TWO LEADERS SHARE VERITAS
LIMELIGHT
Two internationally known South African
wineries shared the limelight at last night's (Saturday 13 October)
Veritas Awards ceremony. Nederburg
and Spier were each awarded two
double gold and five gold medals during a gala dinner in the Cape
Town International Convention
Centre.
On their heels were Bon Courage and Nuy cellars
, who each received two double gold and three gold medals,
closely followed by Boplaas and Saronsberg with two double gold and
one gold medal
each.
In terms of the total haul of medals won by a
specific company, South Africa's largest wine company Distell
garnered no less than 6 double gold and 12 gold collectively with
its 12 different brands which were entered
separately.
Veritas showed significant growth of 14% this
year, with a record 231 more entries than last year. Of the total 1
904 entries, 44 (2%) received the double gold acknowledgement of
quality, 101 (5%) gold medals, 447 (23%) silver and 764 (40%)
bronze.
EXCEPTIONAL
WINES
Nederburg in Paarl achieved double gold status
with the 2005 Nederburg Edelkeur Private Bin Chenin Blanc Noble Late
Harvest and the 2004 Nederburg Private Bin R163 Cabernet Sauvignon.
Winning team Razvan Macici (cellar master), Tariro Masayiti and Wim
Truter also took five gold medals
home.
Spier
Winery has also become a regular on the
Veritas winners' podium and was awarded a double gold for its 2006
Spier Private Collection Chardonnay and 2005 Sejana Merlot. Cellar
master Frans Smit and senior winemakers Eleonor Visser and Kobie
Viljoen also received five gold medals on behalf of their
cellar.
Bon Courage's father-and-son team, Andre and
Jacques Bruwer, continued their triumphant march of the last few
years with two double golds for their 2007 Bon Courage Hillside
White Colombar/Chardonnay blend and 2006 Bon Courage Pinotage. They
also bagged three gold
medals.
Another familiar face on the Veritas stage,
Christo Pienaar of Nuy Winery near Worcester, impressed judges with
his 2003 Nuy White Muscadel and 1998 Nuy White Muscadel (Museum
Class), which were awarded a double gold each. Three golds completed
the
performance.
Boplaas
Family Vineyards of Calitzdorp and Saronsberg near Tulbagh also
turned in glittering results with two double golds and one gold
each. Double gold medals were awarded for the Boplaas Tawny Port and
2005 Boplaas Vintage Port and Saronsberg
impressed with two Shiraz wines: the 2005 Saronsberg Full Circle
Shiraz and 2005 Saronsberg
Shiraz.
Other wineries able to boast two double gold
awards each are Bellingham (DGB), De Grendel Wines and Uitvlucht
Wines.
In terms of achievements in the individual
categories, Sauvignon Blanc topped the list with seven double gold
awards; followed by Merlot with five, Shiraz (5), Pinotage (5),
Muscadel (5), Cabernet Sauvignon (4) Chenin Blanc (2), Chardonnay
(2), Red Blends (2), Noble Late Harvest (2), Port (2), White Blends
(1), Natural Sweet (1) and Museum Class Muscadel
(1).
Sauvignon Blanc was also awarded the
most gold medals (12); followed by Merlot (11) and Cabernet
Sauvignon (11); Red Blends (10); Shiraz (9); Pinotage (6); Chenin
Blanc (5); Chardonnay (4), Muscadel (4); Methode Cap Classique (3),
White Blends (3), Noble Late Harvest (3), Semillon (2),
Viognier (2), Rosé (2), Museum Class Red Wine (2), Port (2), Other
Culitvars (2), Colombar (1), Blanc de Noir (1), Natural Sweet
(1), Museum Class White Wine (1), Museum Class Noble Late Harvest
(1), Museum Class Muscadel (1), Dessert Wine (1) and Museum Class
Port (1).
White Wine and White Muscadel, five years
and older and Red Wine, Red Muscadel and Port, ten years and older
were entered for the first time this year in Museum Class
categories. Wines in five classes, namely White Wine, Red Wine,
Noble Late Harvest, Muscadel and Port, performed well in this new
category. A prerequisite for entry is that a minimum quantity of 45
litres per wine must be available for sale.
Full results are available online at www.veritas.co.za. The website
also contains a search facility which was specially developed to
indicate Veritas medal winners of the last fifteen
years.
For the latest Veritas news, as well as
interesting interviews with the organisers, international judges and
top achievers, visit the new Veritas virtual press office at www.winenews.co.za.
LARGEST VERITAS TASTING EVER
A total of 1 904 wines competed at the
Nederburg Auction complex in Paarl in September this year. Shiraz,
with 220 entries, topped the list of candidates for the sixth
consecutive year, followed by Sauvignon Blanc (209) and Cabernet
Sauvignon (204).
This year's entries were judged over four
days by sixteen specialist panels of seven judges each. Nine
international judges, the largest number in the history of the
competition, joined more than 100 local experts in ensuring that
only wines of extraordinary calibre reach Veritas medal status.
The international panel included John
Avery (MW) of the United Kingdom, chairman of one of Britain's
largest wine-import and distribution companies; Julian Brind
(MW) also of the UK, with 40 years' experience in the wine
industry; Michelle Cherutti-Kowal, owner of Wine Affairs in the UK; and
Lynne Sheriff, British and Cape Wine Master who lives in England.
Canadian wine consultant Michael Vaughan, Swedish wine buyer Jonas
Rojerman, wine-buyer Thomas Luber of Germany, two winemakers and
well-known wine judges from Australia Mac McKenzie, as well as Bob Cartwright,
the Australian Chardonnay specialist - and the South African wine
fundi and accomplished taster Dave Hughes, completed the panel.
Foreign wines made by local and
international joint ventures (Villiera and Flagstone) were entered
for the first time.
TASTE SA's FINEST WINES
This year's Veritas double gold and gold
winners can be tasted at the Veritas wine tastings which will occur
in:
-
Cape Town - 18 October 2007, Cape Sun Southern
Sun
-
Johannesburg - 23 October 2007, Sandton Convention
Centre
-
Durban - 6 November 2007, Deloitte
head-office
-
Port Elizabeth - 8 November, Squires Restaurant
In Knysna visitors van look forward to a
gastronomic experience on 9 November 2007 when Veritas wines will be
presented with gourmet food at Kilzers Kitchen Restaurant. Cheeses
with Qualite awards will also be served at these tastings.
Only a limited number of tickets are
available for each tasting. The entry fee includes a tasting glass,
light snacks and booklet containing a complete list of this year's
Veritas results. Book in advance at Computicket branches countrywide
or online at www.computicket.com.
Contact Elsabe Ferreira at SANW tel 021 807
3104 or email Ferreira@vinpro.co.za or
visit www.veritas.co.za for
the complete results or further details about the
tastings.
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