New World: Other White Varietals & Blends
2015: Gold 4 Silver 3 Bronze 2 Commended 5
2014: Gold 1 Silver 8 Bronze 3 Commended 5
This used to be the place you came for weirdo blends. You know, that classic Riesling/Marsanne/Chardonnay/Colombard combination. Frequently with tons of oak. Sometimes it worked. Usually, it didn’t.
But this year we saw a lot less of that – at least in the medal winners. And clearly, some of the experiments (and a general easing back on the barrel character) are paying off. Four Golds here is comfortably this section’s best-ever performance.
Star Performer
South Africa enhanced its reputation for experimentation with almost half of this category’s medal winners.
From The Tasting Teams
‘The Z’Ivo is a real sommelier’s food wine. It would need to be hand-sold. If you put it by the glass people will hate it, but it will be great with artichokes or tomatoes.’ Laurent Richet MS, Restaurant Sat Bains
‘Here you are buying into experimentation, what people are doing in the vineyard and winery, providing a real point of difference. So these wines need to stand out on the list for these things.’ Hamish Anderson, The Tate Group
‘If you take them in isolation and look at the fruit and structure, there were some lovely wines and good value – and they give you the chance to offer something different to curious customers.’ Laura Rhys MS, team leader