The first person to be interviewed (on video, for WINE magazine) after a blind tasting of Cape Winemakers Guild wines earlier this month, I decided on a leap of faith and singled out Adi Badenhorst’s Kalmoesfontein sticky as my highest scoring wine.

Adi Badenhorst, Pundit's Pick for the upcoming CWG Auction

Adi was also top scorer for Christian Eedes and second interviewee Christine Rudman singled him out for strong praise. Across the pond, Stephen Tanzer also loved it (91/100), while it was top wine for James Molesworth from Wine Spectator who noted

“Leading the way in 2010 is the A.A. Badenhorst Family Noble Late Harvest Kalmoesfontein Vol. 2 Cape Winemakers Guild Coastal Region 2008 (93, $NA/500ml), a stunning dessert wine from the same vintage as last year’s CWG bottling, but from a separate lot of botrytis-affected Sémillon. The wine shows gorgeous aromas and flavors, all while staying fresh and racy, despite obvious weight and power. While owner and winemaker Adi Badenhorst is just entering the U.S. market with his red and white Rhône blends, his late-harvest Sémillon is a rare treasure worth chasing after.”

Tim James played it safe and sat on the fence while the only taster who didn’t like the wine was Michael Fridjhon who called it “Overdone, funky, hollow in the middle, not enough fruit, spice, detail 83/100.” But with first places from Christian, Christine, James and I, Adi can safely be declared the Pundit’s Pick for the CWG Auction next weekend.