Gold for Groot Constantia Pinotage at IWC

The International Wine Challenge (IWC) is the worlds largest wine competition. For the 2007 competition, whose results were announced at the London International Wine trade fair this week, 9,358 wines from 35 different countries were tasted by 400 judges, who included 33 Masters of Wine.

Just 260 Gold medals were awarded (2.8% of total) and Groot Constantia 2005 was one of them and the only Pinotage with a Gold. I tasted it at the end of last year and wrote "There's a European feel to this wine, quite restrained with a good balance of red plum fruits and tannins and a very long finish. "

1,129 wines won Silver medals (12.1% of total), and included three Pinotages:-

Beyerskloof Reserve 2005
Morrison 'The Best' 2006
Simonsig Redhill 2005

'The Best' Pinotage is the label used in Morrison's UK supermarket chain for Bellevue Estate's Sizanani Pinotage -- see here.

Another 30 Pinotages gained Bronze and Commended awards, including one non-South African wine with a Bronze -- Fort Ross Pinotage 2003 from California.

The full awards can be seen at http://www.internationalwinechallenge.com/

Congratulations to them all

IWC 2004

South Africa won 10 Gold medals, 59 Silver, 141 Bronze and 249 Seals at the 2004 International Wine Challenge.

Pinotage got 3 Golds and 5 Silver medals (The other Golds went to Shiraz 3, Chenin Blanc 2, Chardonnay 2.)

The Gold medal winning Pinotages are

• Beyerskloof Reserve 2002
• Spier Private Collection 2002
• Spier Private Collection 2001

Silver medal winning Pinotages are

• Cape Province 2001
• Domaine Brahms 2003
• Stellenzicht Golden Triangle 2001
• Horse Mountain 2003
• Kaapzicht Estate Steytler 2001

Congratulations to them all.

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