The presentation of trophies and gold medals for The 2023 Trophy Wine Show, with principal sponsor Investec, took place at Delaire Graff on 8 June.
It was the first of the competition’s 22 awards functions to be hosted in the Winelands, and not the Mother City.
The judges, including Jancis Robins on MW OBE, Anne Krebiehl MW and Benjamin Roffet, flown to South Africa specially for the event, and associate judges reviewed 688 wines.
Their deliberations yielded 19 best-in-their-class trophies, including four Museum Class trophies, from 32 gold medals, 86 silver medals and 320 bronze awards.
With 36% of wines receiving no medal at all, the show continues to remain true to its objective, which is to be the most rigorous wine competition in the world.
As many of South Africa’s producers have ruefully admitted “a medal, any medal, at the Trophy Wine Show is an achievement to be proud of.”
Cumesh Moodliar, head of Investec Private Banking SA, says: “We pride ourselves in creating the ‘Out of the Ordinary’ for our clients, whether it be exceptional products and service or exclusive experiences that money can’t buy.
“As the headline sponsor of The 2023 Trophy Wine Show we are not only proudly supporting South Africa’s exceptional wine industry, but we’re also giving our clients access to something they can’t get anywhere else, including first access to curated crates of award winning wines to master classes and public tastings.”
The 2023 Most Successful Producer overall is Zevenwacht Wine Estate with three best-in-class trophies.
The Sunday Times Trophy for Best Sauvignon Blanc, The Harold Eedes Trophy for Best Chenin Blanc and the Rosa Kruger Trophy for Best Old Vine Wine were awarded to Zevenwacht Sauvignon Blanc 2022 and the Zevenwacht Collection Chenin Blanc 2022, respectively.
Winemaker Hagen Viljoen, who has been at the estate since 2018, garnered an additional two silver medals for the 2020 Cabernet Sauvignon and the 2021 Chardonnay.
This is the first time Zevenwacht has won trophies at the show.
The High Road Director’s Reserve 2019 won the Riedel Trophy for Bordeaux–style Red Blend, the Vinolok style Red Blend, the Vinolok Trophy for Best Premium Wine and the Investec Trophy for Best Premium Wine and the Investec Trophy for Best Red Wine Overall.
The Survivor Cellar Master Series Chardonnay 2022, from Worcesters Overhex, won the Miele Trophy for Best Chardonnay and and the Investec Trophy for Best White Wine overall.
The Essay Syrah Cinsaut & Grenache & Mourvèdre from MAN Family Wines won the Investec Trophy for the Best Rhône-style Blend and the Investec Trophy for style Red Blend and the Investec Trophy for Discovery of Show (best value gold medallist).
The winner of the Investec International Judges’ Trophy (for the gold medallist with the highest combined scores of the three international judges, at the trophy judging) was awarded to the Villiersdorp Winery Syrah 2020.
Villiersdorp is one of three newcomers on the trophy winners’ podium this year sharing the status with Bloemendal and The High Road.
Robertsons Bon Courage Chardonnay Unwooded 2022 received a gold medal.
