Newstead Wines, based in Plettenberg Bay, has been named the overall winner of the Amorim Cap Classique Challenge for the second time in four years, securing the prestigious Best Overall Producer award with their Newstead Blanc de Blanc Cap Classique 2017. This wine also took home the trophy for Best Wine in the Extended Aging category for Cap Classique wines aged seven years and older.
Previously, in 2020, Newstead Wines became the first winery outside the traditional Cape Winelands to win Best Overall Producer with their 2015 Blanc de Blanc. This repeat victory firmly establishes Plettenberg Bay as a significant region for Cap Classique production.
The Amorim Cap Classique Challenge, now in its 23rd consecutive year, is sponsored by Amorim Cork, which has been supplying cork stoppers to the international wine industry for over 150 years. This year’s competition saw 131 entries, showcasing the growing diversity and quality of South African Cap Classique wines.
Newstead Wines, founded by Doug and Sue Lund in 2006, is a pioneer of the Plettenberg Bay Winelands, with their first wines produced in 2012. Their recent accolade highlights Plettenberg Bay’s potential as a leading Cap Classique region.
Category Winners
In addition to Newstead’s achievements, several other wineries were recognized in this year’s competition:
- Best Brut Blend: Villiera Monro Brut Cap Classique 2017 from Villiera, Stellenbosch.
- Best Rosé: Graham Beck Pinot Noir Rosé Cap Classique 2018.
- Best Blanc de Blancs: De Wetshof Blanc de Blancs 2021 from De Wetshof Estate, Robertson.
- Best Nectar (Demi-Sec) Style: Simonsig Satin Royale Cap Classique n/v from Simonsig Estate.
The Brut Blend category received the highest number of entries with 36, followed by Blanc de Blancs (35), Rosé (33), Nectar (15), and Extended Lees Aging (12).
A Celebration of Cap Classique
Speaking at the awards ceremony, Joaquim Sá, Managing Director of Amorim Cork SA, emphasized that the Cap Classique Challenge is more than just a competition. “It is an annual celebration of the exceptional wine category Cap Classique has become since its inception in Stellenbosch by Simonsig in 1971,” he said. “The competition celebrates the legacy of this category, honours the quality of the product and its exceptional producers, and envisions a sparklingly successful future.”
Sá highlighted the diverse terroir of South African Cap Classique, which allows winemakers to create dynamic products by blending grapes from regions such as Darling, Robertson, Stellenbosch, Elgin, Durbanville, and Paarl. This diversity, coupled with the continuous discovery of new regions, is exemplified by Newstead Wines’ recent success in establishing Plettenberg Bay as a key Cap Classique region.
Amorim Cork remains committed to supporting the growth of the South African Cap Classique sector, which continues to gain traction among both local and international consumers.
Double Gold Winners (95+ points)
- Blanc de Blancs:
- De Wetshof Estate Blanc de Blancs 2021
- Louisvale Brut Cap Classique n/v
- Colmant Blanc de Blancs Reserve n/v
- Brut Blends:
- Villiera Monro Brut Cap Classique 2017
- Villiera Tradition Brut Cap Classique n/v
- Quoin Rock Black Series Cap Classique 2018
- Extended Lees Aging:
- Newstead Brut Blanc de Blancs Cap Classique 2017
- L’Ormarins Private Cuvée Cap Classique 2015
- Kay & Monty Champu Blanc de Blanc Cap Classique 2017
- Rosé/Blanc de Noir:
- Graham Beck Pinot Noir Rosé Cap Classique 2018
- Nectar (Gold Medal, 93–95 points):
- Simonsig Satin Royale Cap Classique n/v
