Veritas Awards 2004

Shiraz excels

Results of the 14th annual Veritas Awards were announced at Nederburg in Paarl on Friday, 8 October.

This year’s awards attracted 1 567 entries from 278 different participants with the highest number of contenders in the Shiraz class (188) followed by Cabernet Sauvignon (177) and Sauvignon Blanc (149).

Shiraz also scooped the most number of double gold medals - seven out of a total 47. The winning Shiraz wines were:

Cloof Crucible Shiraz 2003
Devon Hill Shiraz 2002
Excelsior Paddock Shiraz 2003
Havana Hills Du Plessis Reserve Shiraz 2002
Kevin Arnold Shiraz 2002
Mooiplaas Shiraz 2002
Nelson Estate Shiraz 2002

In addition, 127 gold, 460 silver and 627 bronze medals were awarded.

Distell-owned Monis excelled by clinching four double gold awards, the winning wines being the 1995 Tawny Port, Full Cream Sherry, Medium Cream Sherry and Pale Dry Sherry.

A further six wineries won two double gold medals each. These were:

Boland
Fleur du Cap
Jordan
Nuy
Wamakersvallei
Winecorp

This year's entries were evaluated over a period of four days by 13 panels of seven judges each. The local experts were joined by five international adjudicators - Lynne Sherriff MW and Peter May (both United Kingdom) as well as Ton Kolsteeg (The Netherlands), Janake Johansson (Sweden) and Dave Hughes (South Africa).

After Shiraz with seven double gold medals, came Red Blends (6), Chenin Blanc (6), Merlot (4), Port (4), Chardonnay (3), Cabernet Sauvignon (3), Pinotage (3), Fortified Dessert Wines (3), Sherry (3), White Blends (1), Natural Sweet (1), Méthode Cap Classique (1), Noble Late Harvest (1) and Other Red Cultivars (1).

Chardonnays won 20 gold medals, followed by Shiraz (16); Red Blends (15); Merlot (14); Fortified Dessert Wines (11); Chenin Blanc and Cabernet Sauvignon (8 each); Sauvignon Blanc (7); Pinotage and White Blends (5 each); Noble Late Harvest and Méthode Cap Classique (3 each); Colombar, Special Late Harvest, Pinot Noir end Sherry (2 each); Rosé, Cabernet Franc, Other Red Cultivars and Port (1 each).

For a full list of all the double gold medal winners, click here. 2004 Veritas Double Gold Awards Alexanderfontein Merlot 2003
Avondale Avondale 2000
Babylon's Peak Babylon 2003
Badsberg Rooi Muskadel 2003
Boland Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve No 1 2002
Boland Pinotage 2002
Bon Courage Colombard/Chardonnay 2004
Boplaas Cape Vintage Reserve Port 2002
Cloof Crucible Shiraz 2003
Danie de Wet Limestone Hill Chardonnay 2004
De Krans Vintage Reserve Port 2002
Devon Hill Shiraz 2002
Durbanville Hills Luipaardsberg Merlot 2000
Eikendal Classique 2001
Excelsior Paddock Shiraz 2003
Flagstone Music Room Cabernet Sauvignon 2002
Fleur du Cap Chenin Blanc 2004
Fleur du Cap Chenin Blanc 2002 Fort Simon Chenin Blanc 2004
Havana Hills Du Plessis Reserve Shiraz 2002
JC le Roux Chardonnay 1998
Jordan Chardonnay 2003
Jordan Nine Yards Chardonnay 2003
Kaapzicht Steytler Vision 2001
Kevin Arnold Shiraz 2002
KWV Steen 2004
Landskroon Port 2000
Longridge Merlot 2001
Monis Full Cream Sherry N/V
Monis Medium Cream Sherry N/V
Monis Pale Dry Sherry N/V
Monis Tawny Port 1995
Mooiplaas Shiraz 2002
Nederburg Edelkeur Chenin Blanc Private Bin NLH 2003
Nelson Estate Shiraz 2002
Nitida Pinotage 2003
Nuy Rooi Muskadel 2003
Nuy Wit Muskadel 2002
Old Vines Blue White Chenin Blanc 1998
Simonsig Tiara 2002
Silver Myn Petit Verdot 2003
Slanghoek Private Selection Natural Sweet 2003
Spier Private Collection Merlot 2002
Uitkyk Cabernet Sauvignon/Shiraz 2001
Villiera Cellardoor Chenin Blanc 2003
Wamakersvallei La Cave Cabernet Sauvignon 2002
Wamakersvallei La Cave Pinotage 2003