The challenge was set on the UK Wine-Pages.com Wine Forum: Keith Prothero, staunch advocate of South African had set the bait for Leon Stolarski, importer and retailer, primarily of wines from the Languedoc and Roussillon, and Leon had taken the bait. Which would we prefer if we didn't know which was which: South African or Languedoc?

A price per bottle limit of £15 had been agreed and the protagonist and the deuteragonist had agreed an order and a paired each South African with a Languedoc wine.  To recognise the generosity of Keith and Leon, the participants donated the equivalent of the price of a bottle that would have brought to a wine evening like this to the very worthy South African charity, the Pebbles Project, which supports children with special educational needs, particularly those whose lives are affected by Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder, in the Western Cape of South Africa.

The first 24 wines were served (blind) upstairs in the members' lounge at World Service and a vote was taken on each pair. Unfortunately, I lost track of the final votes for each pair after a while, or it might be that the returning officers stopped announcing the results.

Sparkling pair
 

• N.V. Domaine Rosier, AC Blanquette de Limoux Brut, 11.5%
  Pale straw. Crisp nose somewhat (though in a nice way) reminiscent of stale custard with floral scents. Very fresh, slightly sweet with some apples. The bubbles fade rather quickly. My guess would be that it's a blanquette de limoux. Very Good/Very Good Indeed.
  This received 8 votes out of 14.
• 1993 Mount Methode Cap Classique Cuvée Brut Disa, Twee Jonge Gezellen, W.O. Coastal Region
  A deep, rich gold. Big nose - sweet, slightly oxidised, biscuity. Clearly this has more age than the first: if that was a blanquette de Limoux, this must be a cap classique. Full and attractive on the palate. Very Good Indeed.
  This got my vote, but that wasn't a majority view, as it only got 6 out of 14 votes.

• 2005 The Foundry Viognier, Stellenbosch, 14.5%
  A pale to mid gold. Rich marzipanny nose with pears and peaches. Rich and very full on the palate: quite bold and striking. Very long. Feels very much like viognier to me. Very Good Indeed.
  This got my vote and was a clear winner with a total of 11 out of 14 votes.
• N.V. Cuvée du 11 Novembre 1918, Domaine de la Colombette, Vin de Pays des Côteaux du Libron
  A rather austere, minerally nose with green fruits. Very crisp palate. I have a feeling that this might be quite good and other different circumstances I'd really enjoy it. But tonight it's being really bullied by the Foundry Viognier until it's cowering in the corner; it feels a bit thin and watery in comparison. Difficult to rate this one in comparison to The Foundry.

• 2005 Sauvignon Blanc Les Côteaux de Neffiès, Celliers des Neuf Fiefs, Vin de Pays d'Oc , 12%
  Pale straw. A very straightforward nose that quickly opens up. A touch buttery and floral. Possibly a sauvignon blanc-chardonnay blend? Seems very straightforward, very warm climate sauvignon. Very Good.
  This got 10 out of 14 votes, but mine was not one of them: I didn't really get it, and if I want sauvignon blanc, then the Fryers Cove gave it me in spades.
• 2005 Fryer's Cove Sauvignon Blanc, Wine of Origin Bamboes Bay, 13.5%
  This is a lovely, pure, very classic sauvignon blanc with green peas and asparagus on the nose. The mometary thought flitted across my mind that this might be a NZ ringer. Crisp and very full on the palate, but with a nice minerality and very good acidity. Marred a tad by a touch of sulphur on the nose, though in normal circumstances (i.e. with more than 45 seconds to taste, assess and make notes!) I'd expect that to blow off quickly. This seems to me much more a better expression of the sauvignon grape than the Neuf-Fiefs. Very Good Indeed.
  Few agreed with me, though, and this only got 4 out of 14 votes.

• 2004 Chardonnay Demi Muid, Domaine de la Colombette, Vin de Pays des Côteaux du Libron , 13%
  A simple, tropical buttery nose that must be chardonnay. Fresh fragrant palate with good balance. Very Good+
  This got 10 out 14 votes, though I didn't find that much to impress me.
• 2003 Vergelegen Vergelegen White, Stellenbosch, 13.5%
  A smoky, oaky nose with buttery (actually slightly rancid butter) melony fruit. Very attractive palate with big melony fruit and lots of interest. Chardonnay, but not entirely so, I think. Lots of oak - a bit too much - on the finish. Very Good Indeed.
  This got 4 votes out of 14.

• 2004 Pinot Noir Demi Muid, Domaine de la Colombette, Vin de Pays des Côteaux du Libron, 12.5%
  A fairly youthful, rich ruby colour. Plummy ripe young nose with a green edge. I'd guess that this was a pleasant, fairly young syrah from the Languedoc. Quite sweet fruit on the palate. Simple, but enjoyable. Goodish.
  This got 8 out of 15 votes.
• 2001 Hamilton Russell Pinot Noir, Walker Bay, 14%.
  A darkish, murky garnet. Smoky, tarry, medicinal nose that's not entirely pleasant. Big, full palate. Quite hot and a touch metallic. Big and very full and really rather unsatisfying. I don't think I'd every have guessed this was pinot noir in a thousand years. Not much to recommend it. OK.
  Surprisingly, this got 7 out of 15 votes, but the Colombette Pinot Noir it was up against was equally rubbish.

• 2001 La robe de pourpre, Domaine D'Archimbaud, AC Coteaux du Languedoc, 13%
  A blend of 50% Syrah, 40% Grenache, 5% Mourvedre, 5% Carignan
  A very attractive nose - sweet and perfumed with hints of chocolate. Fresh and very young. And very tannic. Quite hot. Good+
  I preferred this to the Thelema Cab Sauv, though there wasn't much in it, and it received only 4/14 votes.
• 1999 Thelema Cabernet Sauvignon, Stellenbosch
  An undistinguished murky garnet appearance. Very fragrant, oddly bubblegummy, floral blackcurrant nose. Ripe and a bit sweet on the palate. Rather tight. Good.
  This garnered 10/14 votes, but not mine.

• 1999 Morgenhof Premiere Selection, Stellenbosch
  65% cabernet sauvignon; 20% merlot; 10% cabernet franc; 5% malbec
  A weedy twiggy nose. I think this is corked. Others disagree. Tastes the same as it smells. Corked. Not Rated.
• 2001 A de Neffiez, Les Vignerons Réunis de Neffies, AC Côteaux du Languedoc, 12.5%
  95% syrah, 5% grenache.
  A very dark, young purple. Sweet syrupy nose with deep black fruit. Very full, with sweet fruit on the palate. Very young with massive grippy tannins. I think this could grow on me. Very Good/Very Good Indeed.

• 2003 Tradition, Domaine Mas L'Avail, AC Côtes du Roussillon Villages , 14%
  40% Syrah, 20% Grenache, 40% Carignan, all from vines over 50 years old.
  A young fresh, grenachey-syrah nose. Very weird palate. Quite fresh, unripe plum flavours. I suspect there must be something wrong with this, as it's very odd. Good/Not Rated.
  It still managed to get 5 out of 14 votes too.
• 2000 Rust en Vrede Estate Red Wine, Stellenbosch, 14.3%
  58% cabernet sauvignon; 33% shiraz; 9% merlot.
  A young, very black purple. Sweet jammy nose with big black fruits and cassis. Sweet and full on the attack. Big black fruits again. Not a wine to meet down a dark alley. Reasonable stuff.
  This got 9 out of 14 votes.

• 2001 Le Dessous de l'Enfer, Domaine la Combe Blanche, Vin de Pays des Côtes du Brian, 13.5%
  A rather closed, black fruits nose with a streak of raspberry. Quite direct and forward, yet also a rather austere attack.
  This won 2 out of 10 votes.
• 2004 Syrah Tulbagh Mountain Vineyards, Swartland, 14%
  A youngish darkish purple. Floral, fragrant nose. Very elegant. This is lovely on the palate: fragrant and very round. Maybe a touch hot on the finish, but forgiveable. Very Good Indeed.
  This won 8 out of 10 votes.

• 2003 Sequillo, Sadie Family, Swartland, 14%
  63% syrah; 30% mourvedre; 7% grenache
  A decent nose, though seeming fairly simple initially. Sweet, almost malic attack. Good forward clean fruit. Some complexity with a nice fresh acidity to balance the ripe fruit. Very Good Indeed+
  This got 7 out of 14 votes.
• 2001 Ater Noir, Domaine Sol-Payré, AC Côtes du Roussillon, 14%
  A blend of 75% Syrah, 20% old Carignan, 5% Grenache
  A curious nose: full, with sweet blackcurrants and plums, but also medicine cabinets and menthol. A sweet, yet very elegant attack. Big and bold on the palate, and a bit hot on the finish. A very pleasant wine. Very Good Indeed+
  This got 7 out of 14 votes.

• 2003 Guardian Peak SMG, 14.5%
  Syrah 57% Mourvèdre 32% Grenache 11%
  Very dark black. A rich Rhôney nose with chocolate, coffee and plums. Quite spicy and quite Rhôney on the palate. Full and Complex. Very Good +
• 2001 Les Romarins, Domaine Ellul-Ferrières AC Côteaux du Languedoc, 14.5%
  70% Mourvèdre, 30% grenache
  A fairly simple, quite straightforward nose with some meatiness. Sweet black fruit on the plate, and it seems very simple and straightforward and a bit sharp. Good.

• 2002 L'Esprit de Font Caude Montpeyroux, Domaine Alain Chabanon, AC Côteaux du Languedoc , 14%
  45% Syrah, 42% Mourvedre, 13% Grenache. 30 months élévage, 24 of which in barrique. Bottled unfiltered.
  An elegant, perfumed nose - really quite scented. A big wine, though it seems a bit harsh on the palate at the moment with fullish tannins. Screams of Languedoc terroir. Good/Very Good.
• 2003 Gilga Shiraz, Wine of Origin Stellenbosch, 14%
  A very strange nose, with rubbery, burnt nose which sort of suggests pinotage. Quite an artificial nose. The palate's in contrast to the nose, and it's obviously not pinotage. Soft ripe fruits in the mouth. Very good balance. Very Good Indeed and being generous 89 points, though that's ignoring the nose which isn't nice and should probalby knock a couple of points off the total.

• 2000 Four à Chaux de la Combe, Domaine la Combe Blanche, Vin de Pays des Côtes du Brian, 13%
  A blend of chardonnay; roussane and viognier.
  A mid to deep lemon gold. Curious nose: very rich, with sweet and very concentrated fruit with some oak. Very ripe on the attack, but also curiously unbalanced. Really rather scented too. Very concentrated fruit on the palate. Very Good+?
• 2004 Bandol Rosé, Domaine de Terrebrune, AC Bandol , 13%
  Stinky, bretty nose. Odd palate. Obviously a below par bottle. Not rated.
• 2001 Vergelegen Vergelegen, Stellenbosch, 15%
  A deep, youngish, very dark ruby. Slightly scented, slightly confrected rubbery nose with some black fruit. Big and very open on the attack, though with rather odd flavours. Very concentrated fruit. This is a very good wine, but not for me.
• 1996 Bourgueil Vaumoreau, Pierre-Jacques Druet, AC Bourgueil
  A murky young ruby. Rubbery, greenish cool climate fruit nose. Elegant, fresh attach, following through onto the palate. Presumably cabernet franc. Tannic and doesn't excite me one little bit. Good.
• 2003 Neffiez Cuvée Baltazar, Les Vignerons Réunis de Neffies, AC Côteaux du Languedoc , 13%
  95% Syrah, 5% Grenache
  A full, elegant nose with lots of blackberry fruit. Lovely sweet fruit on the palate. Concentrated and very pure. Very Good Indeed.
• 1991 Chateau Musar, 14%
  A mature cherry red. Sweet nose with some VA. Very musarey. Sweetish palate. Lovely stuff. Excellent.
  My third time with Musar 1991, and it's just getting better.
• 1998 Cabernet Sauvignon Méthode Ancienne Springfield Estate, W.O. Robertson
  A very scented blackcurrant nose. Ripe forward cassis fruit on the palate. Very hot on the finish, but that improves as it stays in the glass. Very Good/Very Good Indeed.

• N.V. Domaine Mas L'Avail Muscat de Rivesaltes, 16%
  A pale, slightly greenish straw appearance. Fresh, muscatty nose - fairly clean but with a nice depth. This is a decent muscat VDN, but a bit coarse and simple. Good/Very Good.
• 1999 Chenin Blanc Auction Reserve Edelkeur Noble Late Harvest, Nederburg, Wine of Origin Paarl , 13%.
  A coppery gold. Honey and marmalade on the nose. Very peachy, sweet fruit on the palate. Lacks a bit of elegance. Very Good.

• 2003 Domaine Mas L'Avail Maury Expression
  A correct nose with sweet blackberry fruit. Good round fruit on the palate. Nice round flavours. Enjoyable, but not the greatest Maury. Very Good+