Bouchard Finlayson Wines take Top Honours at 2013 SAWi Awards

Thursday, 12 December, 2013
Bouchard Finlayson
Bouchard Finlayson’s wines took the honours as ‘Top Winery of the Year’ at the 2013 South African Wine Index (SAWi) Awards, jointly with Cederberg Cellars.

Renowned winemaker Peter Finlayson of Bouchard Finlayson was also recognised as ‘Wine Legend of the Year’ during the gala event that took place at Grootbos Private Nature Reserve on 3 December 2013. SAWi stated that Finlayson received the award as his ‘contribution to the global profile of South African wines has made him a true pioneer in the South African Wine industry’.

Bouchard Finlayson scored nine major accolades in total, the second highest number of the night, in a performance that is considered a great achievement for a singular boutique winery. Victoria Tollman of Bouchard Finlayson is delighted with the awards: 'I am so proud of our wines and winemakers who make it possible for us to successfully sell all our vintages nationally and internationally every year.'

Bouchard Finlayson won a joint Top Cultivar Award with Hamilton Russell Vineyards for its Pinot noir, underscoring the fact yet again that the Hemel-en-Aarde Valley is the undisputed home of South Africa’s very best Pinot noirs. Platinum Awards - the highest accolade that may be achieved by any wine, were presented for Bouchard Finlayson’s Galpin Peak Pinot Noir; Tête de Cuvée Galpin Peak Pinot Noir; Hannibal Sangiovese Pinot Noir Blend; as well as the Kaaimansgat Crocodile’s Lair Chardonnay. Only wines with a score of 95+ (out of a possible 100) secure this highly prestigious award. The Bouchard Finlayson Walker Bay Missionvale Chardonnay meanwhile took home a Grand Gold Award (93 -94 points out of a possible 100).

Peter Finlayson says: ‘Following on from Bouchard Finlayson’s success as singular overall winner of the top winery SAWi Awards in both 2010 and 2011, we are very pleased with our performance this year. On a personal note it is a great honour to have been selected to join the august ranks of previous SAWi Wine Legend of the Year award winners Jan Boland Coetzee and Hempies du Toit.’

Now in its fourth year, the SAWi Awards have become known as a showcase of the best of the best of South African ‘classic wines’, acknowledging South African wine excellence. The strict SAWi wine judging methodology is based on the combined results a wine has achieved over a number of years, in any of 54 different multi-national wine competitions, with the quality adjudication taken over multi-vintages. Consistency in results, Top 10 mentions and trophies are also taken into account during these calculations.