KWV in Paarl, the only local wine producer to be voted onto Drinks International’s World’s Most Admired Wine Brands 2015, again illustrated its ability to impress local and international wine judges with its range of refined and high quality wines, when it took home numerous awards and trophies in the month of October.

Chief Winemaker Johann Fourie and his team have been driving a major stylistic evolution in the KWV cellar; one that sets a new benchmark in quality, and one that has resulted in KWV gaining recognition for a cellar that is driven to achieve a high level of excellence, across the board.

At the helm of this quality benchmark is the cellar’s flagship range, KWV The Mentors, a range that was established in 2006 to allow the KWV winemaking team the creative freedom to experiment with different vineyards, cellar practices and grape varieties.

Wines bearing the KWV The Mentors label reflect the strict selection criteria which the KWV wine team applies in the making of the final product: a regime which is carried through from vineyard to final bottling, and which ultimately has resulted in KWV The Mentors arguably being South Africa’s most awarded single wine range.

This month, KWV The Mentors is proud to announce the following competition results:

• Veritas wine awards

KWV The Mentors was awarded four Double Golds and three Golds at the annual Veritas awards – considered the most prestigious and authoritative wine / brandy competition in South Africa – adding to KWV’s overall tally of six Double Gold Medals and nine Gold Medals on the night; steering the cellar to Producer of the Year*, for the fifth consecutive year in a row.

Veritas Double Golds were awarded to KWV The Mentors Chardonnay 2012, KWV The Mentors Orchestra 2011, KWV The Mentors Sauvignon Blanc 2013 and KWV The Mentors Semillon 2014.

The three Gold-winning wines in KWV The Mentors range belong to KWV The Mentors Cabernet Sauvignon 2012, KWV The Mentors Orchestra 2013 and KWV The Mentors Sauvignon Blanc Semillon 2013.

• Michelangelo International Awards

The Michelangelo International Awards, which allows local wines to be tasted alongside international wines, and which provides local wine makers with a platform to have their wines adjudicated by a panel of local and international wine judges, awarded KWV The Mentors Grenache Blanc 2014 with a Double Gold Medal.

• Six Nations Wine Challenge

KWV The Mentors Grenache Blanc 2014 also secured a Gold Medal during the annual Six Nations Wine Challenge held in Australia, an annual challenge which sees the best wines from the USA, Argentina, Australia, Chile, New Zealand and South Africa compete across 17 classes. In the same competition, KWV The Mentors Petit Verdot 2011 also achieved a Gold Medal in the class for Other Red Varieties.

Comments Fourie: “These awards, won across the board, and also for pioneering varietals, demonstrate the skill and versatility of the KWV winemaking team. We are proud to wrap up October – a particularly busy month on the wine award calendar – on such a high note.”

Source: iafrica.com