BRENN-O-KEM Wine magazine Shiraz Challenge 2011 results
By Christian Eedes, 20 July 2011
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Land’s End Syrah 2008 is the winner of the eighth annual Wine magazine Shiraz Challenge, this year sponsored by BRENN-O-KEM, which processes wine industry by-products. Wine of Origin Elim but the Land’s End brand is owned by Dave Hidden of Hidden Valley Wines in Stellenbosch and grapes are trucked across to the cellar, where Louis Nel is in charge of winemaking. It was rated 4½ Stars and sells for R175 a bottle from the tasting room.
I was not a member of the panel which returned this result but can only endorse it, this wine one of my “10 cool-climate classics from Elim” as featured in the June 2011 issue of Decanter as well as winning a silver medal at this year’s Old Mutual Trophy Wine Show, the Shiraz category panel being one on which I sat along with Gary Jordan of Jordan Wine Estate in Stellenbosch and Thierry Desseauve, founding partner of La Revue du Vin de France.
The best value award (for the wine with the best quality to price ratio) went to the Obikwa 2010 from producer-wholesaler Distell, repeating the feat of the 2009 in last year’s competition. The 2010 vintage rated 2½ Stars while selling for an approximate retail price of R27 a bottle.
For winemag.co.za’s news item, see here.
dionysus | 21 July 2011
Your presence was sadly missing at yesterdays lunch. Having tasted the wine with lunch yesterday, I can only concur. The wine developed in the glass beautifully, lovely mouth feel and great length. Certainly no blockbuster, as Allan Mullins said: Its a two bottle wine!
Cheers Dionysus