The awards season is in full swing, and De Krans Wine Cellar in Calitzdorp is still bringing in the awards. This time a Gold medal for the De Krans Tritonia Calitzdorp Blend 2016 at the 2018 Six Nations Wine Challenge.
This unique competition focuses on showcasing the quality and diversity of new world wines. The other five countries are made up of Australia, New Zealand, Chile, Canada and the USA. Judges from each country select their respective country’s best wines to ultimately amount to 600 wines competing against each other. Each judge identifies 100 wines across 15 different categories (mainly divided according to cultivars) with a maximum of 10 entries per class/category.
According to the judging panel, the 2018 challenge shaped up as one of the strongest to date. Many of results were closer than ever before – a clear indication that the caliber of wines entering keeps improving and pushing the limits of excellence and that the Six Nations Wine Challenge is a unique benchmark in excellence for the six competing nations.
The award-winning wine is named after the beautiful Tritonia plant, with its colourful flowers, of which eight different species occur in the Klein Karoo, the most complex and species-rich arid area in the world. This red blend is made from a variety of Portuguese grapes, mainly Touriga Nacional and Tinta Roriz, with smaller quantities of Tinta Barocca, and Tinta Amarela. This wine effortlessly walks the tightrope between being full-bodied and intense, yet still rich and elegant, with savoury, spice and dark fruit notes. This wine pairs beautifully with venison, ostrich meat dishes, roasted leg of lamb, or beef fillet. This wine also got 93 points in the 2018 Tim Atkin SA Report last month. This flagship red blend is available from De Krans Wine Cellar at R170 per bottle.
With much attention gained for their consistent production of quality port-style wines and dessert wines, De Krans’ exceptional Portuguese red wines and delightful classical range have at times been overshadowed. With South Africans being loyal supporters of Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, the elegance, structure and superb ability of the De Krans Tritonia, will no doubt convert the traditional red wine enthusiast, which pairs beautifully with meat dishes (another South African favourite).
