In a show-stopping moment for the locally produced Méthod Cap Classique, Pongrácz Blanc de Blancs was crowned as the overall champion wine, receiving the Vertex Award at the 2018 Veritas Awards held last weekend.
With a record number of 1,677 entries in total and 50 double gold medals awarded, winemaker Elunda Basson said it was an honour for the wine to be singled out as the best on show at the Cape Town event.
“The years of working towards creating the ultimate MCC paid -off and this recognition is truly the pinnacle of my career. I’m literally on cloud nine!
“As one of SA’s leading MCC producers we strive for unparalleled quality and continuously add innovation to our range,” she said.
The Veritas Vertex award for the top wine of the competition takes its name from the Latin vertex, which means “highest point” and a handmade glass trophy, especially designed for the Vertex award winning wine, was presented to Basson on the night. In addition the flagship Desiderius Pongrácz, which spends 60 months in the bottle for secondary fermentation, took double gold.
The 100% chardonnay blanc de blancs complements the Pongrácz range, made in the traditional French method of allowing secondary fermentation to take place in the bottle.
Lively with bright, zesty citrus aromas, the Pongrácz Blanc de Blancs is intensely fruity. The refreshing palate reveals an alluring creaminess, fresh lemon zest and toasty yeast, ending with a vibrant mineral-driven finish. The grapes were hand-selected from vineyards cooled by maritime breezes and selected for their overall quality and suitability.
Pongrácz, which retails for about R180 a bottle, is inspired by a nobleman and refugee from the Hungarian uprising, Desiderius Pongrácz, whose vision revitalised viticulture in the Cape.
Entry details
Four lucky Weekend Post readers can snap up a bottle of Pongrácz Blanc de Blancs in celebration of the wine’s win at the Vertex Awards. All you have to do to enter is SMS the word BUBBLY to 41893 before noon on Monday October 15, followed by your name and surname. The winners will be drawn electronically and notified telephonically before day’s end on Monday. SMSes cost R1.50 each, errors and omissions are billed, and free SMSes do not count. Other Ts and Cs may also apply. Tiso Blackstar employees and their families are not permitted to enter.
Winners will need to collect the prize from The Herald offices in Baakens Street.