The International Wine & Spirit Competition (IWSC) 2017 awarded the Spier 21 Gables Pinotage 2014 with a “Gold Outstanding” medal score of 93+ at the 48th annual IWSC awards ceremony, which was held in London in September 2017. In addition, Spier proudly walked away with awards for seven other wines in the 2017 IWSC. Spier’s wines were judged against those from nearly 90 countries, with more than 400 international experts evaluating the wines over a period of seven months, making Spier’s achievement in the IWSC extremely significant.
The Spier 21 Gables Pinotage 2014 is richly textured, tannic and brooding, its palate exuding black fruits, dark chocolate, baked herbs and meaty spice. Tautly strung yet fine tannins are evident, offering a luxurious and velvety texture. Expect this wine to peak around 2022 with the ability to keep longer.
The Spier 21 Gables Pinotage 2014 also won Double Gold at the 2017 Top 100 SA Wines, Double Gold at the 2016 Veritas Awards and earned 4.5 stars in the 2017 edition of Platter’s Wine Guide.
Again on the international front, renowned journalist and Master of Wine, Tim Atkin, has released his much-anticipated fifth annual South African 2017 Special Report, and has rated Spier highly. A total of ten high-ranking Spier wines are included in the report, all of which received scores of 90+. Most notably, Atkins awarded the Spier 21 Gables Chenin Blanc 2015 with a score of 95 points, making it one of the top wines of the year.
Picked on five different dates to maximize complexity, Spier’s top Chenin is wild fermented in 70% new wood. It has a little sweetness, but not botrytis, and a very complex, concentrated palate. Peach, patisserie and cinnamon spice are supported by vivid, mouth-watering acidity – Atkins comments.
The wooded 21 Gables Chenin Blanc 2015 is rich and complex, with aromas of dried apricots, ripe tropical fruit, and oaky vanilla undertones on the nose. With the intense richness of flavour and good acidity, this Chenin Blanc will age very well. It recently ranked as one of the Standard Bank Top 10 Chenin Blanc wines in South Africa.
Together, the award-winning Chenin Blanc and Pinotage form the cornerstone of the 21 Gables range. Barrel-fermented and matured, both are central to South Africa’s vinous history. The acclaim that Spier’s wines have received is a testament to the passion, dedication and experience of cellar master Frans Smit. A member of the prestigious Cape Winemakers Guild, Frans has worked at Spier since 1996, helping to transform the estate into the internationally recognised label that it is today.
Through its premium multi-award-winning 21 Gables wine range, named after the 21 historic Cape Dutch gables that feature on the estate, Spier celebrates 325 years of contribution to South Africa’s rich winemaking history, as well as its own architectural history. The range boasts individual varietals, each one representing a specific terroir which offers a unique characteristic in terms of flavour.
For more information about Spier’s 21 Gables wine range, visit their website!
