International wine and brandy heavyweights judge at veritas 2

23 September 2014

International Veritas judgesSome of the world’s best wine and brandy critics will gather together from 15-19 September at Boland Park cricket grounds in Paarl to judge entries to Veritas, the longest running and most prestigious wine competition in South Africa, celebrating 24 years of excellence.

Altogether 1 767 wines, entered in 18 classes with Dry Red (216 wines), Shiraz (190 wines) and Sauvignon Blanc (189 wines) the top three, will be sniffed, swirled, tasted and adjudicated by more than 100 judges, seven representing international countries where a lot of South African wines are sold.

Lynne Sherriff MW, is one of the world’s most authoritative wine experts, the first South African chairperson of the international Institute of Masters of Wine, and a qualified Cape Wine Master. Joining Lynne will be Johan Larsson, who holds the title as wine adviser to the King and Queen of Sweden.  He is also the chief wine buyer of South African, Greek, Turkish and Asian wines for the Swedish wine retail monopoly, Systembolaget.

Paul White is an American freelance wine writer, judge and editor with an international focus and lives in New Zealand. A familiar face at Veritas, Thomas Lüber from Germany, has extensive wine judging and buying experience and has served as the chief buyer of SA wines for WIV Wein International AG – the world’s largest direct wine sales company.

Janåke Johansson, a familiar name in wine circles around the world is an expert taster and judge and a well known importer of SA wines in Sweden, will be joined by Australian Richard Rowe, who is an exceptional judge, consultant and former chief winemaker at KWV.

Denis Lahouratate, cellar master at the French House of Bisquit Cognac, brings his expertise to the competition to judge the 31 brandy entries.

Dave Hughes, one of South Africa’s leading wine and spirits experts with extensive international experience once again lends his weight to the Veritas judging process this year.

According to SANWSA chairperson Charles Hopkins, judges may represent any sector of the wine or brandy industry, but a judging certificate from the University of Stellenbosch, a Cape Wine Master’s Diploma or similar accreditation is essential.

International judges must be experienced wine tasters in their home countries, but international experience is obligatory. “These international panel members are all decision makers and experts with brilliant experience in the tasting of wines and brandies. For South Africa, this is a wonderful opportunity to create ambassadors of our wine to, when they go back to their respective countries, spread our wine message. The reputation and integrity of the judges we chose this year is without a doubt of the highest standard,” he concluded.

The local team of judges consist of a variety of winemakers, researchers, academics, Cape Wine Masters, wine buyers, wine writers and consultants. Panels of seven judges blind taste the entries according to areas of expertise.

Scores are awarded according to the 20-point scale: 18 or more wins a double gold; 17 points is worth gold and silver goes to a 16-point wine/brandy.  A bronze medal goes to a wine/brandy with 15 points.

The announcement of the medal winners will take place on 4 October at the Cape International Convention Centre (CTICC) at a dazzling event sponsored by Agri-Expo.

For more information, contact Elsabé Ferreira on 021 863 1599, fax 021 863 1552 or e-mail [email protected].

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Issued by Marlene Truter Communications
tel         021 438 6836 l 083 294 6060
e-mail   [email protected]

 

On behalf of Veritas Awards
tel         021 863 1599
e-mail   [email protected]

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