Zandvliet Estate shines at NWC/Top 100 SA Wine Challenge

Zandvliet Wine Estate has triumphed at this year’s NWC/Top 100 SA Wines Challenge, making a clean sweep of Platinum, Double Gold and Double Silver medals for its wines.

Zandvliet wine maker Jacques Cilliers

The victory re-affirms Zandvliet’s status as one of South Africa’s leading producers and as the home of Shiraz in the Robertson Valley.

Zandvliet received Platinum for Hill of Enon Small Berry Pick 2018, Double Gold for Kalkveld 2016 and, Double Silver for the Zandvliet Shiraz 2016.

“The achievement of these wines at the NWC/Top 100 SA Wines Challenge – one of country’s most prestigious wine championships – underscores our confidence in Zandvliet’s unique terroir,” says winemaker Jacques Cilliers. “A long history of winegrowing has provided deep knowledge of the terroir and allowed us to match the best vineyard sites with most ideally suited cultivars. This insight is highlighted through a consistency of excellence that is highlighted here again.”

Zandvliet Hill of Enon Shiraz 2018

Being one of the very first wineries in the country to bottle the Shiraz noble cultivar, Zandvliet combines time-honoured tradition with modern-day expertise to produce pure luxury in a glass. The magic of Zandvliet wine lies in the limestone soils where its vineyards thrive.

The Hill of Enon Shiraz was launched in 2003 following years of walking the rows of this particular vineyard and coming to understand its soils, aspect and microclimates across the seasons. The hill dominates the centre of Zandvliet itself and is so-named after the complex conglomerate of limestone, pebbles and clay – the Enon Formation – that is brushed daily by the southeasterly breezes. This unique terroir produced extraordinarily small berries which ripened ten days before the main crop. They were much more intensely flavoured, which prompted a dedicated harvest and resulted in an exceptional wine.

The wine’s delicate, layered aromas of blueberries, liquorice and dark chocolate flow through to the palate, melding with flavours of plum, cigar box and chocolate.

Zandvliet Kalkveld Shiraz

The single vineyard that gave rise to Kalkveld Shiraz lies on the southern slope of the Hill of Enon where it gains a singular mineral footprint. The wine itself shows aromatic notes of plums, prunes and violets with hints of spice. Every sip is characterised by integrated wood and a long, velvet finish.

As for the Zandvliet Shiraz, the wine introduces its consumer to a complex nose of plums, blackcurrants and pepper with hints of mixed spice. The palate is seamless, supple and complex with hints of dark chocolate. Enjoyable by itself, it also makes a fine partner to meaty stews.

Zandvliet Kalkveld Shiraz

Zandvliet Wine Estate is located near the village of Ashton, off the R60.

For more information, contact zandvliet@vanloveren.co.za or visit www.zandvliet.co.za. Find and share your memories of the estate with ZandvlietWine on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and, as ZandvlietWines, on Pinterest.