderbosch Chenin Blanc Steen op Hout 2010
Mvemve Raats De Compostella 2009
Neethlingshof The Owl Post Pinotage 2010
Nitida Club Select Sauvignon Blanc 2011
Oldenburg Vineyards Cabernet Franc 2009
Oldenburg Vineyards Chenin Blanc 2011
Overgaauw Tria Corda 2009
Paul Cluver Chardonnay 2010
Rickety Bridge The Foundation Stone 2010
Rietvallei Wine Estate Special Select Esteanna White 2011
Rustenberg Stellenbosch John X Merriman 2009
Saronsberg Provenance Rooi 2010
Saronsberg Provenance Shiraz 2010
Saronsberg Shiraz 2010
Saronsberg Viognier 2010
Saxenburg Private Collection Shiraz 2007
Shannon Vineyards "Sanctuary Peak" Sauvignon Blanc 2011
Simonsig Kaapse Vonkel 2007
Stark-Conde Three Pines Cabernet Sauvignon 2009
Sumaridge Chardonnay 2010
Super Single Vineyards Mount Sutherland Syrah 2009
Swartland Winery Bushvine Pinotage 2010
Swartland Winery Bushvine Shiraz 2010
Teddy Hall Dr Jan Cats Chenin Blanc Reserve 2010
Teddy Hall Hercules van Loon Cabernet Sauv Reserve 2008
The Bernard Series Old Vine Chenin Blanc 2010
The High Road Director's Reserve 2009
Tierhoek Straw Wine 2007
Tokara Directors Reserve Red 2008
Tokara Directors Reserve White 2010
Vilafonte Series M 2009
Vondeling Baldrick Shiraz 2011
Vondeling Sweet Carolyn 2007
Warwick Trilogy 2009
Wildekrans Osiris Chenin Blanc Barrel Selection 2010

Please click here to view images from the event.
 
 
Comments comments < hide 3 comments > COMMENTS add a comment
  SA TOP 10  - Die Wyn advokaat - 2012/04/23 03:45:10 PM
Wel, ek gaan nou 'n SA Top 10 Wyne begin, opgevolg deur 'n SA TOP 20 en dan laastens SA TOP 3000. By my laaste kompetisie kan almal 'n prys wen.

As daar net 400 wyne ingeskyf was was 25% van die wyne dus beloon met 'n TOP100 toekenning. As ons die aanname maak dat elke plaas wat ingeskryf het, gemiddeld 5 wyne ingeskryf het, is daar net 'n moontlike 80 plase wat inegeskryf het vir die kompetisie. 80 uit 'n 1000 wynkelders... dit is 8% van die wynbedryf wat ingeskryf het.... HOE KAN DIT DIE SA TOP 100 KOMPETISIE GENOEM WORD... ek is jammer. Hierdié kompetisie is VERREGAANDE en BELAGLIK.
  Misleading and Unfair  - david march - 2012/04/25 12:40:57 PM
I am worried that the consumer will see this as the best 100 SA wines - which it certainly isn't. Only 136 wineries of more than 550 and only 386 wines entered of more than 6500; that is just 6% of SA wines. How can this be a 'challlenge' when nearly 30% of the white wines entered are now the 'best in SA' when they form just 4% of the total possible ! I would love to know how many Ports were entered as 4 are now the best in SA ? To say that 51 red wines are the best when there were some 3000+ that were not judged is laughable.
Excuse me for being negative, but with an entry lower than last years and still a totally misrepresentative conclusion I agree that this is very misleading and must not be taken seriously. To say that this was 'eagerly awaited'....
  Completely misleading!  - John Lang - 2013/05/11 12:00:00 AM
I have just returned from 2 weeks sourcing wines in SA and I was very surprised when I bought the book and discovered what was in there! I found some truly stunning wines but none of them were in this book, yet some of the entries that are in are distinctly average! Sadly the 2013 edition of Platter has also lost it's way and is no longer reliable either. I met several winemakers and sommeliers who told me the fees to enter the Top 100 were prohibitive for small wineries so this has become a self promoting exercise for the wealthier wineries - exactly what happened with Decanter Magazine! These publishers need to realise that their books only have worth if they are truly impartial, and the Top 100 clearly isn't. It's a complete waste of money and I won't be buying next year's edition!

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