1. Is there any correlation between entries and medals awarded?

No, we do not connect the number of entries received with a premeditated number of medals to be awarded.  Part of the purpose of Veritas is to give consumers a wine buying guideline and a Veritas medal is trusted as a good indicator of excellence.  Each wine is judged blind by expert wine judges and rated on merit.

2. What percentage double gold and gold medals were awarded over the past five years?

	2010	2009	2008	2007	2006
Double Gold	64 / (3.7%)	40 / 2%	36 / 2%	44 / 2%	36 / 2.15%
Gold	130 (7.5%)	109 / 6%	98 / 6%	101 / 5%	94 / 5.62%
Total entries	1733	1728	1753	1 904	1 673

3. Are Veritas double gold and gold medal wines on a par with international awards?

I think so yes, but one has to consider the fact that wines are judged at different times, in different places by different judges.  The fact remains that it is people with different, though trained and experienced, palates judging wines.  The inclusion of international judges on the Veritas panels contributes largely towards keeping the Veritas results reliable and on par with international trends and tastes.

It’s also true that a wine tasted in September in South Africa and in December in England will be different – even if only bottle-maturation plays a part.

4. What are the merits of winning a Veritas medal?

Veritas has been called the ‘Oscars’ of wine competitions and the Veritas emblem has become a mark of approval coveted by wine makers, and for wine enthusiasts a seal of quality to trust.

The respected double gold, gold, silver and bronze symbol on the winning wines not only gives wine makers, viticulturists and cellar masters a much appreciated pat on the back, the publicity surrounding a Veritas victor is invaluable to any cellar.  For wine lovers it somewhat smoothes the decision making process for seeing a Veritas emblem on a bottle is a sure indication of the quality of the product.

5. How does the Veritas Management sustain the stature of this competition?

The Veritas Management, together with participating cellars and contracted media consultants, are committed to promoting the competition on all levels – locally and internationally.  We constantly compare ourselves to similar international competitions, incorporate comments from our international judges and take heed of constructive criticism.

6. What elements of surprise or expectation does this competition hold?

The fact that the results are only announced at the gala dinner and not published beforehand without doubt enhances the feeling of expectation and excitement. In the build-up to the judging and the awards ceremony we make sure that consumers are kept informed via varied media releases to create a feeling of anticipation regarding the current year’s results.

7. How does Veritas go about securing as many entries as possible from as many cellars as possible?

Veritas takes place under the patronage of the South African National Wine Show Association (SANWSA) which represents the whole of the wine industry. A constant flow of information, high levels of publicity about the competition and the fact that winning a Veritas award is viewed as one of the most prestigious achievements, keep Veritas foremost in the minds of wine makers.