The 2010 winner is Bartho Eksteen from the Hermanuspietersfontein winery near Hermanus, judged on his Sauvignon Blanc wine and RJ Botha from Nitida Cellars in Durbanville is the new young winemaker, judged on his blended wine.
The judging panel was chaired by Dave Hughes; assisted by international wine consultant and principal of the Institute of Masters of Wine, Lynne Sheriff MW; wine judge and commentator Neil Pendock; Carrie Adams, wine judge and specialist liquor retailer; Nomonde Kubheka, KWV winemaker; Margaret Fry, Cape Wine Master and technical wine consultant Margaret Fundira. Glenroy du Plessis, who was recently voted best wine steward at the 2010 Diners Club Winelist Awards, was this year's apprentice judge.
Hughes said the Sauvignon Blanc wines submitted for this year's competition were of excellent quality. "There was not a single wine amongst them that was not deserving of praise. Where they differed was in style. Three wines from the 2009 and three from the 2010 vintages made it to the final six." The 2009 Hermanuspietersfontein No. 5 vintage was the first in which the vineyards produced all the grapes for its Sauvignon Blanc.
Hughes added the red wines submitted for the Young Winemaker's trophy were also of an exceptionally high standard. "Botha's 2009 Nitida Calligraphy stood out for its multi-faceted qualities."
To mark three decades of the competition, Diners Club has compiled a special "heritage pack" consisting of 12 wines made by previous winners still active in the industry. It includes wines of Rust en Vrede, Graham Beck, Allesverloren, Thelema and Bouchard Finlayson and is available to members through the Diners Club Wine Society.
