Cape Town, March 6, 2025 – The inaugural Red Blend Challenge, part of an annual series organized by Events by Celia, saw a distinguished panel of judges evaluating an array of premium red blends. The judging took place in Cape Town, with wines assessed under stringent international standards.
The panel featured renowned wine experts, including Christine Rudman CWM (chair), Clive Torr CWM, sommelier Janine van Zyl, and Suzaan Potgieter, editor of Die Burger Versnit. Wines were evaluated through blind tasting in the presence of an auditor, following the 100-point scoring system, where 90+ points signified a gold medal and scores between 80 and 89 earned silver. Judges refrained from discussions until all results were processed.
High Standards and Exceptional Entries
Chairing the panel, Christine Rudman praised the overall quality of submissions, noting that no wine scored below silver. She credited this to the selective nature of cellar entries, with wineries submitting only their finest blends. Bordeaux blends emerged as the standout category, securing 11 gold medals, particularly from Stellenbosch producers.
The highest-scoring wine and overall winner of the Red Blend Challenge 2025 was The Mitre 2020 from Mitre’s Edge, a blend of 82% Cabernet Franc with 9% each of Malbec and Cabernet Sauvignon. Judges lauded its seamless integration, supple texture, and balanced oak influence, emphasizing its immediate accessibility while retaining potential for aging. Rudman highlighted South Africa’s ability to compete on an international level with this blend.
Performance Across Categories
Rhône blends, featuring Shiraz in combination with varieties such as Mourvèdre, Grenache Noir, Carignan, Cinsaut, and Viognier, demonstrated exceptional drinkability and earned three gold medals. Meanwhile, Cape Blends, where Pinotage is the dominant component, saw only two entries, both achieving silver medals.
The ‘Other’ blends category showcased innovation, with Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz forming the backbone of many wines, complemented by lesser-seen varieties such as Tannat, Cinsaut, Carignan, Pinotage, and Alicante Bouschet. While some blends exhibited perfect harmony, the panel noted significant future potential in this emerging category, which secured five gold medals, with the remaining entries earning silver.
Wines in the competition hailed from a range of South African regions, with Stellenbosch, Coastal, and Western Cape dominating. Vintages spanned from 2018 to 2024, with 2021 and 2022 being the most represented years.
Red Blend Challenge 2025 Results
Winner:
- Mitre’s Edge The Mitre 2020
Gold Medalists:
- Arendskloof Shiraz Tannat 2023
- Eagle’s Cliff Shiraz Pinotage 2023
- Guru Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot 2020
- Idiom Bordicon 2021, 2022
- Idiom Rodanico 2022
- Hoopenburg Integer Bordeaux Blend 2020 (including 2nd bottling), 2021, 2022
- Hoopenburg Integer Rhône Red 2019
- Little River Red Blend 2021
- Mitre’s Edge Vineyards Sholto 2021
- Villiersdorp Slow Bossieveld 2024
- Asara The Bell Tower 2022
- The Hub Shiraz Grenache Noir 2021
- Asara The Splendid Steeple 2022
- Terre Paisible Vigne D’Or Red Blend 2021
Silver Medalists:
- Adama Wines Amandla Shiraz Zinfandel 2024
- Arendskloof Shiraz Tannat 2021
- Boplaas Family Reserve Gamka 2021
- Boplaas Ring of Rocks 2022
- Cape Five Reserve Organic 2022
- D’Aria Music Red Winter Ballad 2023
- Dieu Donné Cabernet Sauvignon Shiraz 2022
- Fledge and Co Red Blend, Veld Versnit 2022
- Idiom Cape Blend 2022
- Hoopenburg Integer Rhône Red 2020
- Le Ricmal Lerato Classic Red NV
- Rosendal Reserve Mistral 2022
- Villiersdorp Slow 1922 Heritage Range Kiara 2021
- Asara The Bell Tower 2019
- Terre Paisible Vigne D’Or Red Blend 2018
The Red Blend Challenge 2025 underscored South Africa’s growing reputation for producing high-quality blended wines. With innovation and craftsmanship evident across categories, the competition set a strong precedent for future editions.
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