Grande Provence delivered the Top Cabernet Sauvignon with the
Grande Provence Cabernet Sauvignon 2005 and the Top Chardonnay with the
Grande Provence Chardonnay 2006. Both these wines are certified as Wine of Origin from the Franschhoek ward. In addition, both wines were among those ranked highest by all the judges.
Nuy Wine Cellar has once again showed the high quality of South Africa's muscadel with the Nuy White Muscadel 2005, the Top Dessert Wine, while the dry Nuy Colombar 2008 was chosen as the Top Colombar. Both these wines originate from the Nuy ward in the Worcester district.
The Durbanville ward for the third consecutive year stood out as a prime wine growing area by delivering two or more national winning wines, the Meerendal Bin 159 Shiraz 2006 (Top Shiraz) and the De Grendel Merlot 2006 (Top Merlot). Both cellars previously entered national winners at this competition.
The Simonsberg/Paarl ward and the Elim ward (Cape Agulhas district) also were the source of two of the national winners, the Vrede and Lust Viognier 2008 (Top Viognier) and the Anura Malbec 2005 (Top Malbec) from Simonsberg/Paarl, and the David Nieuwoudt Ghost Corner Semillon 2007 (Top Semillon) and Strandveld Vineyards Adamastor 2007 (Top White Blend) from Elim.
Wine growing areas between Elim and Hermanus also produced two national winners, the Springfontein Jills Dune Chenin Blanc 2007 single vineyard wine (Top Chenin Blanc) and
Hermanuspietersfontein Swartskaap 2006 from the Sunday's Glen ward (Top Cabernet Franc).
The Wellington Ward for the second year, consecutively produced the Top Pinotage, again from Doolhof Estate, the Signatures of Doolhof Pinotage 2006, while Klein Constantia Estate also produced the Top Red Blend for the second year consecutively, the Klein Constantia Marlbrooke 2006 (Constantia ward).
The Top Sauvignon Blanc was awarded to the
Kumkani Lanner Hill Single Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc 2007 (Darling district) and the Top Sparkling Wine to the Hendrik Lodewyk Cap Classique, from Du Preez Estate in the Breedekloof. The award for the Top Natural Sweet Wine went to Neethlingshof Estate in Stellenbosch for the
Lord Neethling Weisser Riesling Noble Late Harvest 2006. Neethlingshof also entered the Top Natural Wine at the inaugural SA Terroir Wine Awards in 2006.
SA Terroir Wine Awards, with the cooperation of the Wine and Spirit Board, strictly apply the rule that only wines certified as single vineyard, estate or from a specific ward can participate.
"There are so many wine areas in the world and the Southern tip of Africa is one of the prime wine growing areas. The SA Terroir Wine Awards display the wines that are certified for specific areas within Africa's Cape Winelands - that is why we, as Mvelaphanda Group majority shareholders of Novare, are so proud of being a part of the most exclusive wine competition in the world," says Mr "Shakes" Matiwaza, Group Executive: Investments Mvelaphanda Group Ltd. Novare this year increased the sponsorship and has been active since the first competition in 2006 to promote it as something unique to South Africa.
"Since all the strict rules of producing vineyards within a quota system in certain areas were stopped many years ago, a lot of agricultural sites have come to fore as prime winegrowing areas. Good examples are Walker Bay and Elim next to the Atlantic Ocean. With a relatively short history of winegrowing the absolute top quality wines are already there. It must never stop, we must keep on discovering and show it to the world," says Marius Labuschagne, founder and project director of SA Terroir Wine Awards.
"Vintages and the availability of wines differ from year to year. At the 2008 SA Terroir Wine Awards we all agreed that Shiraz and Chardonnay were the two most competitive categories, many excellent wines were entered and it was not easy to select the winners," says Charl Theron, coordinator of the judging and convener of the panel.
Most entries were Shiraz (26) and red blends (26), followed by Sauvignon Blanc (24), Chardonnay (17) and Cabernet Sauvignon (12).
The judges were Charl Theron, Dave Hughes, David Biggs, Susan Wessels and Clive Torr.
SA Terroir Wine Awards National Certificate winners (followed by the category winners in all the districts/wards)
Top Cabernet Franc:
Hermanuspietersfontein Swartskaap 2006
Top Cabernet Sauvignon:
Grande Provence Cabernet Sauvignon 2005
Top Chardonnay:
Grande Provence Chardonnay 2006
Top Chenin Blanc: Springfontein Jills Dune Chenin Blanc 2007
Top Colombar: Nuy Colombar 2008
Top Dessert Wine: Nuy Wit Muskadel 2005
Top Malbec: Anura Malbec 2005
Top Merlot: De Grendel Merlot 2006
Top Natural Sweet Wine:
Lord Neethling Weisser Riesling Noble Late Harvest 2006
Top Pinotage: Signatures of Doolhof Pinotage 2006
Top Red Blend: Klein Constantia Marlbrook 2006
Top Sauvignon Blanc:
Kumkani Lanner Hill Single Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc 2007
Top Semillon: David Nieuwoudt Ghost Corner Semillon 2007
Top Shiraz: Meerendal Bin 159 Shiraz 2006
Top Sparkling Wine: Hendrik Lodewyk Cap Classique
Top Viognier: Vrede and Lust Viognier 2008
Top White Blend: Strandveld Vineyards Adamastor 2007
SA Terroir Wine Awards: Category Winners
(Categorised on the ground of the variety of wines and number of producers in neighbouring areas)
Robertson District and Swellendam District Terroir Awards
Top Chardonnay:
De Wetshof D'Honneur Chardonnay 2005
Top Colombar:
Bon Courage Andre Fame Colombar 2008
Top White Blend: McGregor Colombar/Chardonnay 2008
Breedekloof District and Worcester District Terroir Awards
Top Colombar: Nuy Colombar 2008
Top Chardonnay: Avondrood Chardonnay 2007
Top Sauvignon Blanc: Avondrood Sauvignon Blanc 2008
Top Merlot: Jasons Hill Merlot 2006
Top Pinotage: Bergsig Pinotage 2005
Top Grenache: Jasons Hill Grenache 2007
Top Barbera: Riverstone Family Reserve Barbera 2006
Top Dessert wine: Nuy Wit Muskadel 2005
Klein Karoo Region, Swartberg and Prins Albert Wards Terroir Awards
None
Constantia Ward and Cape Point District Terroir Awards
Top Red Wine: Klein Constantia Marlbrooke 2006
Top White Wine: Groot Constantia Gouverneurs Chardonnay 2007
Top Natural Sweet Wine: Klein Constantia Vin de Constance 2004
Durbanville Ward and Philadelphia Ward Terroir Awards
Top Red Wine: Meerendal Bin 159 Shiraz 2006
Top White Wine: De Grendel Winifred 2007
Paarl District Terroir Awards (including the wards below)
Top Chenin Blanc: Optenhorst Chenin Blanc 2007 (Bosman Family Vineyards)
Top Viognier: Vrede and Lust Viognier 2008
Top Chardonnay:
Grande Provence Chardonnay 2006
Top Red Blend:
Vrede en Lust Classic 2004
Top Merlot:
Noble Hill Merlot 2005
Top Malbec: Anura Malbec 2005
Top Shiraz: La Cave Shiraz 2005
Top Pinotage: Signatures of Doolhof Pinotage 2006
Top Cabernet Sauvignon:
Grande Provence Cabernet Sauvignon 2005
Top Rosé: Lisha Nelson Rosé 2008
Franschhoek Valley Ward and Simonsberg-Paarl Ward Terroir Awards
Top Red Wine:
Grande Provence Cabernet Sauvignon 2005
Top White Wine:
Grande Provence Chardonnay 2006
Wellington Ward and Voor-Paardeberg Ward Terroir Awards
Top Red Wine: Signatures of Doolhof Pinotage 2006
Top White Wine: Optenhorst Chenin Blanc 2007
Stellenbosch District Terroir Awards (including the wards below)
Top Chenin Blanc: Fort Simon Chenin Blanc 2007
Top Sauvignon Blanc: Goede Hoop Sauvignon Blanc 2007
Top Red Blend: Middelvlei Momberg 2005
Top Malbec: Morkel Malbec 2006
Top Shiraz: Fort Simon Shiraz 2005 and 2004
Top Natural Sweet Wine:
Lord Neethling Weisser Riesling Noble Late Harvest 2006
Jonkershoek Ward and Banghoek Ward Terroir Awards
None
Devon Valley, Papegaaiberg and Polkadraai Hills Ward Terroir Awards
None
Simonsberg-Stellenbosch Ward Terroir Awards
Top Red Wine: Knorhoek Reserve 2004
Bottelary Ward Terroir Awards
Top Red Wine: Morkel Petit Verdot 2005
Top White Wine: Goedehoop Sauvignon Blanc 2007
Swartland District and Darling District Terroir Awards
Top White Wine:
Kumkani Lanner Hill Single Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc 2007
Tulbagh District and Ceres Ward Terroir Awards
None
Olifants River Region and Cederberg Ward Terroir Awards
Top Red Wine: Cederberg Shiraz 2006
Walker Bay, Overberg, Cape Agulhas and Bot River Districts Terroir Awards
Top Red Wine:
Hermanuspietersfontein Swartskaap 2006
Top White Wine: Strandveld Vineyards Adamastor 2007
Caption for photograph:
The national winners of the 2008 SA Terroir Wine Awards celebrate their award winning wines.
Front from left are Liza Goodwin (Meerendal), Therese de Beer (Doolhof), Susan Wessels (Vrede en Lust), Christo Pienaar (Nuy), Hennie du Preez (Du Preez Estate) and Nicky Versfeld (Kumkani).
Middle from left are Bartho Eksteen (Hermanuspietersfontein), Christo Versfeld (Springfontein), Charles Hopkins (De Grendel). At the back from left are De Wet Viljoen (Neethlingshof), David Nieuwoudt, Conrad Vlok (Strandveld), Hennie Snyman (Grande Provence), Johnnie Calitz (Anura) and Adam Mason (Klein Constantia).