Events by Celia hosted the SA White Blends Challenge in Cape Town on Friday 22 July 2022.

The judging panel consisted of myself, Carrie Adams; Janine Van Zyl and Denzel Swarts.

The tasting was audited by Cecil Kilpin & Co.

The line up was impressive and promised a morning of happy tasting with a team very much in sync with each other.   An impressive array of blends offering a variety of cultivars.  The Rhone style blends delivered beautiful results as did a couple of the Sauvignon Blanc/Semillon blends.

The overall winner – Journeys End Brands’ Reign of Terroir 2019 proved an absolute stunner.  Unanimously the most delicious wine in a highly contested category.  On chatting to the winemaker I discovered that this blend of Viognier (38%),  Roussanne (31%) and Grenache Blanc (31%) forms  part of their Swartland project, originally initiated for an international customer but now available locally too.    The nose and first sip present as typical, pretty, perfumy, viognier followed by gorgeous layers of peach, nuts and honey redolent of really decent Roussanne.  Light, bright, natural  acidity merged with great balance leaves one  gagging for more – it really is a lovely wine.

Gold medalists that emerged :  Strandveld Adamastor 2020,  Bergsig Icarus White 2017, Haut Espoir Cloud Fall 2020, Groot Constantia Gouveneurs Reserve 2019,  Val du Carron Four White Legs 2022, The Fledge & Co Vagabond 2020,  Neethlingshof The Six Flowers 2022,  Jakkalsvlei River Cuvee 2022,  Highlands Road Sine Cera 2017 and Villiersdorp Since 1922 Mosko 2018

Check out eventsbycelia.com for full results and definitely make a plan to stock up on some of these medalists for the coming Spring – a burgeoning category in South Africa which we just happen to be handling extremely well by the looks of things.

Thanks to Celia and the judges for a fabulous morning of tasting

Carrie Adams (Chairperson)

WINNER

Journeys End Brands’ Reign of Terroir 2019

GOLD

Bergsig Icarus White 2017

Groot Constantia Gouveneurs Reserve 2019

Haut Espoir Cloud Fall 2020

Highlands Road Sine Cera 2017

Jakkalsvlei River Cuvée 2022

Neethlingshof The Six Flowers 2022

Strandveld Adamastor2020

The Fledge & Co Vagabond 2020

Val du Charron Fiur White Legs 2022

Villiersdorp Since 1922 Mosko 2018