When the Chardonnay du Monde International competition released results of their 2020 contest last week, Rietvallei’s Chardonnay from their Heritage Collection attracted Gold – the only South African wine to do so.
Five other Cape entries scored well, each garnering a Silver medal. Weltevrede Place of Rocks Chardonnay 2018 was included in this winning list.
As one of the most historic wine estates in the Robertson Wine Valley, Rietvallei’ s Chardonnays have been making local and international waves in recent years. Combining consistency with a range spanning unoaked, partly oaked and barrel-fermented wines, the valley terroir enables Winemaker, Kobus Burger, to craft the finest wines: These can range from flinty freshness to full-textured, intensely flavoured chardonnays that are both elegant and age worthy, guaranteeing products to please all palates.
The winning JMB Chardonnay 2019 is a single vineyard wine, produced from vines planted in 2004. It enjoyed special nurturing from pruning through to harvesting which was done by hand. Only free-run juice was taken to new 300 litre French oak barrels where natural wild yeast fermentation took place. After four weeks wine showing the most potential was left for a further eight months on the primary lees, after which the finest was selected for bottling.
Kobus Burger describes his chardonnay as being full-bodied and complex, with excellent fruit and wood integration. While the nose offers citrus and a little spice, the palate presents a fine spectrum of citrus flavours, subtly backed by oak and that delicious chardonnay cream offering a finishing touch. Firm acidity guarantees freshness and the complex whole makes for a lingering finish. Not surprising that the judges approved this youthful wine as one promising great potential.
Of his Place of Rocks Chardonnay, cellar master, Philip Jonker, remarks that he regards this contest as an important one, and that this medal confirms Weltevrede’s decision to keep their focus on this noble cultivar.
The 2020 Chardonnay du Monde saw 658 samples from 37 countries being tasted and scored. The competition was held at the Chateau des Ravatys in France’s Burgundy region, where half the judging panel came from outside France. Not only do organisers comply with international competition standards, but use scientific criteria for tasting and maintain strict quality standards, making this one of the most credible international contests.
After three days of judging 58 gold medals were awarded, followed by 160 silver. The five South African entries that were awarded silver were, along with Weltevrede, De Grendel Wines, Hartenberg Farm, DGB’s Bellingham and Glen Carlou Vineyards.
The other Chardonnays that made it to the Top 10 (which actually consists of 17 Chardonnays, as two or more shared equal scores) were entered from the Czech Republic, Hungary, France, Australia, Slovakia, Germany, Spain, Canada and the USA.