Pongrácz Becomes The Only SA Sparkling Wine To Be Awarded The Grand Gold In Belgium
Pongrácz Becomes The Only SA Sparkling Wine To Be Awarded The Grand Gold In Belgium. Pongrácz is the only South African sparkling wine to be awarded a Grand Gold for its Pongrácz Brut at the 2023 Concours Mondial de Bruxelles held in Belgium. The vintage Desiderius Pongrácz 2015 was awarded Gold.
Only eleven Grand Golds were awarded at the competition with one each to South Africa, Spain, Italy and Portugal, and seven to France. The Concours Mondial de Bruxelles is the global benchmark for wine competitions, singling out wines of excellence from across the world.
Pongrácz winemaker MP Botes says these two gold awards yet again, confirm the quality of locally produced Cap Classiques made in the French tradition expressing their South African terror. “The numerous awards of our Cap Classiques echo our continuous commitment to producing world-class quality products. We nurture these wines over a long period whilst the secondary fermentation in the bottle creates exquisite, delicate bubbles and integrated aromas. I feel so privileged to be part of the making of these remarkable Cap Classiques.”
Spending a minimum of 69 months in the bottle for slow secondary fermentation, the ultra-premium Desiderius Pongrácz 2015 is gracious, elegant and timeless. It is made in the time-honoured French tradition and a blend of Chardonnay (80%) and Pinot Noir (20%) grapes hand-picked from two selected vineyard blocks. Beautiful, elegant bubbles and brioche-like aromas on the nose, followed by filling the palate with a rich and complex combination of nuanced fruit, almonds, and yeasty notes. Followed by a lingering aftertaste.
Pongrácz is named after the nobleman and Hungarian refugee, Desiderius Pongrácz, who had a profound impact on viticulture in the Western Cape. Considered a genius for finding the unexpected in the traditional and fresh, unconventional theories, Pongrácz was witty and brilliant, and his inspiration extended across the wine industry, classical music, anthropology and dachshunds.
