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COUNTRY’S CHAMPION YOUNG WINES ANNOUNCED

Badsberg Wine Cellar reigned supreme at the SA Young Wine Awards today (Thursday 20 August) by clinching the two most coveted trophies at this fiercely-contested competition.

Their Natural Sweet White Wine triumphed over 2 000 entries to earn them the General Smuts Trophy for the country's overall champion young wine. Cellar master Willie Burger and his formidable team also walked off with the Pietman Hugo Trophy for the Highest Score with the 5 Best Entries. Three of these wines - Chardonnay, Noble Late Harvest and Natural Sweet White Wine - took top honours in their respective championship classes. In 2006, the cellar at the foot of the Badsberg in the Goudini area, also took home the Pietman Hugo Trophy.

Badsberg's closest rivals in the championship stakes were Boland Cellar and Constellation Wines SA with two SA Champions each.

Boland Cellar, a frequent top achiever at the SA Young Wine Awards, this year boasts SA Champion Chenin Blanc and SA Champion Cabernet Sauvignon (wooded).

The local affiliate of wine giant Constellation won championship trophies for their Pinotage (wooded) and Sémillon.

SA Champion trophies were also awarded to: Anura (Merlot); Beyerskloof (Port, for vintage port); Bon Courage (Other White Cultivar with Colombar); Carel Nel Wines (Sauvignon Blanc); Jakkalsvlei (Dessert wine with Hanepoot Jerepigo); KWV (Red Blend with Shiraz/Grenache/Tannat); Maison (Shiraz with wood); Namaqua (Other Red Cultivar, Pinotage with wood and sugar content of more than 5g/l); Spier (White Blend with Sauvignon Blanc/Sémillon) and Uitvlucht (Muscadel with Red Muscadel).

Out of the 2 106 entries this year, 17 wines acquired champion status, 58 were announced as class winners, 104 received gold medals, 481 silver medals were awarded and 828 wines went home with bronze medals.

The results were announced during an awards luncheon at Goudini Spa presented by the South African National Wine Show Association (SANW), the Worcester and Breedekloof wine regions and Agri-Expo.

Visit www.youngwineshow.co.za for furhter information about this year's top achievers.