Other double gold and gold top achievers are Nederburg (3 double gold, 4 gold), Simonsig (3 double gold, 2 gold), Anura (3 double gold, 1 gold) and Kleine Zalze (3 double gold, 1 gold). Badsberg, Boplaas, De Grendel, De Krans, Fleur du Cap, Lomond and Saronsberg also shone with two double gold medals each.
For the first time since Veritas’s inception twenty years ago, brandy now forms part of this proud tradition of wine judging. Van Ryn, creator of excellent brandies since 1845, collected 2 double gold and 2 gold medals from amongst the total of 40 brandy entries.
The medal distribution is as follows: 64 (3.7%) double gold, 130 (7.5%) gold, 509 (29.4%) silver and 673 (38.8%) bronze.
THE WINNING WINES AND BRANDIES
The wine makers of Spier, outside Stellenbosch, proved once again that they have mastered the art of creating a variety of quality wines by clinching double gold medals for the 2008 Spier Creative Block 3, 2007 Spier Creative Block 5, 2007 Spier Private Collection Cabernet Sauvignon, 2008 Spier Private Collection Chardonnay and the 2009 Spier Private Collection Sauvignon Blanc. Their 2010 Spier Creative Block 2 and the 2008 Spier Private Collection Shiraz acquired gold status.
Nederburg stole the limelight with their wines and brandies. They earned double gold for the 1977 Nederburg Edelkeur, 2003 Nederburg Private Bin D266 Sémillon and 2008 Nederburg Private Bin Eminence. Gold was awarded to the 2010 Nederburg Private Bin D234 Sauvignon Blanc, 2009 Nederburg Private Bin D252 Sauvignon Blanc/Sémillon, 2009 Nederburg Private Bin Eminence as well as their Nederburg Solera Brandy.
Simonsig put in a sterling performance with three double gold awards for the 2005 Simonsig Cuvée Royale Blanc de Blancs MCC, 2006 Simonsig Kaapse Vonkel MCC and 2008 Simonsig The SMV Shiraz/Mourvedre/Viognier. Gold Veritas symbols will grace the 2010 Simonsig Chenin Blanc and 2008 Simonsig Pinotage Redhill.
Anura impressed the judges with their 2006 Anura Merlot Reserve, 2008 Anura Pinotage Reserve and 2010 Anura Sauvignon Blanc Reserve Unfiltered and were honoured with a trio of double gold medals. The 2007 Anura Petit Verdot Limited Release won a gold medal.
Kleine Zalze boasts double gold for their exceptional 2009 Kleine Zalze Family Reserve Sauvignon Blanc Sur Lie, 2008 Kleine Zalze Vineyard Selection Shiraz and 2009 Kleine Zalze Vineyard Selection Shiraz/Mourvedre/Viognier. Their 2005 Kleine Zalze Family Reserve Sauvignon Blanc Sur Lie was crowned with a gold medal.
This year’s top brandy achiever is Van Ryn with two double gold medals for their potstill brandy, namely the 12 Year Old Distillers Reserve and 20 Year Old Collectors Reserve. They also scooped two gold awards for the Van Ryn’s 10 Year Old Vintage and the 15 Year Old Fine Cask Reserve.
MEDAL REVIEW
Sauvignon Blanc and Red blends took the lead in this year’s race for double gold medals with nine awards each, followed by Pinotage (5), Shiraz (5), Chardonnay (4), Merlot (4), Port (4), Noble Late Harvest (3), Chenin Blanc (2), Natural Sweet (2), Méthode Cap Classique (2), Cabernet Sauvignon (2), Muscadel (2) and White blends (1). The Museum class won five double gold medals with Noble Late Harvest (2), White wine (1), Dessert wine (1) and Port (1). Potstill brandy earned five double gold awards in the new brandy class.
Sauvignon Blanc is also at the top of the gold medal ladder with 17 awards, followed by Red blends (15), Merlot (12), Shiraz (12), Chardonnay (8), Cabernet Sauvignon (8), Pinotage (8), Chenin Blanc (7), Muscadel (6), White blends (3), Méthode Cap Classique (3), Noble Late Harvest (2), Natural Sweet (2), Other cultivars (2), Sherry (2), Colombar (1), Viognier (1), Noble Late Harvest (1), Dessert wine (1) and Port (1). Nine gold medals were allocated in the Museum class for White wine (3), Noble Late Harvest (1), Dessert wine (4) and Port (1). The brandy category won nine gold medals – two for Standard brandy and seven for Potstill brandies.
Visit the Veritas website at www.veritas.co.za for the complete list of results. The website also has a search facility that has been designed to give browsers Veritas results right from the inception of the competition 20 years ago.
WORLD WINE MASTER JUDGES AT VERITAS
One of the world’s most respected wine fundis and the first South African to be chairperson of the international Institute of Masters of Wine, Lynne Sheriff, again shared her remarkable knowledge and 30 year long wine experience with Veritas. Sheriff is a South African wine consultant that resides in Britain. The local judging panels, consisting of seven judges, were augmented with the expertise and experience of an additional four international wine professionals. The rest of the international delegation consisted of Thomas Lüber of Germany, the lead buyer of South African wines for WIV Wein International AG; and Australian born wine maker Richard Rowe with his extensive exposure to the wine industry in Australia, Germany and France. The brandy entries had to impress the palettes of the French brandy expert from Cognac, Denis Lahouratate and Dave Hughes, a local veteran and international judge.
Shiraz, with no less than 206 entries ran slightly ahead of Sauvignon Blanc with its 196 entries. Other red cultivars such as Cabernet Sauvignon (149) and Pinotage (126) followed closely.
TASTE SUCCESS
Be one of the first to taste the crown of the 2010 Veritas winners. Veritas brings the double gold and gold medal winners to a tasting session at a venue near you. Capetonions can experience the best of Veritas on Tuesday 19 October at the Southern Sun Cape Sun hotel, while the Johannesburg event takes place on Tuesday 26 October at the Sandton Convention Centre. Wine lovers living in and around Durban can look forward to a tasting on the 4th of November at the Deloitte Head Office in Umhlanga. In Port Elizabeth the wine tasting takes place on the 16th November at the Squires Legendary Grill in the Boardwalk complex. The Knysna food and wine experience will take place on 17 and 18 November at Kilzers Kitchen.
Book now – tickets are limited. Tickets for the tastings in Cape Town, Johannesburg and Durban are available from
Computicket, but bookings for the events in Port Elizabeth and Knysna have to be made with the various organisers. Visit www.veritas.co.za for full information regarding the times, venues and ticket prices.
For further enquiries contact Elsabé Ferreira at tel (021) 807 3104, fax (021) 863 2079 or e-mail [email protected]
ENDS
Issued by Marlene Truter Communications
t 021 426 5247 / 083 294 6060
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On behalf of Veritas Awards
t 021 807 3104 / 083 309 7621
[email protected]
