The event took place at the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC) and was sponsored by Agri-Expo.

Although no other cellar really followed closely on their heels other top achievers in terms of double gold and gold medals include: 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) and Kanonkop Wine Estate (2 double gold, 1 gold). Delaire Graff Estate also earned two double gold medals.

Out of a total of 1 739 entries 42 (2.41%) double gold, 158 (9.08%) gold, 609 (35.0%) silver and 619 (35.6%) bronze medals were awarded.

BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR THESE TOP WINES & BRANDIES

Just ten top wine and brandy cellars laid claim to more than half of this year’s double gold medals.  Double gold medals will adorn KWV’s The Mentors Sauvignon Blanc 2009, the 2009 The Mentors Petit Verdot, as well as their Cape Classic Tawny Port and an exceptional 1930 Muscadel LBV. A double gold for their 15 year old pot still brandy again confirmed their prowess on both the wine and brandy front.

Boplaas Family Vineyards, South Africa’s leading port masters, is second in the double gold row with three of these coveted awards for their Cape Tawny Port, the 2009 Cape Vintage Port, and a 1997 Tawny Port Reserve.

This year Nederburg received two double gold medals for a 2003 Private Bin Edelkeur Noble Late Harvest and a 2010 Private Bin Eminence natural sweet wine.

Nuy Wine Cellar’s double gold trio were awarded for their 2007 Nuy White Muscadel and a 1989 Red Muscadel.

Two of Distell’s premium brandy brands won the favour of the judges and consequently double gold status: Flight of the Fish Eagle and Van Ryn’s 12 year old Distillers Reserve.

Bon Courage boasts with two double gold awards for their 2006 Blanc de Blanc Jacques Bruére as well as a 2011 Red Muscadel.

Spier, last year’s top achiever, won two double gold medals for the 2010 Woolworths Classic Chenin Blanc and the Woolworths The Hutton Cabernet Sauvignon from the 2008 vintage.

Flagstone’s two double gold medals were awarded for their Music Room Cabernet Sauvignon and the Writer’s Block Pinotage, both from the 2009 vintage.

Two double gold medals went to Kanonkop for their 2006 and 2008 Pinotage.

Delaire Graff Estate deserved two double gold medals for the 2009 Cape Vintage Port and the 2010 Chenin Blanc.

Cabernet Sauvignon took the lead in double gold medals with five awards, followed by Red Blends (4), Pinotage (4), Port (4), Muscadel (3), Pot still Brandy (3), Wooded Chenin Blanc (2), Sauvignon Blanc (no wood) (2), Méthode Cap Classique (2), Shiraz (2), Wooded Chardonnay (1), Wooded Gewürztraminer (1), Wooded Sauvignon Blanc (1), Natural Sweet White (1), Merlot (1), Other Red Cultivar (1).  The Museum Class yielded five double gold awards for Dessert Wine (2), Noble Late Harvest (1), Port (1), and Red Wine (1).

Red Blends topped the list of gold medal winners with 16 awards, followed by Shiraz (14), Pot Still Brandy (13), Sauvignon Blanc (no wood) (12), Cabernet Sauvignon (12), Merlot (9), Wooded Chenin Blanc (8), Méthode Cap Classique (8), Chenin Blanc (no wood) (7), Pinotage (6), Muscadel (6), Colombar (no wood) (4),  White blends (no wood) (3), Wooded Chardonnay (3), Port (3), Dessert wine (3), Wooded white blends (2), Chardonnay (no wood) (2), Wooded Sauvignon Blanc (2), Weisser Riesling/Rhine Riesling (no wood) (2), Wooded Viognier (1), Special Late Harvest (1), Straw wine (1), Natural Sweet White (1), Noble Late Harvest (no wood) (1), Wooded Noble Late Harvest (1), Rosé (1), Cabernet Franc (1), Pinot Noir (1), Other red cultivar (1), Sherry (1), Standard Brandy (1).  In the Museum Class Dessert Wine (6), Noble Late Harvest (2), White wine (1), Port (1), and Red wine (1) won gold medals.

The full results are available online at www.veritas.co.za.

INTERNATIONAL JUDGES JOIN FORCES WITH LOCAL TEAM

1 739 wines and brandies were put through their paces by a team of more than 100 local judges, augmented by the skills and experience of nine international wine and brandy experts.

The imposing international team of judges included the first South African chairperson of the Institute of Masters of Wine, Lynne Sherriff (England); well known 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; and John and Nellie Salvi (France).  John, MW, is a viticulturist, wine writer and wine maker, while his wife Nellie is a wine writer and owner of a company organising wine tours and technical symposiums.

Joining them was Thomas Lüber (Germany), chief buyer of South African wines for WIV Wein International AG; Australian born Richard Rowe, currently chief wine maker at KWV, as well as the French brandy expert Denis Lahouratate from Biscuit in Cognac, and Dave Hughes, our very own wine and spirits connoisseur and internationally respected judge.

TASTE VERITAS WINNERS RIGHT ON YOUR DOORSTEP

Wine enthusiasts in Johannesburg, Cape Town, Durban, Knysna and Port Elizabeth will stand a chance to taste these top Veritas achievers – without having to purchase the lot.

Capetonians can taste the Veritas achievers at the VOC Room (Southern Sun Cape Sun, Strand Street) on 18 October from 17:00 to 20:00 with tickets at R130 pp. The Johannesburg tasting takes place on 26 October from 17:00 to 20:00 at the Bill Gallagher Room of the Sandton Convention Centre – tickets cost R140.  Wine lovers in Durban will get their chance on 3 November from 17:00 to 20:00 at the Function Room, Deloitte Head Office in Umhlanga – tickets are R100 each. Tasters will be able to enjoy this year’s Qualité cheese champions during these sessions too.

Squires Legendary Grill in the Boardwalk centre in Beach Road will be the venue where wine lovers in Port Elizabeth can gather for a sit-down tasting event of 16 wines that includes light refreshments on 15 November starting at 18:00 (R100 pp). In Knysna the Veritas victors can be tasted during a dinner hosted at Kilzers Kitchen on 16 November from 19:00 – tickets cost R240. There will also be a sit – down tasting session with selected wines and snacks on 17 November from 18:00 to 20:00 at R85 per person at Kilzers.

Tickets for tastings in Cape Town, Johannesburg and Durban are available at Computicket.  Bookings for the Port Elizabeth and Knysna events must be made with the various organisers. This year’s tastings are supported by the professional services company, Deloitte.

For the latest news about Veritas, as well as interesting interviews with the organisers, international judges and top achievers, visit the online Veritas press office at www.winenews.co.za. Contact Elsabé Ferreira at tel (021) 807 3104, email to information@veritas.co.za or visit www.veritas.co.za for more information.

END

Issued by Marlene Truter Communications

tel  082 7727 519

email info@marlenetruter.co.za

On behalf of Veritas Awards

Contact Elsabé Ferreira

tel 021 8073104

email information@veritas.co.za