Wine cellars are "tops" at Spar

South Africa’s foremost retailer-driven wine competition, the Country Cellars Cellars Competition for the Winemakers and Viticulturists of Oranjerivier Wine Cellars, was this year dominated by the Grootdrink Winery in the Northern Cape. Grootdrink, one of the five wineries in the stable of Upington-based Oranjerivier Cellars walked off with the prizes for Champion Wine Cellar for 2010, Champion Winemaker (Johan Dippenaar), Best Red Blend (Merlot, Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon) and Best Red Cultivar (Petit Verdot). This unique wine competition, now in its ninth year, aims to celebrate the relationship between the SPAR Group which includes South Africa’s top wine retailer – Tops - and Oranjerivier Wine Cellars, the country’s largest winery which also supplies the wines for SPAR’s own Country Cellars brand, as well as to incentivise winemakers towards improving wine quality. For this annual highlight in the winemaking calendar, winemakers from Oranjerivier’s five wineries – Upington, Groblershoop, Grootdrink, Kakamas and Keimoes – each submit a number wines, some of which are specially made for the competition. This year 29 wines from a total of 110 were entered into the finals tasting for scrutiny by a panel of judges. The judging panel for 2010 comprised Tinus van Niekerk, one of South Africa’s foremost wine experts who is also wine consultant to the SPAR Group, Joaquim Sa from cork company Amorim, journalists Neil Pendock and Fiona McDonald, retailer Caroline Rillema from Caroline’s Fine Wines and winemakers Guy Webber from Stellenzicht and Johan Joubert from Klein Zalze. At the awards function the judges were unanimous in commenting on the improvement in quality from wines emanating from the Northern Cape. “Having been involved in the competition since its inception nine years ago I can say that the improvement in the quality of the wine from this region is astounding,” said Caroline Rillema. “Focused production, lowering yields and the partnerships between viticulturalists and producers have led to a marked improvement in wine quality, with real excitement in both red and white categories.” The importance of viticulture in improving wine quality was emphasised through the introduction this year of the Khamkirri Award for Viticulturalist of the Year which went to Stefan Jordaan from Keimoes Winery. Ray Edwards, liquor executive of the SPAR Group, says the competition underscores the important relationship between Oranjerivier Wine Cellars and SPAR. “Oranjerivier is a major supplier of wines to our in-house Country Cellars wine range, delivering some 2,4m litres to us annually,” said Edwards. “This competition between the region’s wineries has become an important incentive for the winemakers and grape growers to continuously work towards making the best wines the area is capable of and showing the rest of the country – and the world – what Oranjerivier is capable of.” The full list of winners: Great Gariep Award for Best White Cultivar - Riaan Liebenberg, Groblershoop, with a 2010 Chardonnay. Aukarabis Award for Best Red Cultivar - Johan Dippenaar, Grootdrink, with a 2010 Petit Verdot. Kathu Award for Best White Blend - Chris Venter, Keimoes, with a 2010 Colombard/Chenin Blanc blend. Kalahari Award for Best Red Blend - Johan Dippenaar, Groootdrink, with a 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon/Shiraz/Merlot blend. Riemvasmaak Award for Best Dessert Wine - Chris Venter, Keimoes, with a 2010 White Muscadel. Grootdrink Award for Best Dessert Wine - Bolla Louw with a 2007 White Muscadel. Kokerboom Award for Best Single Vineyard wine - landowner Erno Krapohl of Grootdrink Cellar. Kanoneiland Award for Best Runner-up Single Vineyard Wine - landowner Kerneels Nortjé of Groblershoop Cellar. Khamkirri Award for Viticulturist of the Year - Stefan Jordaan of Keimoes Cellar. Oranjerivier Award for Runner-up Champion Winemaker for 2010 - Chris Venter of Keimoes Cellar. Country Cellars Award for Champion Winemaker for 2010 - Johan Dippenaar of Grootdrink Cellar (Sponsored by the SPAR Group Ltd). SPAR Award Grand Champion Wine Cellar for 2010 = Grootdrink Cellar (Sponsored by Ray Edwards, SPAR Group Ltd).

Stefan Jordaan, the winning Viticulturist. Johan Dippenaar, Winning Winemaker with Ray Edwards from Spar SA. Grootdrink’s winning team: from left – Stefan Lourens, viticulturist, Johan Dippenaar, cellar manager and winemaker and Jim de Kock, winemaker with Ray Edwards, SPAR Group liquor executive.