Spier Wine Farm’s Frans K. Smit White 2018 received the Best White Blend Trophy at the inaugural 2024 Fine Wine Awards.
The wine received a near-perfect score of 96 out of 100, distinguishing itself among entries as one of only two wines to achieve such a high score at the highly competitive event.
The Fine Wine Awards, sponsored by American Express, is a new competition that aims to create the most comprehensive, independently judged guide for South African wine lovers. Nearly 900 entries across 18 categories were blind-tasted by a panel of 19 judges and six associates over four intense days.
The judges, chaired by award-winning writer Malu Lambert, awarded 18 Gold and 341 Silver medals, with the top-scoring wines in each category receiving a trophy.
The White Blends category showcased a wide range of cultivar compositions, with entries spanning from Sauvignon Blanc-Sémillon blends to Chenin Blanc and Chardonnay-based wines as well as Rhône-style whites and field blends. Despite the diversity the overall quality was high, with plenty of interest.
Said judge Jono le Feuvre: “The Sauvignon-Sémillon blends stood out in this class. They offered both concentration and complexity.”
A blend of 77% Sauvignon Blanc and 23% Sémillon, the trophy-winning Frans K. Smit White 2018 offers aromatic intensity, concentration, texture, and potential to age. The judging panel described it as “truly world-class”, with elderflower, gun-flint, peaches, and lifted notes of lime on the nose, leading to a weighty palate with a hint of grip and spice from maturation in foudre, balanced by a line of brightness.
In addition to the Best White Blend Trophy, Spier received 95 points for its 21 Gables Cabernet Sauvignon 2019, 92 points for its 21 Gables Pinotage 2019, 91 points for its 21 Gables Chenin Blanc 2021, and 90 points for the 21 Gables Sauvignon Blanc 2023.
Spier’s winemaking philosophy, championed by acclaimed cellar master Johan Jordaan, is rooted in a deep respect for the vineyard. “You can’t be arrogant around a vine; you have to respect what the vineyard hands you,” Jordaan said.
This approach, combined with a commitment to regenerative farming practices, has allowed Spier to craft exceptional wines that showcase the unique terroir of the Western Cape. The award-winning Frans K. Smit White 2018 is one such example.
Named after Spier’s visionary cellar master of 27 years and current managing director Frans Smit, the eponymous range pays homage to the man who has elevated the farm into an internationally acclaimed Stellenbosch producer. After passing the cellar master baton to Jordaan in 2021, the pair continue to collaborate creatively on this wine.
Despite being in different parts of the world, Stellenbosch and Bordeaux are similar in geography and climate, making them comparable in wine growing. Both areas have diverse soils – gravel, limestone, sand, and clay in Bordeaux and decomposed granite and sandy loam in Stellenbosch – ideal for cultivating rich red and complex white wines.
Their closeness to oceans moderates temperatures, which lengthens the growing season. This lets grapes develop deep flavours while maintaining their acidity.
“In South Africa, we don’t make new-world wines,” Jordaan pointed out, “we make bridging wines that tether the old and new worlds. If you look beyond Bordeaux, the Stellenbosch terroir enables us to create exceptional white blends that are some of the Cape’s best-kept secrets.”
The grapes for the Frans K. Smit White 2018 were sourced from two prized parcels in dry-land vineyards – Sémillon from the south-eastern slopes of the Helderberg in Stellenbosch and Sauvignon Blanc from the cool south-south-west facing slopes of Tygerberg.
“We got to this wine, as we always do, by picking from two vineyards that deliver the kind of surprises we like,” Jordaan shared.
The crafting process involved selective picking, extended skin contact for the Sauvignon Blanc, and barrel fermentation in untoasted barrels and foudres to prime the juice for ageing. “Extracting wood tannins gives the wine superb ageing potential,” he added. “While drinking beautifully now, this wine will continue to reward the patient collector.”
Discover Spier’s award-winning wines of Spier by visiting the Spier Tasting Room or www.spier.co.za.
