Tuesday, 29 August, 2017
Benguela Cove Lagoon Wine Estate
Success continued in the SA Young Wine Show’s national competition: two Benguela Cove wines were crowned with SA Champion status in their categories - winning the Frank Myburgh Trophy for the best Semillon and the SBW Trophy for a White Blend, a blend of Semillon/Sauvignon Blanc in a ceremony at Goudini Spa, Western Cape, on Friday 25th August.
Submissions for the awards are not the final bottled wines, but from tanks and barrels. The event gives winemakers the opportunity to measure their various wines, experimental styles and new varieties against their peers in the industry, says Penny Streeter, owner of Benguela Cove wine estate:
“This is the first vintage from our new winemaker Johann Fourie and follows major investment in the farm and a new winery. We now have full quality control at every step of the winemaking and production. The 16 awards are a huge accolade for our team; Benguela Cove is building a reputation for superb wine in South Africa, and increasingly in the UK and other export markets.”
The annual event started in 1833 and has more entries than any other wine competition in South Africa, say the organisers. There were 1,783 prospective stars of the 2017 vintage competing in the SA Young Wine Show, held at the Nederburg Auction Complex in Paarl (24 - 28 July), with some 120 judges on the various panels.
Benguela Cove won gold medals in five categories: for White blend - Semillon/Sauvignon Blanc - Chardonnay, Semillon, Petit Verdot and Shiraz.
The 200 hectare vineyard is noted for its position in the Walker Bay region, at the very edge of the Bot River Lagoon and Atlantic Ocean.
The special maritime conditions at the vineyard ensure a terroir that produces grapes of outstanding quality, says Fourie. The warm south-easterly sea breeze is chilled by the Benguela Current flowing up from Antarctica, which cools the grapes at night, irrigated by above-average rainfall.
Johann Fourie said: “Winning five Gold Medals which also included the Frank Myburgh Trophy for the South African Champion Semillon plus the SBW Trophy for South African Champion White Blend in our maiden vintage is an outstanding achievement. Given our state of the art winery facility and the estate’s amazing fruit source I always knew the property is capable of producing outstanding wine and we are very pleased that this has been recognised.
“We are very proud of the success we have achieved, especially considering that this was our maiden vintage in our newly built cellar. It was touch and go at times but the entire team has worked very hard.”
Enquiries: www.benguelacove.co.za - info@benguelacove.co.za
Address: Benguela Cove Lagoon Wine Estate, R43, Bot River Lagoon, Hermanus, 7201, South Africa.