South Africa punches above its weight at Global Syrah Masters

REPORTING on the 2024 Global Syrah Masters for The Drinks Business publication in London, Master of Wine Patricia Stefanowicz compared the Shiraz plantings of France, at about 70 000ha, to Australia's 36 000ha. South Africa's are in the order of 9000ha. Reflecting on the judge's assessment of some 100 single-varietal wines and blends from around the world, the report was glowing about the wines from Australia's Clare Valley, McLaren Vale, Barossa Valley and Orange NSW: of the eight wines rated 97+ to earn a Master Award at the 2024 edition of the competition, seven came from Down Under – the eighth was South African! The French missed out on the top accolades, and won just two of the 41 gold medals awarded for wines scored 93 to 96 points. South Africa achieved four gold medals, with other “outstanding” and “truly exciting” wines coming from New Zealand, Greece and Chile.

The most highly rated South African wine according to the panel* of MWs, Master Sommeliers and senior wine buyers in the UK was the 2022 vintage of the Shiraz-led Full Circle blend from Saronsberg. Other SA standouts came from Bruce Jack, Flagstone and Stellenrust – see below for more info about these as well as the 2022 Shiraz from Saronsberg, also one of the gold medallists.

The headline of a press release on behalf of the Masters organisers proclaimed “South African wines outshine French competitors…” According to panel chair Patrick Schmitt MW, the Full Circle 2022 is a wonderful display of “Saronsberg's skilled winemaking and Tulbagh's affinity for Mediterranean grapes, above all Syrah”. He said the judges were won over by the wine's rich character, “from ripe plums and cherry jam to sweet peaches and creamy pears, paired with notes of fresh toast and roasted coffee”. And talk about consistency… The 2015, 2018, 2019 and 2021 vintages of Full Circle came top at the Global Syrah Masters in previous years!

SOUTH AFRICAN STANDOUTS

Flagstone Dark Horse Shiraz 2019
R380pb ex-cellar, Somerset West/Strand

Ghost in the Machine Shiraz 2022
R329pb from Bruce Jack Wines, Napier

Saronsberg Full Circle 2022 (Red Blend)
R650pb ex-cellar, Tulbagh

Saronsberg Shiraz 2022
R360pb ex-cellar, Tulbagh

Stellenrust Peppergrinder's Shiraz 2021
R240pb ex-cellar, Helderberg-Stellenbosch

 

* The Judging Panel: Patrick Schmitt MW (The Drinks Business editor-in-chief), Patricia Stefanowicz MW, Jonathan Pedly MW, Demetri Walters MW, Andrea Briccarello (Jascots), David Round MW (Pix), Alex Cannetti (Berkmann Wine Cellars), Matthieu Longère MS (Cordon Bleu). Full report: click here.

 

 

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