Classic Wine Trophy 2009

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2009 Classic Wine Trophy

2009 SANTAM CLASSIC WINE TROPHY

The CLASSIC WINE TROPHY celebrates 11 years in 2009. Under the new management of
Christophe Durand (Vins d’Orrance) who has brought SANTAM on as headline sponsor,
the competition is sure to surpass all previous editions in scale and prestige. As previously,
the show is in association with leading French wine publication, LA REVUE DU VIN DE
FRANCE.

The CLASSIC WINE TROPHY has a single-minded objective: to promote, recognize and
reward wines of elegance, balance, finesse and the capacity to improve with time.
The competition is unique and compelling in several ways:
•
The competition is adjudicated by a panel of French judges, all prominent wine
personalities from around the world
•
Guest judges this year will also include Sydney Buthelezi, wine buyer at Makro, and
Miguel Chan, sommelier at the five-star Cellars-Hohenort hotel
•
Only 17 medals can be awarded, which ensures a legitimate and worthy winner of
each medal
•
La Revue du Vin de France, the leading French wine publication, will cover the event
and ensure an international spotlight on the competition
•
The overall winner will also receive a return air ticket to Paris

The CLASSIC WINE TROPHY will be given to the most iconic wine entry.

This accolade will reward the winemaker for patience and excellence, two essential qualities that make a classic wine.

As it matures in bottle, the winning wine will become a cult of its own as it
garners awareness and respect through the local and international wine media.
Unlike other competitions, the CLASSIC WINE TROPHY only awards 3 trophies, 10 gold
medals for red wines, five gold medals for dry white wines, one gold medal for dessert
wines and one for sparkling wines.

The organisers of the 2009 SANTAM CLASSIC WINE TROPHY are committed to upholding
the highest standards of entries for this unique celebration of South African wine.


2009 SANTAM CLASSIC WINE TROPHY
TEL: 02... FAX: 021 683 7489 SABRINA@VINUM.CO.ZA


JUDGES
The judges will be accommodated at Mandela Rhodes Place, the exclusive lifestyle
centre in the heart of Cape Town.

This year’s judges:

Jean-Michel Gerin.
Top wine producer of the Rhone Valley. www.domaine-gerin.fr

Olivier Poussier
Word’s Best Sommelier 2000, wine writer and worldwide wine consultant.
www.olivierpoussier.com

Olivier Poels.
Editor/Journalist RVF. www.larvf.com

Denis Saverot.
Wine writer/journalist RVF www.larvf.com

Jean Daniel Angibaud.
Sommelier of the Le Meridien hotel in Dubai. www.lemeridien.com

Claude Gilois.
French wine importer. Owner of Vins du Monde. www.vinsdumonde.com

Christophe Durand.
Organiser and owner of Vins D’Orrance. www.vinsdorrance.co.za

Germain Lehodey.
Ex general manager of the Lynton Hall hotel in Durban.
Owner of the French restaurant Village Bistro in Irene, Pretoria.

Marc Friederich.
International sommelier and owner of Chez Marc’s restaurant, Paarl.
www.marcsrestaurant.co.za

Jean Yves Muller.
Owner of the Caveau and Headquarters restaurants. www.caveau.co.za

Guest judges:
Sydney Buthelezi.
Wine buyer for the group Makro in RSA.

Miguel Chan.
Sommelier at Cellars-Hohenort hotel, Cape Town.

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
This year’s competition will start on 2
nd March 2009, and the blind tasting will be
conducted over a period of four days at Mandela Rhodes Place.
Winners will be invited to an exclusive dinner and awards ceremony, to be held on
Friday, 6
th
March 2009 at The Vineyard Hotel in Newlands.
Page 3
2009 SANTAM CLASSIC WINE TROPHY
TEL: 02... FAX: 021 683 7489 SABRINA@VINUM.CO.ZA

At your service - D'vine Intervention - Miguel Chan

http://www.alawine.com/cgi-bin/wbn/rankem.cgi?action=in&id=miguel



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PRIVATE EDITION
01 Dec 2008
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DVine intervenion
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2007 Groot Constantia Estate Sauvignon Blanc 87+ Points

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2007 Groot Constantia Estate Sauvignon Blanc 87+ Points

Perfect colour, very pale.

Fragrant, dusty, ripe gooseberries, jalapeno pepper and grapefruit.

Complex mouthfeel, broad, intense fig, juicy freshly squeeze ripe green lime, crunchy beans, textured, hints of white pepper spiciness, leesy.

Tight structure, long minerally length, the best to date made by Groot Constantia Estate.
That shows when Cape Sauvignon are given enough time in bottle to meshed together and bonify over time and reach their full stride, this Sauvignon has changed for the very good since release in August 2007

Re – tasted 11 december 2008.

Watch out the 2008, one of the best of the Constantia Valley from this difficult and rain washed 2008 vintage, much more showier than 2007 at similar time last year.

I remember Groot Constantia Estate wines whilst visiting the Cape for the first time in 1998 and in between 2003, nothing striking and really captivating at that time besides the Pinotage and Gouverneurs Reserve as well as the Weisser Riesling, but since Boela Gerber and assisted by Michelle Rhodes has taken over the reign of this historic estate, they have brought a complete breath of fresh air and the whole range shows cleaner, purer fruit and well as more balanced and striking wines with freshness, complexity and longevity, but above all else they are food wine.

I still believe that since 2005, their Pinotage, the one and only grown and made in Constantia, is one of the finest the Cape have ever produced, the 2006 is as striking as well, more fruit which is fantastic.

TOMATO CATERING SUGGEST WITH THE 2007 GROOT CONSTANTIA ESTATE SAUVIGNON BLANC:

Crumbed herb coated goat cheese medaillon, served crisp and warm on a bed of crunchy French beans salad with jalapeno and lime dressing and fresh grapefruit supreme and preserved wild Cape fig

2003 Gary Player “Major Championship Series” Muirfield 1953 87+

2003 Gary Player “Major Championship Series”

Muirfield 1953 87+

This maiden release from Gary Player, one of the world’s greatest Golf legends is simply a fantastic Cape Blend style of 38 % Merlot, 31 % Cabernet Sauvignon, 23 % Pinotage & 8 % Shiraz, made by Carl Van Der Merwe, of Quoin Rock winery in Simonsberg ward, Stellenbosch.
My first impression of the label and bottle presentation is the Mouton Rothschild look alike presentation............

Deep ruby cherry red. Forthcoming fragrant aromas of ripe blackcurrant, cassis, dark chocolate and cedar, complex, touch earthy, multi dimensional expressive and characterful.
Rich, Christmas fruitcake like palate intensity, mouth filling, ripe tannins structure lends a complex and savoury character, juicy and touch salty minerality, impressive mid palate depth and very very good length, sour plum notes lends freshness and elegance.

The concentration of fruit and solar ripeness gives this maiden vintage a feel of Spanish reds from Rioja regions, though it’s a blend of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz and Pinotage, this blend will drink well from now with decanting / aerating and until 2013.

Total production of the 2003 vintage, 30000 bottles, excellent value at +/- R 300 bottle retail

Tasted between Friday 5th & Monday 8th December 2008, to accurately analyse evolution with oxidation.

TOMATO CATERING SUGGEST:
28 days wet aged, wood fired pan seared Certified South African Angus beef fillet, with intense shitake mushroom, black wooden ears and jus corsé enhanced with black truffle shavings and medley of roasted root vegetables, of baby organic carrot, beetroot and turnips.

2006 De Grendel Op Die Berg Pinot Noir 85 - 87

2006 De Grendel Op Die Berg Pinot Noir 85 - 87

This is an amazing debut for the first Pinot Noir of origin Durbanville wards, made by what I considered one of the most intimidating but down to earth winemaker, Charles Hopkins.

Charles has a sense of humour second to none in the wine industry, and I would go as far as qualifying him as the sweet giant..............................

Medium clear with bright Morello cherry ruby red, good clarity. Medium concentration, no evidence of gas or sediment, medium viscosity.

Clean nose, unmistakably Pinot, high intensity, fragrant primary fruit of ripe cherries, freshly picked strawberries on a hot summer day, spicy with touch cinnamon / camphor and wet earth beetroot earthiness complimented by new small French oak cask and cedary character.

Has some Gevrey Chambertin aromatic complexity, which lends a very interesting profile.

Dry, confirmed fruit on the nose, fresh, very good attack, ripe, with sour cherries, raspberries, confirming wood initially perceived, very well integrated, medium tannin and medium plus acidity, velvety texture with depth and long finish and high complexity, holding it’s 14.5 alc / vol, very well, balanced and structured, this is a Cape Pinot Noir that should be in any wine lover cellar, or on a good and respected wine list.

Excellent food wine. Definitely a Pinot to follow.

For now or on a special occasion, great on Valentines day enjoy until 2014, if cellared under optimum condition.

Excellent value and a bargain at R120 from the Cellar Door

Tomato Catering suggest
Such a great full bodied Pinot Noir requires a Cantonese inspired “top heat” grilled pork rashers deliberately made salty basted in a fresh crushed garlic and ginger with fermented black beans and “Lee Kum Kee” clear soya sauce and baby leek.

www.degrendel.co.za

info@degrendel.co.za