Sparkling wine master finally pulls it off 21 September 2007

Graham Beck’s Ferreira wins Cap Classique Challenge

Always the bridesmaid, never the bride, was the despondent sentiment held by many local sparkling wine aficionados about Pieter Ferreira, who year after year has entered a variety of his wines, but never walked off with Wine magazine’s annual Cap Classique Challenge. This despite being widely regarded as the producer of the Cape’s best bubbly (invariably topping Grape’s poll of local judges and winewriters).

But now the Graham Beck winery has done it in the sixth year -  with a remarkably old wine.

Ferreira (who was Winemaker of the Year in 2004 when that oddly-named competition featured Méthode Cap Classique) won the award from 46 entrants with his 1994 magnum of Graham Beck Brut Pinot Noir Chardonnay. The wine scored four-and-a-half stars, ahead of six four-star bubblies which included two other examples of Ferreira’s sparkling wine range, the Graham Beck Blanc de Blancs 2003 and the non-vimtage Graham Beck Brut – both also in magnums.

 The winning wine was first released in 2002, but some bottles were left to be disgorged (the yeast removed) only in March last year. Ferreira said the wine had carried a vintage date because of the significance of the year in South African history, to commemmorate the presidential inauguration of Nelson Mandela. Now 600 magnums have been released (R180 ex-cellar).

Other four-star wines were Simonsig Kaapse Vonkel Brut 2005, Morena Brut Rosé NV, Woolworths Villiera Brut 1999 and Villiera Monro Brut 2001

The win for Pieter ‘Bubbles’ Ferreira coincides with the release of a new sparkling wine from the Graham Beck cellar: a sweetish Demi-sec - aimed at a developing new marked. Ferreira said the wine was carefully researched and crafted after many trails. It is not simply a wine with higher (35gm/l) sugar.

• Full results and other material are available on the Wine magazine website.

• Public tastings of a selection of the top-scorers in the competition will be held on 6 and 8 Novemebr in Cape Town and Johannesburg respectively. Tickets cost R100 per person and bookings can be made by phoning 0860 100 203 or emailing smart@rsp.co.za.