South African muscadel producers secured 16 awards at this year’s Muskadel SA Awards hosted on Thursday June 6, at Noop Restaurant in Paarl.
At the awards ceremony, sponsored by Vinochem, six platinum and ten gold award winners were announced for this cultivar at the 19th edition of this event.
According to Muskadel SA, these results reflect the view of the judging panel that the standard of entries were very high across all classes. The convenor of the panel, Jaco Potgieter, winemaker of Douglas Green Wines, was especially delighted with the high number and quality of older vintages entered. “These older muscadel wines have developed beautifully, which is a proud achievement that the whole South African wine industry should embrace and promote,” says Mr Potgieter.
Joining Mr Potgieter on the panel, were Cape Wine Master Raymond Noppé; Melissa Rhode, wine sourcing manager of Heineken Beverages; Anton Swarts, Cape Wine Master and winemaker of Spier Wine Farm; and Hermias Volgraaff, winemaker of Montagu Wines.
Entries were tasted blind and judged according to a tried-and-tested point system. The distinctiveness of the packaging also contributed to the final points tally.
Local producers winning platinum included the Thelema Mountain Vineyards, from Helshoogte, Stellenbosch, who won platinum for their Thelema Gargantua N/V, a muscadel made from a single vineyard planted on Thelema in 1986 and aged in French oak barrels for 18 to 21 years before bottling.
In the gold awards a consistent performer, nearby located Du Toitskloof Wines from the Breedekloof Valley received two gold awards for their Hanepoot Jerepigo 2021 and Du Toitskloof Red Muscadel 2020.
The number and quality of entries received testify to a healthy state and future for South African muscadel. This, according to Henri Swiegers, Chairman of Muskadel SA. “Only a select amount of products are entered, but we saw more entries this year, and we always try to attract new entries. This is exciting as it benefits consumption as well as the continued existence of muscadel, even if consumers only enjoy it occasionally,” says Mr Swiegers.
Vinochem sponsored the Muskadel SA Awards for the second year. “South African muscadel wines are some of the best fortified wines in the world and should receive more recognition,” says Marlee Malan of Vinochem. “We trust that our support will enable our muscadel producers to reach a wider market. We encourage consumers to try these winning Muscats, which they can identify by the gold or platinum Muskadel SA stickers on the bottle.”
