Word on the grapevine is that WineX 2014 was better than ever

The Best Wines on Show poll is a measure of trends and tastes: visitors vote for their favourites and stand in line to win prizes from iStore, Riedel Glassware and the WineWizard. A popular winner in the past, Vrede en Lust took the honours this year in both the Best White and Best Red Wines stakes. The results of the 2014 RMB WineX Best Wines on Show and Top 10 poll reflect appreciation for both established classics and lesser-known labels, as follows:

Best Red Wine on Show

• 1st place: Vrede en Lust Boet Erasmus 2011
  
• 2nd place: De Toren Fusion V 2012
  
• Other wines making the Top 10 Best Red listing (in alphabetical order, includes shared positions): Boekenhoutskloof Cabernet Sauvignon 2012, De Toren Z 2012, Diemersfontein Pinotage 2013, Diemersfontein Carpe Diem Pinotage 2012, Klipperskloof Shiraz 2011, Meerlust Rubicon 2009, Robertson Winery Constitution Road Shiraz 2011, Solms-Delta Africana 2012 and Vrede en Lust Mocholate 2014.

Best White Wine on Show (includes Rosé)

• Joint 1st place: Vrede en Lust Jess Rosé 2014 and Vrede en Lust White Mischief 2013
  
• Other wines making the Top 10 Best White listing (in alphabetical order): Black Elephant Two Dogs, A Peacock & A Horse Sauvignon Blanc 2014, Hidden Valley Sauvignon Blanc 2014, Lismore Chardonnay 2012, Oneiric Sauvignon Blanc 2011, Seven Sisters Moscato (Yolanda) 2013, Springfield Life From Stone Sauvignon Blanc 2014, Vrede en Lust Viognier 2012 and Waterford Family Reserve Heatherleigh NV.

Meerlust tops sales

Wine sales through Shop@Show offer an equally important benchmark for wine popularity. More than 25,000 bottles of wine were sold via the show's retail facility with the Meerlust Rubicon 2009 achieving the highest sales by value and Springfield Life from Stone Sauvignon Blanc 2014 by volume. Other top sellers by volume were the Raka Quinary 2010, Rupert & Rothschild Classique 2012 and Saronsberg Provenance Shiraz 2012. Meerlust was the overall top selling winery. Up on 2013, exhibitor sales totalled more than R3.6 million.

Visitors to RMB WineX could once again attend the popular Table Talk Pop-Up tastings - 'round table' interaction with the winemaker for small groups. Serious wine business aside, a guest appearance by Joey, the equine star of War Horse and the Afropolitan sounds of Kaya FM added to the relaxed vibe of the wine show hall while Mastrantonio and 'Chocolates and More' supplied 'on-the-move' deli food to complement the glass in hand.

The show promotes a strong message of responsible consumption and coin-operated breathalysers, managed by Alcohol Breathalysers, were available throughout the venue, with all proceeds donated to Pebbles Project. RMB WineX supports the Rotary Club of Benoni Aurora, which raises substantial funds through the management fee for the show's stock distribution logistics as well as from proceeds raised from generous exhibitor donations.