Financial organisation Prescient
Limited is the new sponsor of these Chardonnay Awards run by Winemag.co.za.
They promise to be around for many years to come. 60 top Chardonnays are
invited to enter. This is not a top 10 competition, but a certificate is given
to every Chardonnay (29 of them) entered that scored 90 points & over (out
of 100). We were able to taste all the wines that scored over 92 at the awards
ceremony at Momo gallery in Buitengracht this week. There are some fire
crackers. Public tastings are to be held in Johannesburg on 4th November at
18h00 at the Radisson Blu Gautrain Hotel and in Cape Town on 11th November at
18h00 at the Radisson Blu Hotel. Waterfront Tickets cost R225 and are available
from Winemag.co.za.
To
quote Christian Eedes: "While other bigger tastings can have a useful
talent spotting function, the intention here is very much to do good by what
might be called the seeded players, the finite line-up in particular intended
to avoid the perils of palate fatigue. The judging panel was chaired by myself and
further consisted of two trusted colleagues, namely Roland Peens and James
Pietersen, both of Wine Cellar, a Cape Town firm which brokers and cellars fine
wine. We tasted blind, scoring done according to the 100-point system."
Lynne chatting to Mike Ratcliffe of
Warwick
Bubbly for the evening was the Graham
Beck Blanc de Blanc MCC
Some controversial art in the
cavernous and rather echoey gallery
Entertainment by a local band
Lots of discussion while waiting for
the award announcements
Christian Eedes with Lara Shargey and
Christian Coetzee of Uva Mira and a friend
Jacqueline Lahoud of Winemag.co.za
gets things underway
Taking notes on the winning formula
Craig Mockford, CEO of the Prescient unit
trust management company talks about their enthusiasm for the competition and
their love for wine
Two wine writers having fun: Anel
Grobler and Cathy Marston
Christian begins the announcements
Wines scoring 90 points: Ataraxia
2013; Bartinney 2014; Buitenverwachting 2014; DeMorgenzon Reserve 2014;
Mulderbosch 2014; Rustenberg Five Soldiers 2013
Wines scoring 91 points: Chamonix
2014; Iona Elgin 2014; Môreson Mercator Premium 2014; Radford Dale 2013;
Vriesenhof 2014; Warwick White Lady 2014
Wiines scoring 92 points: Julien
Schaal Evidence 2014; Hamilton Russell Vineyards 2014; Hartenberg 2013; Newton
Johnson Southend 2014; Oak Valley Elgin 2014; Tokara Reserve Collection
Stellenbosch 2014; Vergelegen Reserve 2014
Two wines scored 93 points: StellenRust Barrel
Fermented 2014 (Tertius Boshoff) ...
... and Uva Mira The Mira 2014 (Christiaan Coetzee)
And a remarkable 8 wines scored 94 points:
Eikendal 2014 (Nico Grobler)
Eikendal 2014 (Nico Grobler)
Groot Constantia 2014 (made by Boela Gerber)
KWV The Mentors 2013 (Kosie van der Merwe)
Paul Cluver Estate 2014 (Andries Burger)
and
Paul Cluver Seven Flags 2014
Paul Cluver Seven Flags 2014
Richard Kershaw Elgin Clonal Selection 2014
Sumaridge 2013 (Gavin Patterson)
Uva Mira The Single Tree 2014 (Christiaan Coetzee)
Many of these wines are Platter 4.5 or 5 star
Chardonnays
Canapés circulated after the awards while we tasted
the winning wines: Brie with figs, olives with blue cheese
Vegetable wraps
Smoked salmon & cream cheese on cucumber
Very special tempura jumbo prawns with chilli jam
Spanakopita and chicken kebabs
Chefs doing the Food were Executive Chef Robert
Heeger and Sous Chef Werner Reichert of Steenberg Golf & Residential Estate
©
John & Lynne Ford, Adamastor & Bacchus 2015
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