Michelangelo International Wine Awards 2005

Darling farm Cloof has won the Grand Prix trophy for the top scoring wine at the 2005 Michelangelo International Wine Awards with its Crucible Shiraz 2003.

Only 5000 litres of the wine was made with it spending 15 months in new French oak. It has an alcohol by volume of 15,5% and a residual sugar of 5,6 g/l, making it a real blockbuster.

Michelangelo relies predominantly on foreign judges and it is interesting such an extravagant style emerged tops.

In addition to this achievement, the Crucible Shiraz 2003 also got double gold at the 2004 Veritas awards and 3 Stars in the March 2005 issue of WINE magazine.

The Andreas Shiraz 2004 from Wellington farm Groenendal was runner-up.

Three other trophies were awarded with the Sue van Wyk Pinotage Trophy going to Franschhoek farm Allée Bleue for its Pinotage 2004, the Garagiste Trophy going to the Soet Karoo Red Muscat d’Alexandrie 2004 (made by Herman Perold of Prince Albert) and the inaugural trophy for best organic wine going to Robertson farm Bon Cap for its Organic Pinotage 2004.

A further 18 Grand Gold medals were awarded:

Anura Chardonnay 2004
Cape First Wines Makana Chardonnay 2004
Crow’s Nest Marcel de Reuck Shiraz 2003
Fleur du Cap Sauvignon Blanc Unfiltered 2005
Glen Carlou Syrah 2004
Graham Beck Pheasant's Run Sauvignon Blanc 2005
Groote Post Sauvignon Blanc 2005
Haut Espoir Chardonnay Reserve 2004
Kaapzicht Bin 3 2003
La Motte Shiraz 2003
Lourensford Seventeen Hundred 2003
Mischa Shiraz 2004
Pulpit Rock Chardonnay 2004
Raka Figurehead 2004
Rijk’s Private Cellar Chardonnay 2003
Saronsberg Shiraz 2004
Seidelberg de Leuwen Jagt Muscadel
Viljoensdrift Chardonnay 2004