SA bags three trophies, 12 double-gold and 19 gold awards at new world wine challenge
· 7 min read
South African wine producers put in a remarkable performance in the Six Nations Wine Challenge 2018, winning three trophies, 12 double-gold and 19 gold awards.
The Six Nations Wine Challenge, which begun in 2003, judges wines from six New World nations – Australia, Canada, Chile, New Zealand, South Africa and United States of America. One influential wine judge from each country is invited to list their country’s top 100 wines covering 16 typical varietal classes. By invitation from the Challenge head office, wines are then shipped to a secret location in Sydney where judges convene for a week in August to judge wines blind by numbers. When the judges left to go home they were unaware of the winners until yesterday (17 October 2018).
In the overall winners category, Elgin’s Paul Wallace Wines was the only South African producer to receive a double gold award for its Black Dog Malbec 2015. Kaapzicht’s Bush Vine Cinsaut 2017, Kanonkop Estate’s Pinotage 2015 and Stellenrust Old Bush Vine Cinsaut 2016 all received Judges Selection.
But it was Morgenster Estate’s Reserve 2014 (Bordeaux Blends), Nederburg’s Private Bin S316 Noble Late Harvest Weisser Riesling 2004 (Dessert Wine) and Stellenrust’s 52 Barrel Fermented Chenin Blanc 2016 (Other Wines - Non-Aromatic) that took top honours by each receiving a trophy award in their respective wine style class.
The Double Gold winners were: Tokara Directors Reserve 2014, Vilafonte Series C 2015 (Bordeaux Blends); Nederburg’s Private Bin Eminence Noble Late Harvest Muscadel 2012 (Dessert Wine); Overhex Survivor Sauvignon Blanc 2017 (Sauvignon Blanc); Delaire Graff Estate Swartland Reserve Chenin Blanc 2016, Perdeberg The Dry Land Collection Courageous Barrel Fermented Chenin Blanc 2016, Spier’s 21 Gables Chenin Blanc 2016 (Other Whites - Non-Aromatic); Cederberg Private Cellar Five Generations Cabernet Sauvignon 2016, Kanonkop Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 2013 and Uva Mira Mountain Vineyard The Dance Cabernet Franc 2015 (Cabernet Sauvignon); Graham Beck Wines Cuvée Clive MCC CH PN 2012 (sparkling),
Meerlust’s Rubicon 2015 won gold in the Bordeaux Blend class while De Krans’s Tritonia Calitzdorp Blend 2016, Eikendal’s Charisma 2016 and Saronsberg’s Full Circle 2016 each palmed a gold award in the Red Blend class.
Other notable gold award winners were: Glenelly Estate Reserve Chardonnay 2016, Newton Johnson Family Vineyards Chardonnay 2017, Paul Cluver Seven Flags Chardonnay 2017 (Chardonnay); Backsberg Family Reserve 2017, Vondeling Babiana 2017 (White Blends); Bouchard Finlayson Tete de Cuvee Pinot Noir 2013, Newton Johnson Family Vineyards Pinot Noir 2017 (Pinot Noir); Shannon Vineyards Mount Bullet Merlot 2015 (Merlot & Carmenere); Cederberg Private Cellar Shiraz 2016 (Shiraz/Syrah); Nederburg II Centuries Cab Sauv 2013, Rustenburg Peter Barlow Cab Sauv 2015, Raats Family Wines Cab Franc 2015 (Cabernet Sauvignon); Boschendal Jean de Long Blanc de Blancs Presige Cuvee MCC CH 2008, Laborie Blanc de Blancs MCC CH 2011 (sparkling).
Full South African Results:
SA JS Kaapzicht Bush Vine Cinsaut 2017
SA JS Kanonkop Estate Pinotage 2015
SA DG Paul Wallace Wines Black Dog Malbec 2015
SA JS Stellenrust Old Bush Vine Cinsaut 2016
BORDEAUX BLENDS
SA JS Diemersdal Estate Private Collection CS MER PV CF MAL 2016
SA JS Ernie Els Signature Blend CS MER PV MAL 2014
SA G Meerlust Rubicon CS MER CF PV 2015
SA T Morgenster Estate Reserve CS MER CF PV 2014
SA JS Raats Family Wines Mvemve Raats de Compostella CF CS MER PV MAL 2015
SA JS Starke-Conde Oude Nektar CS PV MER 2014
SA DG Tokara Directors Reserve CS MER PV CF 2014
SA RUDG Uva Mira Mountain Vineyards O.T.V. CF CS 2015
SA DG Vilafonte Series C CS MER CF MAL 2015
RED BLENDS
SA JS Bouchard Finlayson Hannibal SAN PN NEB SHZ BAR MOUR 2015
SA G De Krans Tritonia Calitzdorp Blend TN Tinta Roriz TB 2016
SA G Eikendal Charisma SHZ PV SAN 2016
SA JS Middelvlei Momberg SHZ CS Pinotage 2016
SA JS Morgenster Tosca SAN CS CF 2015
SA JS Newton Johnson Family Vineyards Granum SHZ MOUR 2016
SA G Saronsberg Full Circle SHZ GRE MOUR Viognier 2016
DESSERT WINE
SA JS Boekenhoutskloof Noble Late Harvest Semillon 2015
SA DG Nederburg Private Bin Eminence Noble Late Harvest Muscadel 2012
SA JS Nederburg Private Bin Edelkeur Noble Late Harvest Chenin Blanc 2010
SA T Nederburg Private Bin S316 Noble Late Harvest Weisser Riesling 2004
SA JS Paul Cluver Noble Late Harvest Riesling 2017 sparking wine
SPARKLING:
SA G Boschendal Jean de Long Blanc de Blancs Presige Cuvee MCC CH 2008
SA JS Charles Fox Cipher Brut MCC PN CH 2012
SA JS Constantia Uitsig Brut MCC CH 2015
SA JS Graham Beck Wines Blanc de Blancs Brut MCC CH 2013
SA DG Graham Beck Wines Cuvée Clive MCC CH PN 2012
SA G Laborie Blanc de Blancs MCC CH 2011
SA JS Simonsig Cuvee Royale Blanc de Blanc MCC CH 2012
SA JS Steenberg Vineyards Lady R Brut MCC PN CH 2012
RIESLING
SA JS Jordan The Real McCoy Riesling 2017
SA G Paul Cluver Estate Riesling 2017
SA JS Spioenkop Weisser Riesling 2016
OTHER WHITES - AROMATIC
SA JS Ken Forrester Woolworths Reserve Collection Viognier 2017
SA JS Lanzerac Berg Pad Pinot Blanc 2016
SA JS Paul Cluver Estate Gewurztraminer 2016
SA JS Usana Pinot Gris 2017
SAUVIGNON BLANC
SA JS Boschendal Appellation Series Sauvignon Blanc 2017
SA JS Cape Point Vineyards Reserve Sauvignon Blanc 2016
SA JS De Grendel Koetshuis Sauvignon Blanc 2017
SA JS Delaire Graff Estate Coastal Cuvée Sauvignon Blanc 2017
SA DG Overhex Survivor Sauvignon Blanc 2017
SA JS Reyneke Reserve Sauvignon Blanc 2016
SA JS Starke-Conde Round Mountain Sauvignon Blanc 2017
CHARDONNAY
SA JS Delaire Graff Estate Banghoek Reserve Chardonnay 2016
SA JS Eikendal Chardonnay 2016
SA G Glenelly Estate Reserve Chardonnay 2016
SA G Newton Johnson Family Vineyards Chardonnay 2017
SA G Paul Cluver Seven Flags Chardonnay 2017
SA JS Richard Kershaw Wines Clonal Selection Chardonnay 2016
SA JS Uva Mira Mountain Vineyards Chardonnay 2016
WHITE BLENDS
SA G Backsberg Family Reserve ROU SB CH 2017
SA JS Highlands Road Sine Cera SEM SB 2015
SA JS Starke-Conde The Field Blend CB ROU VI VER 2017
SA JS Tokara Directors Reserve SB SEM 2015
SA JS Trizanne Signature Wines Reserve SEM SB 2017
SA G Vondeling Babiana CB VI ROU GB 2017
SA RUDG Warwick Estate Professor Black SB SEM 2017
OTHER WHITES - NON-AROMATIC
SA JS Bosman Family Vineyards Fides Grenache Blanc 2016
SA DG Delaire Graff Estate Swartland Reserve Chenin Blanc 2016
SA JS Douglas Green Bellingham The Bernard Series Whole Bunch LR Roussanne 2018
SA DG Perdeberg Winery The Dry Land Collection Courageous BF Chenin Blanc 2016
SA DG Spier 21 Gables Chenin Blanc 2016
SA T Stellenrust 52 Barrel Fermented Chenin Blanc 2016
PINOT NOIR
SA JS Bouchard Finlayson Galpin Peak Pinot Noir 2016
SA G Bouchard Finlayson Tete de Cuvee Pinot Noir 2013
SA JS Creation Reserve Pinot Noir 2015
SA G Newton Johnson Family Vineyards Pinot Noir 2017
SA JS Paul Cluver Seven Flags Pinot Noir 2016
SA JS Paul Wallace Wines Brave Heart Pinot Noir 2015
MERLOT & CARMENERE
SA JS Eagles Nest Merlot 2014
SA G Shannon Vineyards Mount Bullet Merlot 2015
SA JS Steenberg Vineyards Merlot 2015
SHIRAZ / SYRAH
SA JS Backsberg Pumphouse Shiraz 2016
SA JS Boekenhoutskloof Syrah 2015
SA G Cederberg Private Cellar Shiraz 2016
SA JS Eagles Nest Shiraz 2015
SA JS La Motte The Pierneef Collection Syrah Viog 2016
SA JS Leeuwenkuil Family Vineyards Heritage Syrah 2015
SA JS Rustenberg Buzzard Kloof Syrah 2015
SA JS Trizanne Signature Wines Reserve Syrah 2017
SA JS Zandvliet Shiraz 2015
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
SA DG Cederberg Private Cellar Five Generations Cab Sauv 2016
SA JS Delaire Graff Estate Reserve Cab Sauv 2015
SA RUDG Eikendal Cab Sauv 2015
SA JS Glenelly Glass Collection Cab Sauv 2015
SA DG Kanonkop Estate Cab Sauv 2013
SA JS Middelvlei Cab Sauv 2016
SA G Nederburg II Centuries Cab Sauv 2013
SA JS Rainbow’s End Cab Sauv 2016
SA G Rustenburg Peter Barlow Cab Sauv 2015
SA JS Starke-Conde Three Pines Cab Sauv 2013 Other Reds - Light Medium Bodied
SA JS Bosman Family Vineyards Nero d’Avola 2015
SA G Raats Family Wines Cab Franc 2015
SA DG Uva Mira Mountain Vineyards The Dance Cab Franc 2015
OTHER REDS FULL BODIED
SA JS Darling Cellars Old Bush Vines Cinsaut 2016
SA JS De Grendel Amandelboord Pinotage 2016
More from
People, community and tourism
Hoe om herlewingslandbou te laat leef
'n Twee-dag sessie deur WIETA and Stronger Together South Africa op etiese leierskap vir kelders, plase en handelsmerke by Lourensford en Du Kloof Lodge het insigte oor herlewingsboerdery opgelewer.
Results of the Niche Varieties Challenge 2026
The Niche Varieties Challenge took place again in 2026 to give innovative niche wines a more visible platform and to highlight the diversity developing beyond South Africa's mainstream cultivars.
Are wine clubs in South Africa still relevant?
A bottle of wine is rarely just about what is in the glass. Sometimes it is about the people around the table, which may explain why wine clubs have managed to stick around. The Blaauwklippen Blending Competition offers a glimpse into why this old-school tradition still has a place in a changing…