Durbanville Hills has secured its place at the pinnacle of the wine world, achieving remarkable success at the prestigious 2024 Michelangelo International Wine and Spirits Awards.
The esteemed competition, which celebrated its 28th year, awarded Durbanville Hills the coveted Kuehne & Nagel Top Producer Trophy, alongside three major trophies in the cabernet sauvignon, Bordeaux red blend, and white blend categories.
Competing against 1 555 entries from seven countries, Durbanville Hills stood out with its exceptional wine portfolio. Their Collectors Reserve The Castle of Good Hope Cabernet Sauvignon 2022 earned the FlySafair Cabernet Sauvignon Trophy, while the Tangram Red Blend 2020 was honoured with the Kuehne & Nagel Bordeaux Blend Trophy, and the Tangram White Blend 2022 received the FlySafair White Blend Trophy.
Hailing the old and the new
Durbanville Hills cellar master Pieter-Niel Rossouw expressed his heartfelt appreciation, particularly highlighting the impact of the late Martin Moore, whose expertise and understanding of the unique terroir of the Durbanville ward were pivotal in crafting these award-winning wines.
“Martin had an innate sense of the unique terroir of the hills and valleys of the area, and to see several winning wines, especially sauvignon blanc, his favourite cultivar, performing incredibly well, significantly across three wine ranges, from the small boutique production of the Tangram to the reserve Collectors Reserve range to the highly popular Durbanville Hills Sauvignon Blanc, one of the most popular sauvignon blancs in South Africa earned a gold, is heartwarming,” Rossouw said.
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Durbanville Hills managing director Albert Gerber said it was incredible to honour Moore in this way, but at the same time, they celebrated the influence and contribution of the two newcomers to the winemaking team, with Rossouw as cellar master and Tammy Claasen as winemaker.
“Our member farms also play a critical role in the quality of our wines. They share a rich history and build on the legacy of generations of wine growers in the Durbanville ward.
“Over the years, together with our winemaking team and viticulturist, they have identified the most suited areas to ensure each cultivar is matched to their ideal location and that only the finest, true to terroir grapes, reach our cellar,” Gerber said.
As Africa’s largest wine and spirits competition, the Michelangelo International Wine and Spirits Competition’s rigorous judging process, involving 17 international and seven South African experts, highlights the significance of Durbanville Hills’ achievements.
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