The wine scored 95 points and won the IWC’S hallmark of excellence in Chardonnay with the Varietal Trophy in the global competition.
The wine, that hails from the 3 blocks of Chardonnay that Lothian produces, was hand harvested at optimal ripeness. The precious elixir was crafted by Master of Wine, Richard Kershaw, who steers the production and has been instrumental in elevating the Elgin Valley for its high-quality production of Chardonnay.
The IWC, now in its 36th year, is widely regarded as the greatest acclaim one can achieve in the wine industry. Only a handful of South African producers won the rare prize, after many rounds of judging: alongside Lothian Vineyards were Paul Cluver, Bon Courage and Constantia Glen that received two trophies. Each medal-winning wine was blind-tasted on at least three separate occasions by at least 12 different judges including Masters of Wine. The accolade holds significant weight due to the wine being tasted blind and judges recognising the strength of the winning wines for their faithfulness to style, region and vintage.
Proprietor Gavin Wilson, notes of the wine, “It is by far the greatest expression of Chardonnay we have created to date. Our location in Elgin with vineyards that are very near to a lake with high mist creates a unique micro-climate. The wine expresses itself with an abundance of lemon, yellow grapefruit with sweet cream and hazelnut. Integrated toasty oak providing a rich body with long, mineral finish."