As a new year full of promise beckons, Bellingham can look back on a past year of glittering critical acclaim. With a multitude of awards won at various competitions in 2018, the cellar team will have extra motivation for the coming harvest season.
We recap some of the most notable achievements by Bellingham Wines:
It was once again a stellar year for Bellingham’s The Bernard Series Old Vine Chenin Blanc. This exceptional wine received a host of accolades, like a gold medal at the Sakura Wine Awards in Japan, another gold at the Michelangelo International Wine and Spirits Awards. The Old Vine Chenin Blanc also received a score of 93 points at the International Wine Challenge and a 4-and-a-half star rating at the Platter’s 2019 South African Wine Guide Awards.
Other white wines also performed well, with the Bellingham Sauvignon Blanc sealing a Top 10 spot at the FNB Sauvignon Blanc Top 10 Awards and a gold medal at the prestigious Concours Mondial du Sauvignon, underscoring this wine’s consistency. So too The Bernard Series Whole Bunch Roussanne, which achieved the rare honour of a double gold prize at the Six Nations Wine Challenge. The Bellingham Berry Bush Rosé also proved its star power with a gold medal at the annual Rosé Rocks competition.
The reds didn’t lag behind, with a terrific 91 points for the Bernard Series SMV at the Signature Red Blend Report. The Bernard Series Bush Vine Pinotage shined at the National Wine Challenge/Top 100 SA Wine Challenge, winning a coveted double platinum award, while the Bellingham Pinotage picked up a gold medal at Michelangelo.
The American critic James Suckling had high praise for the recently launched Bellingham Founders Series The Freda and The Pod, awarding both these ultra-premium wines a score of 93 points. A number of Bellingham wines also received scores of 90 points or more from well-known British wine writer and Master of Wine Tim Atkin in his 2018 SA Special Report, including a magnificent 93 points for both Founders Series The Freda and The Bernard Series Grenache Blanc. Other wines that obtained excellent scores in this report are Founders Series Quintessential Couple and The Bernard Series Whole Bunch Roussanne with 92 points each, and The Bernard Series Basket Press Syrah with 91 points.
And last but certainly not least, Bellingham ended the year on a dizzying high with an excellent showing at the Platter’s 2019 South African Wine Guide Awards. Eleven Bellingham wines were awarded a four-star rating or more, with the Chenin Blanc, and Bernard Series Roussanne, Whole Bunch Grenache Blanc/Viognier, Old Vine Chenin Blanc, Small Barrel SMV, Basket Press Syrah, and Bush Vine Pinotage all achieving an outstanding 4-and-a-half stars, which equates to 90-94 points on the 100-point scale.
These amazing accolades build on the iconic status the Bellingham brand enjoys among consumers and the wine fraternity. Bellingham Wines look forward to continuing to fly the quality flag in the year to come!
