From 13 to 20 September 1 732 wines and brandies will compete for a handful of double gold and gold Veritas medals. Sheriff brings her experience to the panels that will be judging Shiraz and Méthode Cap Classique wines. Her extensive wine experience includes 22 years as a qualified Cape Wine Master as well as a Master of Wine, a period as head of the Hong Kong International Wine and Spirits Academy, as well as the Commercial Director of Vinfruco.

The Veritas Awards celebrates a significant milestone with two decades as the country’s most respected competition for quality market ready wines. Brandy lovers will be thrilled to learn that their favourite distilled drink has joined the proud Veritas tradition and that 40 brandies are taking part this year. Shiraz, with no less than 206 entries, is closely followed by Sauvignon Blanc with 196 entries. Other red cultivars such as Cabernet Sauvignon (149) and Pinotage (126) were not far behind.

Die judging panels consist of seven judges from the likes of local wine makers, researchers, academics, Cape Wine Masters, wine writers and consultants, augmented by the expertise and experience of the five international wine specialists. The annual inclusion of international professionals aims to ensure that the judging process, as well as the results, is impartial and internationally accepted.

The rest of the international team includes Thomas Lüber from Germany, Australian born wine maker Richard Rowe and French brandy expert, Denis Lahouratate. Dave Hughes’ passion for wine and spirits has taken him to half a dozen countries. Hughes, a local veteran judge involved at numerous international wine and spirits competitions and architect of the Cape Wine Academy, will lead various panels.

Thomas Lüber has been the chief buyer of South African wines for WIV Wein International AG since 1995 – the world’s largest direct wine sales company with vineyards in Germany, France, Hungary, Australia and South Africa. Richard Rowe, an Australian wine maker and currently chief wine maker at KWV, has wide-ranging experience of the wine making and judging process. With various international wine awards behind him, as well as exposure to the wine industry in Australia, Germany and France, Rowe’s global approach to wine styles and quality renders him an invaluable Veritas judge.

The 40 brandy entries are indeed in good hands with Denis Lahouratate and Dave Hughes at the helm of the judging panels. Lahouratate, currently cellar master at the French House of Bisquit Cognac, started his wine making career in 1984 at Maison Joseph Mellot in Sancerre, but changed to brandy in 1995 with his appointment as cellar master at Léopold Gourmel in Cognac.

Duimpie Bayly, Veritas chairperson explains that ten wines are judged blind at a time. “Individual judges allocate points based on an international 20 point scale after which these marks are discussed until consensus is reached,” he says. A double gold medal is awarded to a wine that scores 18 or more out of 20 and gold goes to a wine with 17 points. The silver sticker goes on bottles with 16 points and bronze on those with 15 points. 

This year’s stars will be announced during a gala dinner sponsored by Agri-Expo on the 8^th of October at the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC).

Information regarding the various public tastings of double gold and gold medal winners to be held countrywide is available from the Veritas website at www.veritas.co.za. Contact Elsabé Ferreira for more information at tel (021) 807 3104, fax (021) 863 2079 or e-mail information@veritas.co.za

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Issued by Marlene Truter Communications
t 021 426 5247 / 083 294 6060
info@marlenetruter.co.za

On behalf of Veritas Awards
t 021 807 3104
information@veritas.co.za