Neethlingshof''s De Wet Viljoen in London to Accept Pinotage Trophy

Wednesday: To the City of London and the 600 year old Guildhall for the 2016 International Wine & Spirit Competition Awards.

De Wet Viljoen won the Abraham Perold Pinotage Trophy for his Neethlingshof ‘Owl Post’  2014, and Neethlingshof was also a finalist for the South African Wine Producer of the Year.

A week before the event De Wet still hadn’t received his visa so I was very pleasantly surprised when he rushed into the crypt of the Great Hall shortly before the Trophy presentation. His dinner jacket was soaking wet thanks to a heavy shower and he didn’t have a rain coat. In fact he didn’t have any clothes as his bag had been lost by the airline and he’d had to rent the dripping tuxedo he wore. 

De Wet Viljoen (right) accepts Pinotage Trophy from Peter May  representing The Pinotage Association in the presence of IWSC President Matteo Lunelli (left)

I represented the Pinotage Association, sponsors of the Trophy to  present it De Wet in the presence of IWSC President Matteo Lunelli.

After the Trophy presentation we went up to the great hall for dinner and more presentations. South African Wine Producer of the Year was awarded to Nederburg.

Congratulations to De Wet Viljoen and his team at Neethlingshof, and also Nederburg and the many South African medal winners.

Judges' comments on the Trophy winning 'Owl Post' 2014