For the fourth year, wine lovers, both amateurs and professionals, could challenge their palates and put their taste to the test.
The competition goal was to identify 10 wines served to the participants in an unmarked decanter. To mark point all had to identify the cultivar, the origin, the vintage and the winery of these anonymous wines.
A sighted wine tasting was organised beforehand so that almost 50 wines from the most exciting South African wineries could be enjoyed, and the selection of the secret wines was shortlisted from Joostenberg, Steenberg, Creation, Spioenkop, Cape Point Vineyards, Spice Route, Constantia Uitsig and Marianne Wine Estate.
The top tasters from Cape Town will face the best tasters from Gauteng on the 21st of August in the quest of a national title, and a seat in Team South Africa going to France on the 8th of October for the World Championship.
The 2016 Cape Town podium is the most feminine ever, showing clearly that a once male dominated field of expertise is now changing leadership. The Provincial champion, Mrs Stephanie Wiid achieved an impressive score of 85%, displaying an incredible palate memory. She has great hopes to snap the national title later in the month.
The best tasters list for 2016 shows a balanced mix of wine amateurs, former Team South Africa members such as Samarie Smith, Anita Streicher-Nel or Chris Groenewald and famous sommeliers like Marlvin Gwese or Joakim Hansi Blackadder.
The Top 15 tasters are:
Stephanie Wiid - 85%
Heidi Kritzinger - 80%
Samarie Smith - 70%
(They are making the first woman only podium in the history of the SAWTC)
Then in no specific order:
Kristen Duff
Gosia Podgorska
Chris Groenewald
Stefan Wiswedel
Anna Lisa Khomani
Francois Cillié
Samantha de Morney-Huyghes
Joakim Hansi Blackadder
Marlvin Gwese
Gavin Smith
Jeanri-Tine Van Zyl
Nicolo Pudel
Anita Streicher Nel
The wines served blind were:
Constantia Uitsig Unwooded Chardonnay 2014
Joostenberg Chenin Blanc 2015
Spice Route Terra de Bron Semillon 2014
Cape Point Isliedh 2014
Spioenkop Riesling 2015
Marianne Syrah 2008
Steenberg Syrah 2014
Steenberg Nebbiolo 2014
Joostenberg Syrah 2014
Creation Syrah/Grenache 2015
Thank you to the support of the Taj Hotel, Spiedel Wine Tanks and WINE.CO.ZA. The 2016 SAWTC in Cape Town was the largest ever, with 133 participants and around 200 visitors.
The Finals will take place at the TAJ Cape Town on the 21st of August, and will be using 12 international wines in the similar format as the world championship.
Good luck to all the participants.