16 wine producers bag awards at the latest Muskadel SA Awards.

As we enter the icy-cold and rainy season of winter, wine lovers say there’s nothing better than enjoying a decadent glass of fortified wine. A well-known favourite is the Muskadel.

Muscadel is one of the oldest grape varieties in South Africa. It was among the varieties used to produce South Africa’s first wine, back in 1659, a few years after Jan van Riebeeck’s arrival in the Cape.

South African producers have reason to toast, having secured 16 awards at the recent 2024 Muskadel SA Awards. Six platinum and ten gold award winners were announced at the 19th Muskadel SA Awards, on Thursday, 6 June 2024, at Noop Restaurant in Paarl.

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,” said Potgieter.

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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.

PLATINUM AWARDS

Five producers received a total of six platinum awards:

Mont Blois Wine Estate from the Robertson Wine Valley excelled as the top performer, receiving two platinum awards for their Mont Blois Estate Muskadel Harpie 2016 and their Mont Blois Estate Muskadel Pomphuis 2017.
Nuy Winery from the Nuy Valley near Worcester won platinum for their Barbieri Idro Rooi Muskadel 2016.
Thelema Mountain Vineyards, from Helshoogte, Stellenbosch, 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.
Swartland pioneer AA Badenhorst Family Wines won platinum for The Saldanha Wine and Spirits Co. Hanepoot 2014.
Badsberg Kelder near Rawsonville in the Breede River Valley won platinum for their Hanepoot Jerepigo 2023, demonstrating that young wines can perform as well as their older counterparts.

GOLD AWARDS

Eight producers received a total of ten gold awards:

A consistent performer, Du Toitskloof Wines from the Breedekloof Valley received two gold awards for their Hanepoot Jerepigo 2021 and Du Toitskloof Red Muscadel 2020.
Klawer Wine Cellars, the gateway to the Olifants River Valley, received two gold awards for their Klawer Cellars White Muscadel 2020 and Klawer Cellars Red Muscadel 2021.
From the Robertson Wine Valley, Le Grand Chasseur won gold for their Habata White Muscadel 2020 and Clairevaux Family Wines for their Red Muscadel 2023.
Aan de Doorns, from the Worcester region, won gold for their Muscadel Sweet Red 2021.
Montagu Winery, situated at the beginning of the Little Karoo, won gold for their White Muscadel 2024.
From the Northern Cape, Orange River Cellars won gold for their White Muscadel 2023.
Constantia Uitsig won gold for their Gravita 2020.

FROM THE MUSKADEL SA HEADQUARTERS

Recognising that the family of muscat grapes is prized by not just South Africans but also wine lovers around the world, Muskadel SA, comprising wineries and individuals, dedicate themselves to raising awareness and quality in the production, packaging and promotion of top-quality fortified versions of the noble cultivar.

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,” said Swiegers.