No less than five of De Grendel Estate’s wines have been awarded gold, silver and bronze medals recently at CWSA, the biggest and most prestigious wine and spirits competition in China, held in Hongkong in August.

De Grendel Rubaiyat 2011 and De Grendel Pinot Noir 2012 won gold, De Grendel Koetshuis Sauvignon Blanc 2014 silver while De Grendel Merlot 2012 and De Grendel Shiraz 2012 took home bronze.

Elzette du Preez, De Grendel winemaker says, “This is the first time we entered the CWSA and all five wines submitted received awards. As the Chinese market is still very focused on red wines, we entered our full range of reds. Although white wine makes up only 10% of the Chinese market, we are happy that the Koetshuis Sauvignon Blanc won a silver medal.”

Competition was tough, with De Grendel holding its own against famous international brands including Australian labels Jacob’s Creek, Wolf Blass and Taylors; New Zealand’s Saint Clair Family Estate, Oyster Bay and Waipara Hills; France’s Châteaux de Lastours, Rémy Cointreau and Cave du Marmandais; Italy’s Citra Vini Consortium and China’s own Qingdao Great River Hill Winery.

The wines were tasted blind by 100 of Hong Kong and China’s top importers, distributors, sommeliers and hoteliers. “lt is crucial that the CWSA Judges are buyers based in China as they represent the market – especially as Asia becomes more significant in the world’s wine industry,” says Ms Guanpeng Yang of Shaw Family Vinters based in Tianjin, China.

China is rapidly growing as a wine-drinking country and is expected to import a further 50% more international wine in the next three years. “We only recently started exporting to China, so we are very proud of the accolades. De Grendel Rubaiyat, our flagship, is very popular with the Chinese who known good quality and are prepared to spend to get it.”

ABOUT DE GRENDEL WINES

De Grendel Rubaiyat 2011, a Bordeaux style wine, has a deep purple color with red hints. On the nose, a combination of black fruit, chocolate, light spices and vanilla. The palate is full, well balanced with a broad mid palate and lengthy finish.

De Grendel Pinot Noir 2012 exudes red cherries, blackberries and roasted nuts, with a velvet finish on palate.

Grendel Merlot 2012 is a full bodied wine with a combination of berries on the nose. Mulberry, raspberry and blackberry fruit accompanied by liquorice and mocha flavours that carry through on palate. Well supported by firm French oak tannins.

De Grendel Shiraz 2012 shows coriander, lavender, white pepper and some floral notes on the nose. This full structured wine is well supported by oak undertones and sweet ripe tannins. On the palate the wine finishes with a beautiful clove flavour.

De Grendel Koetshuis Sauvignon Blanc is stylistically different than our standard De Grendel Sauvignon Blanc in the sense that the wine leans more towards a fuller and richer style, with intense hints of gooseberries and asparagus on the nose and palate. Supported by a fresh acidity this wine is a full bodied white wine with a strong and long finish.

The full range of De Grendel wines are for sale on the De Grendel online store, at the De Grendel Tasting Room and speciality wine stores.