VERITAS 2020

4 THE MEDALISTS

THE MEDALISTS

The Veritas Awards, South Africa’s premier wine and brandy competition, attracted 1 279 medal contenders this year. An authoritative jury, comprising 64 local specialists, scrutinized candidates for Veritas fame during a marathon five-day blind tasting session. The seven most keenly contested categories in terms of entries received are: Red Blends (181), Sauvignon Blanc (149), Cabernet Sauvignon (123), Shiraz (113), Chenin Blanc (102), Chardonnay (102) and Pinotage (70). A total of 20 brandies were entered in three categories: Standard, Potstill and Vintage. In total, 1 092 medals were awarded – 70 double gold, 128 gold, 185 silver outstanding, 506 silver and 203 bronze. Top scorers in the Double Gold medal stakes for Wine were Chenin Blanc(9), Sauvignon Blanc (8), Chardonnay (6), Cabernet Sauvignon (5), Pinotage and Cap Classique, with 4 medals each, White blends, Other Red blends, Museum Red wine with 3 medals each, Merlot, Cape Blend and Shiraz with 2 medals each. A Double Gold medal each was awarded to Any other cultivar – Bukettraube, Bordeaux Blend, Certified Heritage Vineyard wines, Museum White wine, NLH, Rhone Blend, Semillon and Straw wine. Double golds for Fortified wines with 1 medal each were Red Muscadel, White Muscadel, Cape Port style Vintage and Museum Dessert White. Potstill Brandy excelled with 6 Double Gold awards and Standard Brandy (1) In the Gold medal stakes, Chenin Blanc (10) was tops, followed by Cap Classique, Sauvignon Blanc and Shiraz with 9 medals each, then Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinotage, Other Red blends and White wine blends with 7 medals each, Cape Blend, Cape Port style Ruby/Tawny/Vintage/other and Chardonnay 6 medals, Cabernet Franc, NLH, Pinot Noir, Rhone Blend, Other Red cultivars, Museum Red Wine, Potstill brandy and Red Muscadel, 3 medals each, Malbec, Merlot, Museum Cap Classique, Museum White wine, Straw wine, White Muscadel, Museum Dessert wine 2 each. One medal each was awarded to Certified Heritage Vineyard wines, Museum Cape Port Style Vintage, Bordeaux blend, Standard Brandy, Viognier, Weisser Riesling and Dessert Wine. Full results are available online at www.veritas.co.za.