Organised by Events by Celia, the judging of the White Blend and Niche Varieties Challenge took place on September 10th in Cape Town, by three experienced tasters, Cape Wine Masters Christine Rudman (as Chair) and Clive Torr, and Norma Ratcliffe, previously winemaker and co-owner of Warwick Wine Estate.
The tasting was in two parts, first the White Blends were judged, followed by the Niche single varieties, white and red. The tasters were told only what the blends or varieties were, without any vintage or origin information. Judging was according to the international 100-point system, and all wines were evaluated blind in the presence of an auditor. There was no discussion until after the tasting when overall impressions per category were called for.
There were 6 golds awarded, 90 points and above, in the Blend category, with Blake’s Tourmaline 2021 from the Swartland the clear winner. In a narrow score band, it was followed by Babylonstoren Candide 2023 from Simonsberg-Paarl, Leipzig White 2022 WO W Cape, The Fledge & Co’s Vagabond, also WO W Cape, Highlands Road Sine Cera 2017 WO Elgin and Neethlingshof’s The Six Flowers 2023 WO Stellenbosch. The panel was impressed with the creativity of the blends: Chenin, Chardonnay & Viognier for Blakes’s, while Chardonnay led the other 3, with the addition of Chenin plus Viognier for Leipsig; Viognier, Grenache Blanc, Verdelho & Chenin for Fledge, and Chenin, Semillon, Viognier and Roussanne for Babylonstoren, Sauvignon Blanc & Semillon for Highlands Road and Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc, Viognier with a small percentage of Gewurztraminer and Weisser Riesling in the Neethlingshof. The balance of the entries were Silver, scoring well above the 80 -89 margin at 85 – 89 points, reflecting the general quality of the wines submitted. The majority of the vintages stretched from 2019 to 2023, with a few older.
There were 4 golds amongst the Niche varieties, with a winning top score for the Boplaas’s Alvarinho 2023 from Calitzdorp. All these four reflect how far the wine industry has come in expanding its repertoire, in planting new varieties that have done well elsewhere in the world and have clearly proven adaptability to South African conditions. The other 3 golds, also in a narrow scoring margin, were Carmen Stevens’ Carmenere 2021 from Wellington; Lynx Grenache Noir 2020 from Franschhoek; and Anura Tempranillo 2020 from Simonsberg.
There were no bronze scores, the rest of the wines were all silver, falling well above the margin. Vintages stretched from 2019 to 2023, proof of how well these wines age.
WHITE BLENDS
WINNER
Blake’s Tourmaline 2021
GOLD
Babylonstoren Candide White Blend 2023
Leipzig White 2022
The Fledge & Co Vagabond 2021
Highlands Road Sine Cera 2017
Neethlingshof The Six Flowers 2023
SILVER
Boplaas Gamka Branca 2022
The Old Man’s Blend White 2023
Highlands Road Sine Cera 2018
Villiersdorp Slow van der Stel 2023
The Pledge Our Planet Organic Planet Wine 2021
Celestina Sauvginon Blanc Semillon 2021
Cap Vino 2022
16MILE Beach Swemgat 2023
Villiersdorp Since 1922 Mosko 2019
NICHE WINES
GOLD
Boplaas Alvarinho 2023
Carmen Stevens Carmenere 2021
Lynx Grenache 2020
Anura Tempranillo 2020
SILVER
Idiom Barbera 2019
Carmen Steven Petit Sirah 2021
The Fledge & Co Souzao 2022
De Krans Tritonia Verdelho 2022
The Fledge & Co Viognier 2022
The Fledge & Co Riesling 2022
Boplaas Tinta Barocca 2021
Idiom Grenache 2019
Morgenhof Pinot Gris 2023
Lynx Viognier 2021
Morgenhof Gewurztraminer 2023
Anura Pinot Grigio 2023
Boplaas Cape Portuguese Verdelho 2023
Idiom Zinfandel 2018
De Krans Touriga Nacional 2021
De Krans Tinta Roriz 2020
