Groote Post Welcomes Prestigious Wine Awards Amidst A Very Challenging Year

Groote Post, the beautiful and historic wine farm in the Darling Hills owned by the Pentz family, has had an excellent yield from the 2020 wine competitions and ratings.

The Pentz family - Nick Pentz (middle) flanked by Peter Junior on the left and The Old Man Peter on the right

A standout feature has been that the accolades were spread fairly evenly across all the Groote Post wines.

“We welcome these much-appreciated wine awards with open arms as we approach the end of a very challenging year. They certainly are a ray of sunshine amidst a stormy 2020. It has been extremely rewarding to have the fine quality of all our wines, across the range, recognised by esteemed wine judges and panellists, paying tribute to the hard work, passion and dedication of our vineyard and winemaking teams,” says a very buoyant Nick Pentz.

GROOTE POST’S 2020 WINE AWARDS

Sauvignon Blanc has been Groote Post’s standout varietal since its maiden release in 1999, reaping many awards over the past 22 years. The Darling Hills are blessed with deep, high clay content soils, gracious southern slopes and cooling winds off the icy Atlantic only 6 km away… the perfect terroir conditions for Sauvignon Blanc. It was therefore fitting that a second Sauvignon Blanc, the highly-acclaimed Seasalter (partially wooded Sauvignon Blanc with a Semillon component), emerged as Groote Post’s flagship white wine.

The calibre of Groote Post’s Sauvignon Blancs was reaffirmed by several prestigious accolades this year. The 2020 Prescient Sauvignon Blanc Report convened by Winemag.co.za honoured both Groote Post Sauvignon Blancs with TOP 10 status: Groote Post Seasalter 2020 in the Wooded category and Groote Post Sauvignon Blanc 2020 in the Unwooded category. In addition, both the Groote Post Seasalter 2020 and the Groote Post Sauvignon Blanc 2020 won Gold Medals at the 2020 Michelangelo International Wine & Spirits Awards, and the 2021 Platter’s SA Wine Guide awarded 4½ Stars to the Seasalter 2019 and 4 Stars to the Sauvignon Blanc 2020.

Groote Post award-winning wines

2020 has also been a very good year for Groote Post’s Rosés. The 2020 Groote Post Pinot Noir Rosé received Double Gold at the 2020 Merit Wine & Spirit Challenge as well as a Gold Medal at the 2020 Rosé Rocks competition, and the Groote Post Brut Rosé Cap Classique won Double Gold at the 2020 SA Sparkling Wine Championships.

Groote Post’s Chardonnays have also fared well with a 2021 Platter’s Wine Guide 4½-Star rating for the 2019 Groote Post Kapokberg Chardonnay and 4 Stars for the 2019 Groote Post Unwooded Chardonnay.

The quality of Groote Post’s other white wines was also affirmed this year. The 2019 Riesling was honoured with Gold Medals at both the 2020 Michelangelo International Wine & Spirits Awards and the 2020 Veritas Awards as well as 4 Stars in the 2021 Platter’s Guide. And the Groote Post 2020 Chenin Blanc received a 2020 Michelangelo Gold Medal.

Lukas Wentzel, Groote Post winemaker, adds, “Our red wines have also done us proud this year. The 2018 vintage of Groote Post’s Salt of the Earth, produced from carefully selected Shiraz and Cinsault vineyards in the Darling area, has been rated 4½ Stars in the 2021 Platter’s Guide, won Gold at the 2020 Michelangelo International Wine & Spirits Awards and a Silver Medal at the 2020 Old Mutual Trophy Wine Show. Our 2018 Merlot received a 90-Point rating in the 2020 Prescient Merlot Report convened by Winemag.co.za, a Michelangelo Gold Medal and a 4-Star rating in the 2021 Platter’s Wine Guide. And our 2018 Shiraz was honoured with a 2021 Platter’s 4½-Star rating.”

Lukas Wentzel (winemaker) and Nick Pentz in the barrel cellar

All Groote Post’s wines are available from the Groote Post cellar door, online at https://groote-post-wines.myshopify.com and at leading retail outlets around the country.

Nick Pentz concludes, “With the ease of lockdown, we look forward to an increased appreciation of our wines and to witnessing wine lovers escaping to the country once again to enjoy everything we have to offer at Groote Post: award-winning wines, superb country cuisine at Hilda’s Kitchen, Farm Drives through our private game camp and vineyards, beautiful views of the Atlantic coast and Table Mountain, nature walks, bird-watching in the hide and, of course, warm country hospitality.”