Among those receiving a score of 90 or higher on the 100-point scale were
three pot-still brandies from the Van Ryn’s Brandy Cellar in Stellenbosch: the
Van Ryn’s Collectors Reserve 20 Year Old, the Fine Cask Reserve 15 Year Old and
the Distillers Reserve 12 Year Old. The other Gold Outstanding awards went to
the Oude Meester Souverein 18 Year Old and Reserve 12 Year Old, the Nederburg
Solera Potstilled (a three-year-old) and the Mellow-Wood and Commando blended
brandies.
Nine other brandies received Gold awards: Imoya, Mellow-Wood Five Year
Old, Van Ryn’s Vintage 10 Year Old, Richelieu Export Liqueur Brandy, Richelieu
Old Vintage Brandy 10 Year Old, Oude Meester Demant, Klipdrift Premium,
Collison’s White Gold Potstilled and Viceroy Five Year Old.
A further 10 Silver Outstanding and 3 Silver awards gave South African
brandy, with the third-highest number of entries (40) after Cognac (56) and
Armagnac and Calvados (47), a ‘high hit rate’, said the inimitable Dave Hughes.
A qualified distiller and local and international wine and spirit judge of
longstanding repute, Hughes is a regular taster at the IWSC. He was one of 17
expert brandy palates from around the world (including France, the UK, South
Africa, the USA, Germany, Italy and India) who served on two panels of at least
five judges ‘blind’ tasting this year’s more than 200 entries from all the
major brandy-producing countries over three days.
South Africa’s top achievers
were variously described as a ‘masterpiece of satisfaction’, ‘incredibly rich’,
‘satisfying and relaxing in a luxurious way’ and having ‘superb balance’.
Hughes has commented before that: “South Africa’s modern
brandies are notably fruity and elegant, a particular result of our sun-warmed
vines. What is emerging is that the international panels of judges,
predominantly leading UK and European (including Cognac) spirits buyers and
distillers, are enjoying this distinctive style.”
He points out that South African brandy makers have
become world experts on the effects of wood-ageing on fine wine spirit
following research by a local brandy master. “The change in style from the
traditionally heavily wooded cognac, which many countries are still trying to
copy, has come through better management of the ageing of the spirit in
carefully cured and select barrels.’
According to Christelle Reade-Jahn, director of
the South African Brandy Foundation, the local industry can be particularly
proud of the fact that South African brandies across the style spectrum –
blended, vintage and pot-stilled – are being acknowledged internationally for
their superior quality.
The South African Brandy Foundation:
Contact Christelle Reade-Jahn, Director or Danie
Pretorius, General Manager
Tel 021 809 7617 email info@sabrandy.co.za