Veritas Awards winners

For the second year running, Spier Wines took top honours at the Veritas Awards, winning five double golds and two gold medals at the lavish awards dinner at the Cape Town Convention Centre on Friday night.

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.

 

Sixty-four out of 1733 entries received double gold at the competition which is now in its 20th year.

In addition to Spier, other double gold and gold top achievers were:
Nederburg (3 double gold, 4 gold)
Simonsig (3 double gold, 2 gold)
Anura (3 double gold, 1 gold)
Kleine Zalze (3 double gold, 1 gold)
Badsberg (2 double gold)
Boplaas (2 double gold)
De Grendel (2 double gold)
De Krans (2 double gold)
Fleur du Cap (2 double gold)
Lomond (2 double gold)
Saronsberg (2 double gold)

For the first time since Veritas’ inception, brandy now forms part of the judging. Van Ryn, creator of brandies since 1845, collected two double gold and two gold medals from amongst the total of 40 brandy entries.

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.