Bordicon and Rodanico shine at prestigious new awards spotlighting SA’s finest blends. Cape Town, 30 April 2025

Idiom Wines has once again affirmed its position as a leader in South Africa’s premium red blend category, securing three prestigious gold medals at the inaugural Red Blend Challenge held on 6 March 2025 in Cape Town.

The winning wines – Idiom Bordicon 2021, Idiom Bordicon 2022, and Idiom Rodanico 2022 – stood out among a competitive field of top-tier blends, capturing the attention of a seasoned judging panel and securing their place on the gold podium. These three gold accolades place Idiom among the top performers at the event, which awarded only 18 gold medals in total.

Organised by Events by Celia, the Red Blend Challenge was the first in a series of annual wine competitions designed to celebrate excellence in specific varietal and blended categories. The judging panel included some of South Africa’s most respected wine professionals: Christine Rudman CWM (Chair), Clive Torr CWM, sommelier Janine van Zyl, and Suzaan Potgieter, editor of Die Burger Versnit.

“We are honoured to receive these awards, which recognise the craftsmanship and vision behind our iconic blends. These are standout wines — memorable on a sensory level, with depth and distinction that make them true collector’s items. The new vintages, in particular, are proving to be exceptional, showcasing a fresh character that reflects both their heritage and evolution,” said Roberto Bottega. “Each of these wines reflects our commitment to blending tradition with innovation, combining classic European varietals with the unique character of the Cape.”

The Idiom blends range pays homage to the great wine regions of Europe, with each name reflecting the origin of its grape varietals: Bordicon from Bordeaux, Rodanico from the Rhône Valley, and Iberico from the Iberian Peninsula. These distinctive names celebrate the classic influences behind each blend while capturing Idiom’s uniquely South African expression of Old World styles.

These blends are pillars of Idiom’s winemaking philosophy: to create distinctive, age-worthy wines that showcase the best of both Old World structure and New World vibrancy.

This latest recognition reinforces Idiom’s status as a benchmark for red blend excellence and sets the tone for a year of continued accolades.

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