Veritas all grown up
The 21st Veritas awards, South Africa's biggest wine competition and most highly esteemed indicator of quality market ready wines, were announced on Saturday, 8 October 2011, at the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC), sponsored by Agri-Expo. KWV shone, as it walked away with five double gold and nine gold medals at the 2011 Veritas Award ceremony - the most double gold and gold medals ever won by one cellar. Out of 1739 entries, 42 (2.41%) double gold, 158 (9.08%) gold, 609 (35.0%) silver and 619 (35.6%) bronze medals were awarded.
Top achievers
Boplaas Family Vineyards (3 double gold, 1 gold), Nederburg Wines (2 double gold, 9 gold), Nuy Wine Cellar (2 double gold, 7 gold), Distell Brandy (2 double gold, 6 gold), Bon Courage and Spier won 2 double gold and 5 gold medals each, Flagstone (2 double gold, 2 gold), Kanonkop Wine Estate (2 double gold, 1 gold) and Delaire Graff Estate (2 double gold).
Other highlights
- Also celebrating its 21st birthday, Pongrácz received a birthday gift of two Gold medals.
- Zonnebloem's three gold winners are all limited-edition wines, a triumph for the new wine team of viticulturist, Annelie Viljoen, Elize Coetzee - white wines and Bonny van Niekerk - reds, both working under the direction of Deon Boshoff.
- Nederburg maintained its status as the country's most awarded winery, winning two double gold, nine gold and 27 silver medals on the show.
- Fleur du Cap won Gold and Double Gold with two unfiltered wines - 2010 Chardonnay and the 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon
International judges add experience
One hundred local judges, augmented by the skills and experience of nine international wine and brandy experts, put 1739 wines and brandies to the test.
The international team of judges included:
- First South African chairperson of the Institute of Masters of Wine, Lynne Sherriff (England);
- Wine writer and panel chairperson of the International Wine Challenge in London, Christine Austin (England);
- Johan Larsson (Sweden) chief wine buyer of South African wines for the Swedish wine retail monopoly, Systembolaget
- John Salvi (France) (MW) a viticulturist, wine writer and wine maker and wife Nellie, a wine writer and owner of a company organising wine tours and technical symposiums
- Thomas Lüber (Germany), chief buyer of South African wines for WIV Wein International AG
- Australian born Richard Rowe, currently chief wine maker at KWV
- French brandy expert Denis Lahouratate from Biscuit in Cognac
- Dave Hughes (South Africa) wine and spirits connoisseur and internationally respected judge
View the entire winning list at www.wine.co.za/News/news.aspx?NEWSID=18936&Source=PressRoom