Final call for entries: 2021 Old Mutual Trophy Wine and Spirits shows

The competitions will be judged in Cape Town at the end of May and the first week of June, with results being revealed in July. Michael Fridjhon is chairman of the judges for both competitions. Per last year’s format, all panellists are South African experts, and in the case of the spirits’ judging, also have a wealth of international product experience.

Supporting SA’s wine industry

Now in its 20th year, the Old Mutual Trophy Wine Show enjoys a reputation for identifying the best Cape wines and honouring excellence in the country’s wine industry. In a time where the country’s 550 wineries are battling to survive the impact of the pandemic and ensuing lockdown on their business, it provides a vital platform from which to highlight the extraordinary achievements of the country’s finest wine producers.

“The worldwide Covid-19 pandemic added massively to the problems the wine industry has been compelled to confront over the past few years. Trading restrictions, as well the economic crises of our key export markets, presented challenges to the viability of many of the smaller wineries.

“Under these circumstances, it is impossible to over-emphasise the value of Old Mutual’s ongoing support of the competition. By providing the most successful producers with a platform as well as an international marketing message, the Old Mutual Trophy Wine Show could prove key to the survival of many of these enterprises,” says Fridjhon.

Excellence in spirits and liquers

The launch of the Old Mutual Trophy Spirits Show in 2019 brought a new and valuable competition to the spirits and liqueurs sector of the South African liquor industry. Open to all producers and importers, the show scores and ranks all products across a series of categories, identifying the gold, silver and bronze medallists and awarding a trophy to best-in-class submissions providing they are of gold medal standard.

Fridjhon believes that the Spirits Show adds an important dimension to one of the country’s most important consumer industries. “In the past five years (before the pandemic) there was a proliferation in the number of small distillers entering the market. There has also been a vast increase in the number of whiskies available for sale, both from local distillers and through a network of importers. South African brandy has long enjoyed extensive international recognition.

“Small distillers cannot afford to advertise in order to achieve visibility. An award from this competition will help to raise a product’s profile in a very busy marketplace. For the major brands a successful outcome will serve to vindicate marketing claims and provide credible verification of the advertising message”.

The entry kit and entry form for each of the competitions are available on the respective websites: Old Mutual Trophy Wine Show and Old Mutual Trophy Spirits Show.