Media release

For immediate release 2014.10.04

VERITAS ACHIEVERS ANNOUNCED

A trio of wineries put in a stellar performance at the 24th edition of the Veritas Awards, the Oscars of

the South African wine industry, tonight. KWV triumphed as best wine producer for the fourth

consecutive year winning 7 double gold and 10 gold medals. Spier scooped 7 double gold and 6 gold

medals followed by Nederburg with 6 double gold and 10 gold medals.

KWV also reigned supreme in the brandy category with 2 double gold and 4 gold medals. Oude

Meester and Van Ryn each won 1 double gold and 2 gold awards. Elsenburg Agricultural College,

entering for the first time, also earned a double gold medal.

In the category for Best Performer by Entry, Flagstone took the honours with less than 10 wines

entered. KWV was voted the best performer in the category with more than 10 wines.

Four wine industry giants Danie de Wet, Diaan de Villiers, Prof Diko van Zyl and Jeff Wedgwood

received the Living Legends scroll of honour in recognition of their invaluable contribution to the

South African wine and brandy industries.

The Veritas gala dinner, sponsored by Agri-Expo, was held at the Cape Town International

Convention Centre (CTICC).

Double gold medalists

The wines that brought KWV double gold glory are: KWV The Mentors Sauvignon Blanc/Smillon

2009, Laborie Blanc de Blanc MCC 2010, KWV Abraham Perold Tributum 2011, KWV The Mentors

Petit Verdot 2011 and KWV The Mentors Sauvignon Blanc 2012. The Paarl producer scored a pair of

double gold awards in the Museum Class with the KWV Reserve Port Limited Edition 672 1929 and

KWV White Muscadel Jerepigo 1968.

Spiers 7 double gold achievers are: Spier Private Collection Chenin Blanc 2009, Spier Creative

Block 5 (Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot/Cabernet Franc/Malbec/Petit Verdot) 2011, Savanna Naledi

Chardonnay 2012, Spier 21 Gables Pinotage 2012, Spier 21 Gables Chenin Blanc 2013, Spier

Private Collection Chardonnay 2013 and Spier 21 Gables Sauvignon Blanc 2014.

Nederburg claimed half a dozen double gold medals with Nederburg Private Bin Edelkeur Chenin

Blanc NLH 2003, Nederburg Private Bin Edelkeur Chenin Blanc NLH 2006, Nederburg Private Bin

R163 Cabernet Sauvignon 2009, Nederburg Private Bin R181 Merlot 2009 and Nederburg Heritage

Heroes The Young Airhawk Sauvignon Blanc 2013. Nederburg Private Reserve Port 1964 won

double gold in the Museum Class.

Anura, Graham Beck Wines and Simonsig walked off with two double gold medals each as well as

some gold medals.

A total of 20 wineries won one double gold medal each: Boplaas Family Vineyards, Cederberg Private

Cellar, DGB Boschendal, Diemersdal Wine Estate, Eagles Nest Wines, Flagstone Winery, Ghost

Corner, Guardian Peak, Jordan Wine Estate, Lomond, Longavi (Chile), Moreson, Neil Ellis Wines,

Perdeberg, Pulpit Rock, Rustenberg, Saronsberg, Steenberg, The High Road and Windmeul.

Best brandies

South Africas foremost brandy producers garnered 5 double gold and 10 gold medals.

KWV clinched 2 of the 5 double gold awards with the KWV 12 Year Barrel Select Brandy and KWV

Alambic 15 Year Brandy Limited Release.

Veritas double gold medals were also awarded to Elsenburg 13 Year Potstill Brandy, Oude Meester

Demant Postilled Brandy and Van Ryns Fine Cask Reserve 15 Year Brandy.

International wines

It has been a long time since wines from overseas has entered Veritas. This year three wineries

participated . Chilean winery Longavi walked away with a double gold award for its Sauvignon Blanc.

Other award-winning international producers are Trivento from Argentina with one silver medal and

Concha y Toro from Chile with a brace of bronze medals.

Medal tally

Altogether 1 767 wines and brandies competed for Veritas glory. Red Blends, with 252 entries, was

the largest class followed by Shiraz (190) and Sauvignon Blanc (189). The category for brandy drew

31 standard and Pot still brandies. Following five days of rigorous appraisal, a total of 51 double gold,

155 gold, 538 silver and 601 bronze medals were awarded.

Sauvignon Blanc was the top-scorer in the double gold medal stakes with 7 awards, followed by

Chardonnay (5), Pot still Brandy (5), Other Red Blends (4), Chenin Blanc (3), Bordeaux Blends (3),

Cabernet Sauvignon (3), Shiraz (3), Museum White Wine (3), Merlot (2), Pinotage (2), Museum

Noble Late Harvest (2), Museum Port (2), Smillon (1), MCC (1), Cape Blend (1), Other Red Cultivars

(1), Port (1), Museum Red Wine (1) and Museum White Dessert (1).

Chardonnay topped the list of gold medal winners with 13 awards, followed by Shiraz (12), Other

Red Blends (11), Bordeaux Blends (10), Pot still Brandy (10), Chenin Blanc (8), Sauvignon Blanc (8),

Cabernet Sauvignon (7), Port (7), Other Red Cultivars (6), Merlot (5), Museum White Dessert (5),

Natural Sweet (4), Noble Late Harvest (4), MCC (4), Cape Blend (4), White Muscadel (4), White

Blends (3), Museum White Wine (3), Museum Noble Late Harvest (3), Straw Wine (2), Pinot Noir (2),

Pinotage (2), Red Muscadel (2), Museum Red Wine (2), Museum Red Dessert (2), Standard Brandy

(2), Colombar (1), Riesling (1), Smillon (1), Viognier (1), Other White Cultivars (1), Special Late

Harvest (1), Ros (1), Cabernet Franc (1), Sherry (1), Museum MCC (1).

International palates

The annual inclusion of internationally revered and experienced tasters contributes to the favourable

reputation of this wine competition. This year eight esteemed international judges joined forces with

the highly-qualified Veritas group of more than a hundred local judges. These international panel

members are all decision makers and experts with vast experience in the tasting of wines and

brandies.

The international contingent comprised: Lynne Sherriff from the UK, MW and Cape Wine Master and

one of the worlds most authoritative wine experts; Johan Larsson, who holds the title as wine

adviser to the King and Queen of Sweden and chief wine buyer of South African, Greek, Turkish and

Asian wines for the Swedish wine retail monopoly, Systembolaget; Paul White, an American

freelance wine writer, judge and editor with an international focus, who now lives in New Zealand;

Thomas Lber from Germany, who has extensive wine judging and buying experience and has

served as the chief buyer of SA wines for WIV Wein International AG; Janke Johansson, expert

taster and judge and a well-known importer of SA wines in Sweden; Richard Rowe from Australia,

exceptional judge, consultant and winemaker.

Denis Lahouratate, cellar master at the French House of Bisquit Cognac, held his own as brandy

judge with Dave Hughes, wine and spirits expert with the most extensive international experience of

any South African judge who convened various panels.

The entire judging process is independently audited by Deloitte.

Taste the winning wines

Wine lovers have the opportunity to sample the top-performing double gold and gold winning wines

and brandies at country-wide tastings sponsored by Deloitte.

This year's Cape Town tasting will take place on Wednesday 15 October from 17:00 to 20:00 in the

CTICC Ballroom. Tickets are available at R150.00 per person. The Bill Gallagher Room in Sandton

Convention Centre will be the venue for the Veritas tasting in Johannesburg on Tuesday 28 October

from 17:00 to 20:00 (R160.00 per person). Special Veritas WineX combo tickets are available for

Tuesday/Wednesday at R240 and Tuesday/Thursday or Tuesday/Friday at R300 each. The special is

available for bookings made until 12 October. Durbanites will get their tasting opportunity at the

Function Room, Deloittes Head Office in Umhlanga on Wednesday 5 November 2014 from 17:00 to

20:00. Tickets are R110.00 per person. All the tastings include light snacks and a taste of cheeses

that have won Qualit Awards.

The Port Elizabeth sit-down tasting will take place at the Garden Court Kings Beach Hotel on

Tuesday 11 November 2014 at 17:30 for 18:00. Tickets are R110.00 per person, which includes light

snacks. Contact Jacques van der Merwe on 083 406 3354 for bookings. Kilzer's Kitchen will be the

host for the Knysna events on Wednesday 12 November (Food and wine pairing dinner) and

Thursday 13 November (wine tasting and canaps). Tickets are available at R270.00 for 12

November (starting at 19:00) and R120.00 for 13 November (starting at 18:00). For bookings, contact

Jenny on 044 382 0135.

Tickets for the Cape Town, Johannesburg and Durban tastings can be purchased via Computicket.

The organisers of the PE and Knysna events should be contacted directly for bookings.

Visit www.veritas.co.za for more information or contact the Veritas office at 021 863 1599, email

admin@veritas.co.za.

Like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter @veritasawards #Veritas and join our Google+ circle.

ENDS

Issued by Marlene Truter Communications

tel 021 438 6836 l 083 294 6060

e-mail marlene@marlenetruter.co.za

On behalf of Veritas Awards

tel 021 863 1599

e-mail admin@veritas.co.za