VERITAS 2021

4 THE MEDALISTS

THE MEDALISTS

The Veritas Awards, South Africa’s premier wine and brandy competition, attracted 1 285 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 (166), Sauvignon Blanc (150), Cabernet Sauvignon (110), Shiraz (107), Chenin Blanc (104), Chardonnay (93) and Pinotage (86). A total of 24 brandies were entered in three categories: Standard and Potstill. In total, 1 108 medals were awarded – 88 double gold, 147 gold, 199 silver outstanding, 411 silver and 263 bronze. Top scorers in the Double Gold medal stakes for Wine were Red Blends (12), Sauvignon Blanc (11), Cabernet Sauvignon, Chenin Blanc and Cap Classique (6), Chardonnay (5), Pinotage and Museum White (4), Museum Red (3), Merlot, Museum NLH, Shiraz and White Blends with 2 medals each. A Double Gold medal each was awarded to Cabernet Franc, Cap Classique Rosé, Heritage Vineyard Wines, Museum Cap Classique, Other Red Cultivars, Riesling and Sémillon. Double golds for Fortified wines Cape Style and Red Muscadel (2) and with 1 medal each were Museum Cape Vintage, Museum Red Dessert Wine, Museum White Dessert Wine and White Muscadel. Potstill Brandy excelled with 7 Double Gold awards and Standard Brandy (1). In the Gold medal stakes, Red Blends (30) was tops, followed by Sauvignon Blanc (23), Merlot (10), Cabernet Sauvignon and Cap Classique with 8 med- als each, then Chardonnay (7), Chenin Blanc (5), Shiraz (5), Museum: White Wine, Pinotage, Potstill Brandies and White Blends with 4 medals each. Three medals were awarded to Cap Classique Rosé, Cape Style, Colombar and Dessert Wine followed by 2 medals each for Cinsaut, Museum Red, NLH, Standard Brandies and Viognier. One medal each was awarded to Cabernet Franc, Malbec, Museum Cap Classique, Museum Cape Vintage, Museum Dessert White Wine, Natural Sweet, Other Red Cultivars, Pinot Noir, Red Muscadel, Riesling, Straw Wine, White Muscadel and White Wine from Red Cultivars. Full results are available online at www.veritas.co.za.