Judged blind by some of the most refined palates globally on a panel of Masters of Wine, Master Sommeliers and senior buyers, the third annual Global Pinot Noir Masters was presented by the pre-eminent European drinks trade publication, The Drinks Business to recognise and reward the finest Pinot Noirs in the world.
The award-winning 2013 Bouchard Finlayson Galpin Peak competed against 220 wines from 18 countries and was honoured to receive one of only 22 Gold medals this year, having moved up from Silver in 2015 to Gold this year, to once again proof its alluring ageing potential.
Esteemed winemaker and ‘Pinot Pioneer’ Peter Finlayson says he is gratified with the result, even more so considering that it was a close call for the 2013 vintage, after a particularly wet season had threatened to spoil the harvest. Finlayson admits that the wine, which as the 21st edition of Galpin Peak Pinot Noir of domain grapes from the Hemel-en-Aarde Valley vineyard, was indeed faced with ‘make or break’ weather conditions.
‘We are extremely proud of this award, not least because this alluring and capricious grape remains the ultimate tease in winemaking. Pinot Noir is often quoted as depicting little varietal character of its own, but rather expressing the terroir upon which it is grown – it hence carries the crown of being the most terroir expressive of all the grape varieties.’ He continues to say that ‘suitable habitats are scarce and selected terroir opportunities are few and far between. The Hemel-en-Aarde region where Bouchard Finlayson is situated has repeatedly proven itself as valuable terroir and has finally arrived as an internationally acknowledged micro-location for the production of the finest quality Pinot Noir.’
Bouchard Finlayson’s Galpin Peak Pinot Noir continuously garners awards. Platter’s Wine Guide 2016 gave the 2013 vintage a full five stars, while the South African Wine Index (SAWi) awarded the Galpin Peak Platinum status - the highest honour, in 2015. It also received the SAWi Top Cultivar Award that same year.