Mulderbosch Faithful Hound 2013 was named the top Bordeaux-style White blend at the RisCura White Hot Wine Awards, held at Tjing Tjing Torli (in Dear Me) in Cape Town yesterday. The wine was made by Adam Mason and scored 94.

Winemag.co.za Business Manager Jacqueline Lahoud welcomed wine makers and writers, and announced that of 30 entries received, twelve scored 90 or more points out of 100. She said that Winemag is a digital platform for news about the wine industry and showcases its achievements. The first RisCura White Hot Wine Awards for Bordeaux Blends were presented in 2013. Earlier this year the first RisCura Red Hot Wine Awards for Bordeaux Blends were held in Stellenbosch. A niche had been identified to recognize Bordeaux Blends, and RisCura agreed to sponsor the awards. RisCura has supported the awards financially and ‘physically‘, by enjoying the Bordeaux Blends too. RisCura is a financial services company, and its Albrecht Gantz said the White Bordeaux Blends is an excellent category. He said that his company is proud to support South African wines.

Winemag writer and wine judge Christian Eedes had blind tasted the 30 wines with his regular panel of Roland Peens and James Pietersen of Wine Cellar. Previously they had selected the top three of the entries received, but changed the methodology this year by acknowledging all the wines scoring 90 or more points. Usually providing constructive criticism at the awards, Eedes said that there was nothing to critique in the evaluation of the White Bordeaux Blends. The final selection was based on discussion and consensus.

The top twelve RisCura White Bordeaux Blend wines scoring 90 points or more were as follows:

94 points: Mulderbosch Faithful Hound 2013

93 points: Constantia Glen Two 2014, Nitida Coronata Integration 2014

92 points:  Oak Valley Mountain Reserve 2011, Tokara Director’s Reserve 2014, and Vergelegen G.V.B. 2013

91 points:  Highlands Road Sine Cera 2013, Gabriëlskloof Magdalena 2013, Strandveld Adamastor 2012, and Trizanne Signature Wines Sauvignon Blanc Semillon Reserve 2014

90 points: Constantia Uitsig Constantia 2013, Strandveld Adamastor 2013.

As the 2015 winner, Adam Mason won a 225 liter Grande Reserve Château Tradition barrel from Tonnellerie Sylvain, represented in our country by Jean Daneel.

The canapés prepared by Dear Me Chef Christi Semczyszyn and her team were fabulous, not anything usually seen at such events: pork belly skewers with mushroom duxelles and white wine cream; beetroot and ginger cured trout, fennel bulb slaw, and pickled cucumber; chilled petit pois and herb shots; and a most unusual mini goat’s chèvre cheesecake with caramelised red onion.

Public tastings of the winning RisCura White Bordeaux Blends will be held on 23 September in Johannesburg and on 30 September in Cape Town.

RisCura White Hot Wine Awards 2015, Cell 083 654 7721. www.winemag.co.za. Twitter: @RisCura @winemag

Chris von Ulmenstein, Whale Cottage Portfolio: www.whalecottage.com  Tel (021) 433-2100 Twitter:@WhaleCottage  Facebook:  click here