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 For producers from outside South Africa who would like to enter the markets in Africa, the Michelangelo is the competition to enter. The organisers offer a number of marketing opportunities for the awarded wines, including participation in various wine and food shows, retail opportunities and tastings, held under the Michelangelo umbrella.
Founded by a wine lover and Public Relations consultant with – admittedly – very little background knowledge of the wines industry in October 1997, Michelangelo started as a low key affair, says Lorraine Immelman, owner and CEO of the competition. Now well entrenched and a much respected woman in South African wine industry, Lorraine explains: ‘The Trade Commissioner of Chile in South Africa at the time and an international wine expert, Ramon Rada ,suggested to me late in 1996 that it would be a good idea to have a competition for South African wines where only international judges tasted them. Since we needed a venue and a sponsor for hotel stay, we approached the Michelangelo Hotel across my office in Johannesburg’. They wereapparently willing to oblige if the hotel’s name was included in the title, which explains the unusual name of the competition.
Change of venue to Stellenbosch
In 2003 Lorraine and her team felt it might be more meaningful to have the judges visit a few South African farms (vineyards and wineries) in what is, after all, a wine competition. The venue was shifted to Stellenbosch, the wine capital of South Africa, but the name Michelangelo stuck.
As Immelman puts it, ‘through the name of the competition – Michelangelo - we also honour the genius of the medieval Italian sculptor, painter, architect, poet and engineer of the High Renaissance, Michelangelo Buonarroti, who famously painted the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel in Rome. “Just as Michelangelo strived for perfection in every area, so do our entrants to create the perfect wine or liqueur and be awarded accordingly with a medal or trophy”, says Lorraine.
Tougher to get Awards
The medals are more difficult to come by in comparison with many other international wine competitions. Only a third of the entries are awarded, making it a tougher competition but giving the winners that much more satisfaction and prestige. The highest scoring wine in a category is awarded a trophy, of which there are currently 17.
Slow and Steady
 The first year in 1997 saw an entry of 146 South African wines only. Although a slow start, she was confident that the initial support reflected the local wine industry’s endorsement of the new competition and what it stood for - and still stands for. Entries have increased steadily by an average of 30% per year and today Michelangelo draws more than 1700 entries.
In 2003 the competition introduced the first of a number of trophies, namely the Grand Prix Trophy for the best entry, the Pinotage trophy and a trophy for the best Garagiste wine (limited wine production) entered into the competition.
Opening up to international entries
In 2003 the organisers were approached by a number of foreign producers who wanted to enter the competition, and as a result the competition was opened up to international entriesas well.Only sixteen foreign wines were entered in that year, among them the Australian Wilson’s Oak Chardonnay 2001 which received a Grand D’Or medal that year. Entries from a further three overseas countries, namely Italy, France and Australia were also awarded medalsin the same year.
When the number of wines to be judged crossed 1200, the number of panels was increased from four to the current level of five. Each panel consists of 3-5 members, including a chairperson.Since the start of the Michelangelo 20 years ago, more than 174 different judges from 44 countries have served on the panels.
The Michelangelo International Liqueur Awards
2014 saw the launch of South Africa’s first Liqueur Awards as part of the new Michelangelo International Wine & Spirits Awards. As this is the only opportunity for producers of liqueurs and fruit wines in South Africa, the new awards were well received and hopefully will continue to allow producers to give their quality liqueurs and other spiritssuch as rum, vodka and gin the long-overdue recognition.
In 2015 a Grand Prix trophy for the top scoring Dessert Wine was introduced alongside the Grand Prix for the top scoring entry of the competition to give the world’s excellent fortified and other sweet wines their long-overdue recognition - from Canada’s Ice Wine to Slovenia’s Straw Wine and South Africa’s Muscadel.
 Since then, both the importers of foreign wines, brandy and liqueurs into South Africa, and producers from other countries who are seeking representation in South Africa, have been entering their products for the competition.
Michelangelo judges
This competition is unique in Africa, in that it is the only wine awards in which all judges are international wine experts, hand-picked from around the globe. Since the start of the Michelangelo 20 years ago, more than 174 different judges from 44 countries have served on the panels.
The Michelangelo annually receives in the region of 1700 wine, brandy and liqueur entries from both South Africa and international producers around the globe entered in more than 50 classes. These are judged blind, using the 100-point international system.
Entries open on June1 and close on July 29, and are open to wines from across the world at 970 ZARands (US $64) each ( inclusive of VAT) per entry. The tastings will be carried out for a week from 15 – 20 August. The results will be made public at an awards function on 26 September, 2016.
For details of the competition and how to enter, please visit their website http://michelangeloawards.com/
or check their Facebook page, Twitter or LinkedIn account
Subhash Arora
Panel of Judges 2016
Trophies
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