The SA White Blends Challenge winners were announced in Cape Town on Friday 22 July 2022. The judging panel consisted of Celia Gilloway, Carrie Adams; Janine Van Zyl and Denzel Swarts, while 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 it was 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 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.

SA WHITE BLENDS CHALLENGE 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

WATCH: Journey’s End award winning wine

ALSO READ: Viognier Challenge announces 2022 winners

Tasting 17 Viogniers from South Africa is not something you get to experience every day. With references from France, Australia and Italy, it veered towards the new world packed with fruit and sunshine and tasting on a flower day; according to the Biodynamic calendar, some Viogniers indeed rode the wave of their innate floral and aromatic qualities.

Albeit promising with the provocative aromatics Viognier is known for, it’s a category that the judges felt is not thoroughly explored in South Africa to draw up a clear identity kit of what the winemakers want to achieve, somewhat lacking in quality and varietal typicity, says chair Samarie Smith.

However, having had the opportunity to spend enough time with the wines and return to them, the wines that achieved gold truly deserved it. The top wines were awarded for varietal expression and superb balance, reflecting what Viognier can be in South Africa.

Besides the apparent aromatics, there were also some wild cards, pleasantly so, with aromas of wet stone, earth and khakibos, more mineral than aromatic and relatively lean.

The Viognier Challenge, organised by Events by Celia aims to shine the light on the smaller varieties like Viognier. The competition is run professionally and according to the international standards. The aim is to do this at the least expense to the wineries and there is no expectation of extra stock other than the two bottles delivered for the judging.