Trophy Wins For Babylonstoren And Boland Cellar At Paarl Wine Challenge

Babylonstoren and Boland Cellar walked off with the trophies for top red and top white respectively at the recently held Paarl Wine Challenge.

Front left to right: Klaas Stoffberg (Babylonstoren), Melvin August (Babylonstoren), Dani Brown (Landskroon) and Bernard Nicholls (Mitre’s Edge) and Zoyon Le Seuer (Multi-Color Corporation).
Back left to right: Handré Barkhuysen (Boland Cellar), Kobus van der Merwe (KWV), Hans Britz (Under Oaks), Phillip Theron (Glen Carlou), Jacques Lategan (Domaine Bramhs) and Warren Blaire (Multi-Color Corporation)

This prestigious regional wine challenge has been showcasing the quality and terroir of the region for over two decades and has evolved into a new format that included nine different categories this year

According to Annelize Stroebel, general manager of the Drakenstein Local Tourism Association, which incorporates the Paarl Wine Route, they were extremely pleased with the significant increase in the number of entries and the positive feedback received from the panel of judges. “All our top twelve wines were gold medal winners, which makes us very excited about the quality of wine produced under the Wine of Origin Paarl appellation. We would like to thank all the participating producers as well as our sponsors Multi-Colour Corporation for the continued support that enables us to host a competition of this format and nature,” mentioned Stroebel.

Convener of the panel of judges, Cellar Master Charles Hopkins and General Manager of the Drakenstein Local Tourism Association, Annelize Stroebel

Charles Hopkins convened the panel of judges, which included Winnie Bowman, Altus le Roux, Jean-Mari de Villiers as well as Christo Pienaar and specifically commented on the unique diversity of the wines the panel tasted. The eligible categories included Chenin Blanc, Chardonnay, Other White Cultivars, White Blends, Pinotage, Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, Other Red Cultivars and Red Blends. “It was evident what a difference 20km radius can make and how specific soils can influence the wine produced,” said Hopkins.

Babylonstoren got the thumbs up for its 2016 Nebukadneser Bordeaux blend. Winemaker Klaas Stoffberg was pleased with this result, specifically since Babylonstoren is a fairly young producer. “We only started making wine in 2011 and this is a great way to measure ourselves against the adjacent farms. We feel it is important to enter a regional competition such as Paarl Wine Challenge and it is obviously a great achievement for the team.”

Boland Cellar could add another trophy to the impressive trophy case for its One Formation white blend. Winemaker Handré Barkhuysen was honoured by the accolade as their philosophy is to let the terroir and vineyards express themselves through the wine with la reductive approach in the cellar and a strong focus on the blending aspect.

Handré Barkhuysen of Boland Cellar with Klaas Stoffberg of Babylonstoren

The Paarl Wine Challenge was hosted in the KWV Cathedral Cellar, which celebrates its 100th centenary this year. Guests could taste all wines entered in this year’s competition before sitting down to a masterful menu prepared by chef Mynhardt Joubert, which included a spring pea bruschetta, beetroot salad, Mediterranean rolled lamb rib and a vanilla bean panna cotta with rose-infused white chocolate cheese cake rose syrup.

The Paarl Wine Challenge was hosted in the KWV Cathedral Cellar

The top twelve entries in alphabetical order were:

Babylonstoren Nebukadneser 2016
Babylonstoren Shiraz 2016
Boland Cellar One Formation 2018
Brahms Shiraz 2010
Glen Carlou The Curator's Collection Malbec 2017
KWV The Mentors Chenin Blanc 2017
Landskroon Paul de Villiers Merlot 2016
Mitre’s Edge Cabernet Sauvignon 2015
Perdeberg The Dry Land Collection Resolve Pinotage 2015
Perdeberg The Vineyard Collection Cinsault 2017
Perdeberg The Dry Land Collection Courageous Barrel Fermented Chenin Blanc 2017
Under Oaks Just B 2015

For more information, visit www.paarlonline.com.

A masterful menu prepared by chef Mynhardt Joubert

Spring pea bruschetta with KWV The Mentors Chenin Blanc 2017

Beetroot salad with Boland Cellar One Formation 2018

Mediterranean rolled lamb rib with Under Oaks Just B 2015

Vanilla bean panna cotta with rose-infused white chocolate cheese cake rose syrup with Babylonstoren Nebukadneser 2016

*Wine selections with the above was WineTourismZA's own choice.

Issued by: PERIDOT COMMUNICATIONS
Pictures: SUPPLIED & WINETOURISMZA

©2018 Herman Lintvelt - WineTourismZA