For a remarkable second year in a row, the Boschendal Appellation Series Elgin Chardonnay 2016 was named not only the Best Elgin Chardonnay but also took home the trophy for being South Africa’s top Chardonnay at the International Wine Challenge (IWC).  So far it has been a stand-out year for Boschendal. Not only is the estate celebrating over 300 years of viti- and viniculture, but it’s also garnered a multitude of awards in 2018 – including an estimated 31 awards in May alone. As well as its IWC wins, Boschendal took home three golds, five silvers and 12 bronze awards at the 2018 Decanter World Wine Awards (DWWA), plus silver at the 2018 Syrah Du Monde awards.

Winemaker Lizelle Gerber says she was extremely pleased with the results, “There’s that special, moment when all the hard work pays off. The IWC, Decanter Awards and Syrah Du Monde play a significant role in benchmarking wines around the world and it is a real honour to be recognised by all three and a testament to the team’s winemaking abilities and hard work. I’m especially happy with the Elgin Chardonnay being named SA’s top Chardonnay for the second year in a row – it’s a huge success.”

Winemaker Lizelle Gerber

Gerber says that in terms of the Decanter Awards, she was particularly proud of three of Boschendal’s gold-winning wines: “I love the 1685 S&M for its spice and purity of fruit, the Elgin Chardonnay for its golden green hue and elegant sophistication, and the Black Angus for its exceptional depth and complexity. I was very pleased with their victory at the Decanter, which is known for the calibre of its panel and rigour of its judging process.”

Syrah Du Monde awards are also highly coveted, with 347 wines from all over the world competing for just 115 medals. Boschendal’s 1685 Shiraz 2016 scored an impressive 90 points out of 100, securing it a prestigious silver medal. It’s another one of Gerber’s favourite vintages, “24 countries took part in this year’s awards, which shows the burgeoning popularity of Syrah and Shiraz varietals. Our 1685 Shiraz is matured for 14 months which secures a highly complex, with dark berries and pepper spice on the nose and deep black fruit on the palate.”

Gerber concludes that with the weather cooling down, the 1685 is the perfect choice for winter – especially when paired with dishes like a hearty, slow-cooked beef or lamb stew or a Madagascan-peppercorn-crusted tuna steak.