VERITAS 2022

10 LIVING LEGENDS 2022

VERITAS LIVING LEGENDS AWARDS 2022

PEET ENGELBRECHT Peet is a native of Vredendal and after his defence force training completed his studies in Agriculture at the University of Pretoria. He then started service at the Department of Agricultural Economics and Marketing in Cape Town, work ing mainly in the fruit export industry at the Directorate of Inspection Services. After 11 years he got a transfer to the Directorate of Liquor Control’s Department of Inspection Services of the Department of Agriculture at Nietvoorbij outside Stellenbosch. With the establishment of the Wine and Spirit Board in July 1990, he accepted the post of the Board’s deputy-secretary and financial manager and helped to set up the offices of this newly founded Board in Stellenbosch. Over the years, he served in several wine industry working groups and committees, which would lead to changes in the Wine of Origin Scheme, as well as the creation of the IPW Scheme as it exists today. As one of the mainstays behind the scenes at the Wine and Spirit Board, he made an immense contribution over 32 years to develop this industry organisation to a world leader which enjoys international recognition for one of the best wine of origin systems. It is most appropriate that Peet, who retired earlier this year, receives this Living Legend scroll shortly before the establishment of the Wine of Origin System 50 years ago in 1973, is celebrated. Dear Peet, we gladly give recognition for your exemplary work with this Living Legend Scroll of Honour! MICHAEL FRIDJHON Michael Fridjhon has spent his entire career in wine consultancy, judging and writing and is an internationally acknowledged South African wine journalist. Brought up in Johannesburg, and with wine being part of the family lifestyle, he was already quite knowledgeable about the subject by the time he was in matric. When studying at Wits, he did holiday work with Benny Goldberg’s Liquor Supermarket in the wine section, where he was later employed full time during honours studies. He then visited Montpellier in France to enhance his wine knowledge and did brief internships in Burgundy and Bordeaux. Back in South Africa in 1976, he became imports director of Benny Goldberg’s. In addition to managing the imported wine purchases his responsibilities cov ered marketing, creation and blending of house brands, shipping and logistics. By 1979, while doing a Master’s degree, he continued part-time with Goldberg’s while setting up a liquor consultancy, which included Pernod Ricard International as client. At the same time, he became a shareholder in The Reciprocal Wine Company, and in the wine export and distribution business, Constantia Negociants.