This year, the sixth annual Mutual & Federal Agri Wellington Wine Route “Quest for the Best†was celebrated with an awards luncheon at the prestigious Au’ de Hex Boutique Hotel in Wellington on Thursday 30 July.
What is Quest for the Best?
“Quest for the Best†is a competition initiated for Wellington by Wellington, celebrating the wine district’s quest to showcase the overall quality and diversity of the Wine of Origin Wellington.
Judging
Some 67 wines from 11 producers were judged during a blind tasting-session by a group of five top sommelier judges on 17 July.
Judges:
- Gregory Mutambe – head sommelier Twelve Apostles Hotel
- Kent Scheermeyer – hospitality consultant
- David Clarke – former chairman Australian Sommelier Association, Ex Animo Wine Logistics
- Joakim Blackadder – group sommelier at The Hoghouse Brewing Company
- Higgo Jacobs (convener) – sommelier and wine industry consultant
The 2015 Quest for the Best top 10 wines from Wellington are:
- Bosman Family Vineyards – Bosman Cabernet Sauvignon 2008
- D Retief & Seun – Welvanpas Pinotage 2012
- Diemersfontein Wines – Diemersfontein Reserve Collection Malbec 2013
- Diemersfontein Wines – Diemersfontein Summer’s Lease 2013
- Diemersfontein Wines – Diemersfontein Black Berry Cabernet Sauvignon 2013
- Dunstone Wines – Dunstone Shiraz 2013
- Wellington Wines – La Cave MCC 2011
- Wellington Wines – La Cave Cape Blend 2013
- Wellington Wines – La Cave Pinotage 2014
- Wellington Wines – La Cave Chenin Blanc 2014
The producer cellar, Wellington Wines did extremely well and boasts four wines amongst the top ten, followed by Diemersfontein with three. It is the second year in a row that the Dunstone Shiraz is also amongst the top ten.
“We are very proud and happy to see how this competition grows annually,†says Johan Fourie, chairperson of the Mutual & Federal Agri Wellington Wine Route.
“Quest for the Best plays a big role in our aim to create more public awareness of our area. The demarcation of Wellington’s different wine wards is almost complete; this will ensure more focus on area- specific- produced wines and will showcase Wellington’s unique terroir. Our technical team is busy collecting the information to strengthen our database; this will help us to further explore the unique qualities of our wines and market the product accordingly,†says Fourie.
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