The Awards with its coveted Veritas emblem, has become synonymous with top quality wines and the results are trusted when international as well as local wine buyers make their decisions, but also simply when the ordinary lover of wine takes a bottle from the shelf.
From 31 August to 4 September 1 728 wines are being judged at the Nederburg Auction Complex by 105 wine experts, including four internationally acclaimed judges, winemakers, researchers, academics, wine journalists and consultants. According to the chairperson of the SA National Wine Show Association, Duimpie Bayly, the integrity of the Veritas judges is undisputed and the complete judging process is audited by independent auditors.
This year Sauvignon Blanc outdid Shiraz, which was responsible for the most entries for the past seven years, with its 206 entries, while Shiraz came in close second with 203 followed by Cabernet Sauvignon with 162.
In order to further enhance the unbiased judging process as well as to ensure continued international acceptance of the competition, four world renowned wine experts once again serve on the judging panel.
The overseas delegation includes Australia’s most senior wine judge, Ian McKenzie, particularly well known for his contribution in the development of one of Australia’s most famous sparkling wines as well as this country’s favourite Chardonnay; Thomas Lüber, lead buyer for the world’s largest direct wine sales company, WIV Wein International with its head office in Germany; Lynne Sheriff, deputy chairperson of the Institute of Masters of Wine (MW), a South African wine consultant, lecturer and judge who currently lives in Brittain. She also served as the head of the Hong Kong International Wine and Spirits Academy and was Director of Vinfruco. Anders Barren, the fourth international judge, is the buyer responsible for South African wine purchases by the Swedish alcohol retail monopoly, Systembolaget that last year sold more than 26 million liters of SA wine in Sweden.
According to Duimpie Bayly wines are tasted blind by panels consisting of seven experts each, ten wines at a time. “The wines are thoroughly discussed and when consensus is reached scores are awarded according to the international 20 point scale,” he explains. “A double gold medal is awarded to a wine which earns 18 or more points out of 20 and the golden Veritas symbol will adorn a wine which receives 17 points, while silver goes to wines scoring 16 points, and bronze to wines that scores 15 points.”
Participants of this year’s Veritas competition and wine enthusiasts alike will have to be patient until the 10th of October when the results of the double gold and gold awards will be announced during a gala dinner at the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC), sponsored by Agri-Expo.
Details of the public tastings to taste the Double Gold and Gold wines afterwards are available on the website www.veritas.co.za
For further information contact Elsabé Ferreira at SANW, tel (021) 807 3104, email [email protected] or visit www.veritas.co.za.
