A particularly strong line up made for a hugely exciting National Wine Challenge this year. Organisers, stakeholders and judges were all well-pleased both with traction as well as wine quality. Winning wines faced tough challenges and they had to fight hard, given the generally high wine quality and overall a more sophisticated line up than previously. This builds a strong case, for wine lovers to now seek out these winning wines. A fine collection of ‘cream’ to be thoroughly enjoyed.
Vineyards with winning positions can now use these prestigious awards, to assist and endorse their own promotion and sales programmes. As a consequence, positioning their fine wines throughout 2023, well ahead of the pack.
Information will be provided on special awards (Consistency, Grand Cru Best in Class, as well as White, Red, Bubbly and Fortified/Sweet Wines of the Year) on Monday 5 June followed by Double Gold winners on Wednesday 7 June.
White wines
Overall, white wines gained a total of 27 podium wins. This result is very consistent with last year. Sauvignon Blanc ousted Chenin with 7 wins this year. Chenin scooped a total of 6 wins while Chardonnay managed a solid performance with 3 wins in all.
The category of ‘other white blends’ did rather well too with a total of 6 wins. Less common cultivars managed 6 wins in total with Riesling and Viognier each gaining two wins. Verdelho and Semillon managed a single win each.
Overall, the regions that produced most winning wines included Worcester and Paarl with 4 wins each and Stellenbosch, Robertson, Franschhoek and Breedekloof with 3 wins each.
The ‘Top 10’ highest scoring white wines overall, were 3 wins each for both Sauvignon Blanc and for Other White Blends. Chenin Blanc gained 2 wins while Riesling gained 1 win.
Regionally, for the ‘Top 9’ winning white wines, Stellenbosch gained 3 winning wines. With Robertson, Breedekloof, Constantia, Franschhoek, Worcester and Paarl each gaining single win.
Red wines
The red wine category again did very well indeed this year. A total of 62 winning wines found favour with judges and gained Top 100 podium positions. Shiraz took line honours with 14 wins, reversing the fortunes of Cabernet this year. This was followed by a stellar showing from Bordeaux Blends with 10 wins. Cabernet and Pinotage both managed 7 wins each. Other Red Cultivars scored 11 wins in total, with 3 wins for Cabernet Franc, 2 wins for Malbec plus single wins for Grenache, Petit Verdot, Petit Syrah, Mourvedre, Carignan and Bakleinblok. Other Red Blends gained 5 wins, Red Rhone Blends gained 4 wins and Pinot Noir gained 2 wins. Cape Blends and Merlot managed single wins each.
Overall, the regions that produced most winning wines included Stellenbosch with 15 wins, Paarl with 9 wins, Robertson, Wellington and Worcester each with 5 wins.
The ‘Top 10’ red wines included a strong showing from Shiraz and Bordeaux Blends each with 3 wins, followed by Cabernet Sauvignon with 2 wins. Single wins went to a Rhone Blend and to an Other Red Blend.
Regionally, for the Top 20 red wines, Stellenbosch dominated with 6 wins and Franschhoek right behind with 5 wins. Breedekloof & Robertson both gained 2 wins. Single wins were recorded by Elgin, Paarl, Constantia, Wellington and Worcester.
Rosé wines
Rose wins dropped down from last year, gaining a single award.
Cap Classique and sparkling wines
This was once again a successful year for MCC, matching last year with a total of nine wins. Again, only a single rosé gained a win with all other winners being Brut or Blanc de Blanc wines. Robertson region excelled with 5 wins, while Stellenbosch gained 2 wins and Franschoek gained 2 wins.
Natural sweet wines
This category managed a very credible performance, with victories awarded to 5 fine examples. Constantia, Elgin, Worcester Paarl regions all featured.
Fortified wines
Just a single Muscadel wine from Worcester gained a win.
Port-style wines
There were just two compelling wins in this category, a Vintage Reserve and a Cape Tawny both from the Calitzdorp region.
Vintages – white wines
For the broader white wine category including sweet and rosé wines, vintages 2017 and 2018 both enjoyed single wins, 2020 gained three wins while 2021 gained 11 wins. Vintage 2022 enjoyed 15 wins while 2023 enjoyed 2 wins.
Vintages – red wines
The red wine category, including Fortified and Port, enjoyed 3 wins from vintage 2022, 17 wins from 2021, 23 wins from vintage 2020, 10 wins from both 2019 and from 2018, plus a solitary win from vintage 2007. Much as for the white wines, cultivars for red wines were spread evenly throughout the vintages above, although Bordeaux Blends and Cabernet were well-represented within the older vintages.
Vintages – Cap Classique wines
Vintage 2018 tied with Vintage 2017 with 2 wins each. 2016 and 2014 each gained a single win. Non-Vintage bubblies gained 3 wins.
Scores and top wine quality
The winning wines, those that achieved Double Platinum/Top 100 status awards, earned scores of between 91/100 and 95/100. This is marginally lower than the score bands in the 2022 NWC event and also slightly lower than the average of the proceeding three years. Most of the winning wines gained scores between the bands of 91/100 to 93/100, with results spread fairly evenly. To be expected, a smaller number of wines gained 94/100 and 95/100.
The 2023 set of results reinforces the view that smaller incremental improvements are to be found across wine styles, cultivars and regions throughout the Western Cape. Perhaps expectedly so, given substantial improvements over the past decade which now leaves fine wine generally at a much more elevated level than was previously the case.
South African fine wine remains well-recognised after a decade of strong performance. It yields an enticing array of smart examples across most cultivars and blends, often at compellingly reasonable prices.
Highest 10 scores for white wines including Cap Classique, sweet and rosé
One Paarl Natural Sweet
Three Robertson Cap Classiques
One Robertson White Blend
One Stellenbosch Riesling
One Breedekloof Sauvignon Blanc
One Stellenbosch Cap Classique
One Franschhoek Cap Classique
One Stellenbosch Chenin Blanc
Highest 9 scores for red wines including fortified and port
One Breedekloof Shiraz
One Franschhoek Bordeaux Blend
One Stellenbosch Cabernet Sauvignon
One Franschhoek Shiraz
One Stellenbosch Bordeaux Blend
One Robertson Shiraz
One Stellenbosch Rhone Blend
One Constantia Red Blend
One Franschhoek Cabernet Sauvignon
Statistics and ratio of entries, to wins
Red wines accounted for 55% of total entries, a very small decrease on 2022. White wines again representing 30% of total entries identical to last year. Rosé wines accounted for just under 4%. MCC increased from 6% to 7.5% of total entries. The sweet/fortified/port category remained constant again at around 4% of entered wines.
Firstly, we look at the percentage of winners by category, against all wines entered: Around 9% of the high quality red wine entries gained Top 100 status this year, similar to 2022. White wine Top 100 winners enjoyed a winning ratio of approximately 3.8%, again similar to 2022. 1.4% of MCC’s entered, gained Top 100 status. 1.2% of Sweet, Fortified and Port wines were awarded Top 100 status.
Secondly, we looked at the winners by cultivar or blend, expressed as a percentage of entries for that cultivar or blend: 19% of Shiraz wines entered gained a Top 100 position. Merlot averaged 4%, Bordeaux Blends 20%, Pinotage 18% and Cabernet 13%. For white wines, 15% of the Sauvignon Blanc entered gained a Top 100 win. 5% of Chardonnay got through, while 12% of Chenin Blanc were winners, with the top performance coming from the category of Other White Blends which gained a 30% success ratio.
An interesting feature, then, that both the iconic and well established Bordeaux Blend category, as well as much loved and invested in Other White Blend category, both delivered the top ‘relative success’ performances!
Robin von Holdt reviews the 2023 National Wine Challenge, now in its 13th year:
We are delighted to present these excellent set of results for the 2023 NWC. These are simply fantastic wines! Thus, another fine cause to now celebrate. This leading wine event is now in its 13th successful year. As ever, the first in the calender to release key wine- performance results. Our gratitude and thanks run deep, given so many of SA’s both leading and emerging vineyards offering their positive and strong support. It is so exciting and rewarding to work with the talented individuals and teams who are at the forefront of our fantastic local wine industry.
The professional team applies a top ranked approach and standard to support and promote SA fine-wine through the National Wine Challenge. Wineries compete for the acclaimed array of prestigious awards. Public recognition of the top-level performances achieved by winners provides critical independent credibility. Advantageous commercial gains and brand enhancement opportunities are well entrenched. As is the positive industry recognition, acknowledgement and support for what the NWC delivers. Winning results directly influence decisions around listings, enhanced shelf space and crucially, additional sales.
Internationally, commentators and critics continue with their support of SA fine-wine. Quality is now a given. Worldwide, wine producing nations are also forging ahead with finer quality and good commentary. Battle lines are drawn but of course there never is an ultimate winner. Nonetheless there are a number of splendid reasons for which to be proud: Vineyard practices, more accurate planting, clonal selection, harvesting skills, all are much improved. In the cellar better hygiene factors, sensitive pressing and extraction, less oak and better barrel selection continue, adding positive differences. Altogether, these fine-tuning changes upgrade resultant fine wines. At its best, the hallmarks of fine wine offer a harmonious balance of elegance, structure and complexity. Our best wines do just that!
Tough economic times continue in much of the world right now and certainly this is the case in SA today. Our wine industry culture is resilient. It has to be! Out industries commitment to hard work and exceptionally long hours, often done so with enthusiasm and humour, are very much a part of ‘how we do things’. These underpin the fine, hard-earned, reputations of SA’s best wines.
Local fine wines can be talked up in all situations and at all opportunities alike. The 2023 Top 100 winning wines even more so. They deserve your full support and a place in your cellar too. Every last one of them is a remarkable, pedigreed, winner!
The strong set of results in 2023 showcase a diverse portfolio of fine SA wines. This is the toughest nut to crack, as winemakers will attest. It is very difficult to win a Top 100 podium award. This testing challenge does not change, with new vineyards and new wines again entered into the 2023 NWC for the first time. Altogether, this simply make it that much harder to achieve the recognition that this very special win commands.
The quality of judges and the performance of the panels, the judging disciplines and protocols, together with rigorous audit procedures, sets the standard that others follow. We offer our warm, grateful, thanks to all of our supporters. Special congratulations of course go to all 2023 winners.
Double Platinum winners 2023
The following vineyards were major winners in the 2023 National Wine Challenge/Top 100, each receiving a total of three or more Double Platinum awards:
Alvis Drift Private Cellar (8)
Fairview Wines (6)
Stellenbosch Vineyards (6)
DTK Wines (5)
Saronsberg Cellars (5)
Dornier Wines (4)
Paul Cluver Wines (4)
Rietvallei Wine Estate (4)
Van Loveren Family Vineyards (4)
Allee Bleue Wines (3)
Babylonstoren (3)
Graham Beck (3)
Groot Constantia (3)
La Motte (3)
Ridgeback Wines (3)
Vrede en Lust (3)
Six vineyards gained 2 victories each.
Twenty two vineyards gained 1 victory each.
Top 100/Double Platinum awarded wines
Here is the full list of the Double Platinum winning wines, listed alphabetically:
Akkerdal Semillon 2020
Allée Bleue L’Amour Toujours 2018
Allée Bleue Sauvignon Blanc (Darling) 2022
Allée Bleue Single Vineyard Syrah 2018
Alvi’s Drift Private Cellar Reserve CVC 2021
Alvi’s Drift Private Cellar Verreaux Pinotage 2020
Alvi’s Drift Private Cellar Reserve Sauvignon Blanc 2022
Alvi’s Drift Private Cellar Muscat Nectarinia 2017
Alvi’s Drift Private Cellar 221 Pinotage 2021
Alvi’s Drift Private Cellar Reserve Drift Fusion 2021
Alvi’s Drift Private Cellar Albertus Viljoen Chenin Blanc 2021
Alvi’s Drift Private Cellar 221 Chenin Blanc 2022
Babylonstoren Nebukadnesar 2020
Babylonstoren Sprankel 2017
Babylonstoren Cabernet Sauvignon 2021
Graham Beck Cuvée Clive 2017
Graham Beck Pinot Noir Rosé 2018
Graham Beck Blanc De Blancs 2018
Blaauwklippen De Blaauwe Klip 2018
Bon Courage Inkara Shiraz 2021
Bon Courage Jacques Bruere Brut Reserve 2014
Bonnievale Limited Release Cabernet Sauvignon 2021
Boplaas Cape Tawny Colheita 2007
Cape Wine Company Erasmus Family Reserve 2021
Cloof Wine Estate The Very Sexy Shiraz 2020
De Krans Cape Vintage Reserve 2020
De Krans Tritonia Verdelho 2021
De Wet Cellar White Muscadel 2021
De Wetshof Lilya Rosé 2023
Diemersfontein Cabernet Sauvignon 2020
Diemersfontein Carpe Diem Pinotage 2020
Doolhof Single Vineyard Pinotage 2020
Doolhof Single Vineyard Cabernet Franc 2020
Dornier Equanimity Cabernet Sauvignon 2019
Dornier Wines Cocoa Hill Ruby Red 2021
Dornier Cabernet / Merlot 2018
Dornier Malbec 2019
DTK WINES Land’s End Cape South Coast Shiraz 2020
DTK WINES Land’s End Cape South Coast Sauvignon Blanc 2022
DTK WINES Land’s End Cape Agulhas Syrah 2020
DTK WINES Du Toitskloof Old Vine Sauvignon Blanc 2022
DTK WINES Du Toitskloof Shiraz 2020
Fairview La Beryl Blanc 2022
Fairview Petite Sirah 2020
Fairview Primo Pinotage 2020
Fairview The Beacon Shiraz2018
Fairview Wines Spice Route Chakalaka 2019
Fairview Beryl Back 2022
Groot Constantia Lady Of Abundance 2020
Groot Constantia Grand Constance 2018
Groot Constantia Gouverneurs Reserve 2021
Holden Manz BIG G 2018
Jordan The Real McCoy Riesling 2022
Jordan Black Magic Merlot 2021
Ken Forrester Wines The FMC 2022
Koelenhof Winery Stellenbosch 1679 The Legacy 2020
Koelenhof Winery Stellenbosch 1679 Old Vine Pinotage 2021
La Motte Syrah 2019
La Motte Pierneef Syrah Viognier 2019
La Motte Cabernet Sauvignon 2020
Landskroon Paul de Villiers Reserve 2020
Leipzig Winery The Manor 2021
New Cape Wines Arendskloof Shiraz/Tannat 2021
Nicholson Smith Agencies Pandora’s Box The Persian Connection Shiraz NV
Oak Valley Groenlandberg Pinot Noir 2022
Opstal Wines Fairbridge Sauvignon Blanc 2023
Painted Wolf Wines Black Tip Mourvadre 2020
Painted Wolf Wines Darius Carignan 2021
Paul Cluver Seven Flags Pinot Noir 2018
Paul Cluver Noble Late Harvest 2021
Paul Cluver Seven Flags Chardonnay 2021
Paul Cluver Estate Chardonnay 2020
Paul Wallace Black Dog Malbec 2019
Paul Wallace The Nix Noble Late Harvest 2021
Raka Biography Shiraz 2020
Rickety Bridge Blanc de Blanc NV
Ridgeback Viognier 2022
Ridgeback Chenin Blanc 2021
Ridgeback Cabernet Sauvignon 2019
Rietvallei JMB Cabernet Franc2019
Rietvallei Esteanna Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc 2019
Rietvallei Shiraz 2019
Rietvallei JMB Chardonnay 2022
Saronsberg Sauvignon Blanc 2022
Saronsberg Viognier 2021Saronsberg Grenache 2020
Saronsberg Provenance Shiraz 2021
Saronsberg Full Circle 2021
Stellenbosch Vineyards Flagship Right Bank 2018
Stellenbosch Vineyards Credo SMV 2020
Stellenbosch Vineyards Credo Chenin Blanc 2021
Stellenbosch Vineyards Flagship Cabernet Franc 2018
Stellenbosch Vineyards Flagship Petit Verdot 2018
Stellenbosch Vineyards Credo Pinotage 2021
Stellenrust WinesStellenrust Shiraz 2022
Van Loveren Family Vineyards Retief Reserve Cape White 2021
Van Loveren Family Vineyards Christiena Trousseau Cap Classique Brut NV
Van Loveren Family Vineyards Christiena Trousseau Sauvignon Blanc 2022
Van Loveren Family Vineyards Zandvliet Estate Shiraz 2020
Villiera Tradition Brut NV
Villiera Monro Brut 2016
Vin de Classique International Vrede Vineyard Select Cabernet Sauvignon 2021
Vrede en Lust Boet Erasmus 2020
Vrede en Lust Early Mist Riesling 2022
Vrede en Lust Barrique 2020
Welbedacht Bakleiblok 2022
Wildekrans Wine Estate Chenin Blanc 2022
