Geoff Carter Trophy Tasting Challenge 1998-2017
The Competition is a blind tasting of four white and four red wines. Score sheets are provided for each competitor. On the sheet each person is required to fill in their name and team that they are competing for, as well as whether they are a novice for the tasting (first time competitor). On the sheet is place for the Cultivar\Varietal to be written, for Vintage and also for Region and or area of production. The area of production is used when there is a tie for first place, to decide on a clear cut winner. A score of nine is given for the correct Cultivar\Varietal, and one point is given for Vintage. Thus each wine totals a maximum score of ten points.
Each wine is poured into the glasses of each competitor by the hosts, in the order that the convener has placed them in (1-8). The competitor may not taste or touch the glass with the wine until the convener tells him/her, that they can. Each competitor is then given three minutes to taste the wine. The competitors are allowed to bring any type of notes and or books with them to help them identify the wine. Competitors are encouraged to talk with one another. At the end of the three minutes the competitors are told to stop. At this point the wine may either be consumed by the competitor or thrown away into the spittoons provided. This sequence continues until all the wines are tasted. At the end of the competition, the competitors are given a few minutes to finalise their choices of cultivar, vintage and region.
Once the time for completing the sheets is over the score sheets are taken in by the hosts, as well as a few of the committee of the opposing team and scored. The sheets are initially sorted by the scorers into teams and marked by these members of each team. The scores are thus checked by each teams representatives. The top ten scores are then tallied and the resultant winning team decided.
The Geoff Carter trophy was first started in 1998 and was held at Port Romana in Randburg. The first hosts were Cellar Rats. The Competition then was called Rats vs. VATS. The first convener was Geoff Carter. Geoff was a member of both clubs and was chosen because both clubs knew he was the most impartial person that we could think of. The first winner of the Competition was VATS.
The following year the competition moved to the Morningside Country Club, which was at that time home to both VATS and Rats. The competition stayed at Morningside in the Tennis Club until 2003, when VATS moved to the Bryanston Country Club. The convener of the Competition was Geoff Carter until his untimely death in August 2011. In 2012 the Competition was re-named in honour of Geoff to the Geoff Carter Trophy Tasting Challenge. The convener of that competition was Adinda Booysen, who was then a lecturer at the Cape Wine Academy. In 2013, the competition was hosted for by Dave Moss. And in 2014 until 2016 the Competition was hosted by Kevin Ryan. The Geoff Carter trophy was not held in 2017, due to the unfortunate death of Kevin Ryan. Out of honour and respect for Kevin, both clubs decided to not compete that year.
The following is a list of the years and winners of the Geoff Carter Trophy, as well as the venues (including hosts), where these competitions were held:
1998 - Port Romana, Randburg, winners VATS (Scores Unavailable), hosts Rats;
1999 - Morningside Country Club, winners Rats (Scores Unavailable), hosts VATS;
2000 - Morningside Country Club, winners Rats (Scores Unavailable), hosts Rats;
2001 - Morningside Country Club, winners Rats (Scores Unavailable), hosts VATS;
2002 - Morningside Country Club, winners Rats (Scores 512 Rats to 477 Vats), hosts Rats;
2003 - Bryanston Country Club, winners Rats (Scores 504 Rats to 402 Vats), hosts VATS,
2004 - Morningside Country Club, winners VATS (Scores 358 VATS to 318 Rats), hosts Rats;
2005 - Bryanston Country Club, winners Rats (Scores 348 Rats to 307 Vats), hosts VATS,
2006 - Morningside Country Club, winners VATS (Scores 381 VATS to 371 Rats), hosts Rats;
2007 - Bryanston Country Club, winners Rats (Scores 318 Rats to 292 VATS), hosts VATS,
2008 - Morningside Country Club, winners Rats (Scores 486 Rats to 365 VATS), hosts Rats,
2009 - Bryanston Country Club, winners Rats (Scores Unavailable), hosts VATS,
2010 - Morningside Country Club, winners Rats (Scores 435 Rats to 226 VATS), hosts Rats,
2011 - Bryanston Country Club, winners Rats (Scores 386 Rats to 335 VATS), hosts VATS,
2012 - Morningside Country Club, winners VATS (Scores Unavailable), hosts Rats,
2013 - Bryanston Country Club, winners VATS (Scores 426 Vats to 384 Rats), hosts VATS,
2014 - Morningside Country Club, winners Rats (Scores 411 Rats to 263 VATS), hosts Rats,
2015 - Bryanston Country Club, winners VATS (Scores Unavailable), VATS won by 4 points), hosts VATS,
2016 - Morningside Country Club, winners Rats (Scores Unavailable), hosts Rats.
Very interesting results, showing on the odd occasion that VATS does win, we win away, except for once.
Results up to 2017 - 13 wins for Rats versus, six wins for VATS, not great stats.
In 2018 we shall once again compete against each other in the Bryanston Country Club. The convener for 2018 will by Anton Pispeki - a very good friend of both clubs and the owner of Imported Brand Distributors.