The Rickety Bridge Shiraz 2011 has been rated as one of Top 12 Shiraz’s in South Africa and The Foundation Stone Red 2012 as one of the Top 4 Shiraz based blends in South Africa. Rickety Bridge are the only winery in the country to win trophies in both categories.
SOUTH AFRICA’S TOP SHIRAZ WINES AND SHIRAZ BLENDS ANNOUNCED
The results of the 2014 Shiraz SA Wine Challenge, were announced at a luncheon held at the Vineyard Hotel in Newlands on Friday 20 June. The competition, presented by Shiraz SA, secured international sponsorship from the French cooperage company Tonnelerie Berthomieu Ermitage.
Berthomieu, represented in South Africa by Juvenal Cork SA, h…as been in stave production for four generations and is currently the largest producer of French oak staves with an annual production equivalent of 70 000 barrels.
It is the second year that Shiraz SA presents the competition after Wine Magazine discontinued their Shiraz Challenge a few years ago and this year the organizers decided to include a category for Shiraz blends. The decision to incorporate Shiraz blends was taken because of the enormous popularity these wines enjoy and also the vast number of blends available. “The main objective of Shiraz SA is to promote the image of South African Shiraz and it just made sense to enhance the variety’s blending potential,” said Edmund Terblanche, chairman of Shiraz SA.
A total of 191 wines were entered and evaluated over a period of 3 days by a panel of 7 knowledgeable Shiraz judges. Renowned auditing company Deloitte & Touche kept a watchful eye on the whole judging process.
Dr Andy Roediger, Cape Wine Master, acted as chairperson and convener of the judging panel. He was assisted by Richard Rowe, Australian winemaker and currently consulting winemaker and brand ambassador to KWV, Carl Schultz (Hartenberg), Niels Verburg (Luddite), Francois Naudé (Rhebokskloof) and Anthony de Jager (Fairview).
In general the judges felt that it was a strong range of Shiraz and Shiraz blends with the top wines showing finesse and concentration of flavor. And what must certainly be music to the ears of Shiraz producers is the fact that the panel considered a number of older wines to be brilliant.
Electricity was in the air when the 32 finalists, members of the media, fellow producers and other distinguished guests gathered to learn the names of the top-scoring wines and their producers:
