KLEINE ZALZE winery has again been named ‘Best New World Producer of the Year’ in the UK by the renowned on-trade wine competition, the Sommelier Wine Awards. The family owned Stellenbosch estate was singled out for the second time in four years, having won this same accolade in 2015.
The Sommelier Wine Awards (SWA) is the UK’s only competition to be aimed solely at the on-trade. Judged by a panel of top leading sommeliers and on-trade drinks buyers, the competition rewards the best wines available to restaurants, bars and hotels in the UK and beyond.
To pick up seven medals is, in itself, impressive enough. But to do it with wines that are this affordable is little short of remarkable,” said SWA competition director Chris Losh. “It was also really interesting to see them pick up Golds with a pricy Sauvignon Blanc and a classy Stellenbosch Shiraz. These are not wines that habitually walk onto our Gold List, so the fact that they did tells you everything you need to know about how good they are.”
The awards are welcome news for the Kleine Zalze team. “We have invested heavily to achieve the best from our terroir, so it’s very gratifying to be ranked number one. It’s also very significant for us as a South African company to be among the world’s most recognisable, historic and superb wine brands.” says Kleine Zalze owner and managing director Kobus Basson.
“We at Hatch Mansfield are delighted but not surprised by this award. It is a tribute to the winemaking skills of Alastair Rimmer and RJ Botha and the hard work of the cellar and viticultural teams. Our focus with the Kleine Zalze range is on the hotel and restaurant sector and we have excellent distribution across the UK working with our friends and partners Matthew Clark. This award is a real endorsement of the outstanding quality of the Kleine Zalze wines across a broad range of varieties.” says Patrick McGrath, Managing Director of Hatch Mansfield.
The achievement follows its naming earlier this year as top South African wine brand in the on-premise trade in the UK alongside brands like Laurent Perrier, Taittinger, Baron Philippe De Rothschild and Dom Perignon; and its inclusion in the 2018 Top Wine SA Hall of Fame.
Kleine Zalze has built an international following through the pursuit of a steadfast philosophy: loyalty to clients, a constant pursuit of quality and consistency, and a commitment to building strong relationships. The approach has helped the estate succeed in South Africa, Europe and Asia.
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