Home Winners > Winners 2019 > NEW WORLD: Pinot Noir - Rest of the New World (including South Africa, Argentina & Brazil)

Winner Details

New World: Pinot Noir - Rest of the New World

2019 Gold 1      Silver 4       Bronze 1      Commended 2
2018 Gold 1      Silver 3       Bronze 4      Commended 2

With the migration of Australia to a category of its own, this section was essentially now just South Africa, Argentina and Brazil. All three countries managed medals, which is good news of sorts, though none of them exactly set the heather alight.

South Africa would probably expect better than four medals, though Argentina’s two Silvers was not bad going for a country that has tended to be conspicuous by its absence here. And yes, one of them was nearly £50 a bottle. Mendozan Pinot at Premier Cru Burgundy prices. Who knew?

FROM THE TASTING TEAMS

‘Within every country people need to be site-specific in choosing cooler-climate areas for Pinot Noir – sometimes New World styles can become quite cooked, a less elegant representation of the grape.’ Laura Rhys MS, team leader

‘Very good wines from Argentina. South Africa still has a benchmark style, less spicy, savoury and rubbery than before. A fresher and riper style. I’m always pleased with South African Pinot.’ Tanguy Martin, New Street Warehouse

‘There was a lack of elegance compared to French Pinot Noir. A bit cooked, strong in flavour, baked fruits.’ Aurore Anguenot, Aviary

‘They showed their personality, different from the classical French style, balsamic notes, spiciness. Overall a great flight.’ Chiara Sieni, Bottles Group

Award winners

Found 8 wines

New World: Pinot Noir, Rest of the New World

Haute Cabrière, Reserve, Pinot Noir 2015, Franschhoek, South Africa

Gold medal winner

Awarding a deserved Gold medal, Immacolata Cannavo of Hakkasan Mayfair praised the ‘fantastic palate of strawberry, dried herbs and spicy oak’, which showed ‘nice complexity’ and was ‘very good value for money’. Both team leader Lionel Periner and Rémi Cousin of Le Gavroche noted that it had ‘good structure’ and both suggested matching it with a dish of ‘roast lamb with rosemary or thyme’. New Street Warehouse’s Tanguy Martin described it as ‘a lovely wine’ with ‘a charming nose… just a great example of South African Pinot Noir’.

£11.32 Hard To Find Wines

Norton, Altura, Pinot Noir 2017, Mendoza, Argentina

Silver medal winner

Immacolata Cannavo of Hakkasan Mayfair found ‘strawberries, spice, pepper, violets and floral essences’, and described this Silver medal-winning wine as ‘soft, supple and balanced with its tannins’.

£12.75 Berkmann Wine Cellars

Boschendal, Appelation Series, Elgin Pinot Noir 2016, Elgin, South Africa

Silver medal winner

Team leader Lionel Periner was impressed by this Silver medal winner’s ‘delicate light aromas’, and described the palate as ‘dry with a good structure, yet a delicate lighter finish with well-integrated tannins’.

£22.65 DGB Europe Ltd

Creation, Reserve, Pinot Noir 2016, Walker Bay, South Africa

Silver medal winner

‘With a nose of red cherries and dark plums, this spicy wine has well-integrated tannins with a really good length,’ thought Chiara Sieni of Bottles Group.

£25.87 Bibendum

Bemberg, La Linterna, Pinot Noir 2013, Mendoza, Argentina

Silver medal winner

Chiara Sieni of Bottles Group described this as ‘spicy and peppery’ with ‘leathery and dark fruits on the nose’. She found the palate ‘fresh, with silky tannins and well-integrated fruits’.

£49.39 Top Selection

Casa Valduga, Identidade, Pinot Noir 2017, Encruzilhada do Sul, Brazil

Bronze medal winner

‘The nose is full of yeast notes of bread, with a hint of chocolate and smoke on the palate, as well,’ said Chiara Sieni of Bottles Group.

£9.98 Berkmann Wine Cellars

Lismore, Pinot Noir 2017, Western Cape, South Africa

Commended medal winner

Creation, Pinot Noir 2017, Walker Bay, South Africa

Commended medal winner

£19.46 Bibendum