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When fine wine speaks of place 17 July 2008 SA Terroir awards come of age, says Melyn Minnaar
So many competitions, so much confusion. But if the SA Terroir Awards, started by Marius Labuschagne a few years ago, kicked off with probably the most complicated rules and judging structure, the proof was always going to be in the pudding. And the latter would finally simply depend on whether the winning wines are top-notch. With the good intention of showcasing regionality and maybe identifying good spots for specific wines, success was always going to rely on top producers coming to the party. Well, the winners of the 2008 competition certainly confirm the legitimacy of it as an important alternative to the big, bring-them-all-on battles for medals. If the concept of putting specific grape varieties or styles of wine on precise regional maps is still some time away, some of the top wines, acknowledged at the events function this week, clearly had something different to say - as well as being fine examples of vinous artistry. Relatively small because only entries of wines certified as coming from small parcels like single vineyards, estates or wards, are allowed, the competition has established legitimacy, judged from the support. This, the third annual outing saw 178 entries from quite a range of regions. Wine is initially judged blind to quality, according to Charl Theron, who chaired the judges (Dave Hughes, David Biggs, Susan Wessels and Clive Torr), and then ranked in the finals, when regional winners compete. The winners were available for tasting and served at the awards lunch and there were quite a few pleasant and impressive surprises:
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