VERITAS 2023

4 THE MEDALISTS

THE MEDALISTS

The Veritas Awards, South Africa’s premier wine and brandy competition, attracted 1 247 medal contenders this year. An authoritative jury, comprising of 4 international and 83 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 (170), Sauvignon Blanc (141), Cabernet Sauvignon (109), Chardonnay (105), Shiraz (102), Chenin Blanc (97) and Pinotage (83). In total, 1 166 medals were awarded – 81 double gold, 179 gold, 263 silver outstanding, 426 silver and 217 bronze. Top scorers in the Double Gold medal stakes for Wine were Sauvignon Blanc (12), Chenin Blanc (10), Red Blends (9), Cabernet Sauvignon, Cap Classique, Chardonnay, Pinotage(5), Shiraz (4), Heritage Vintage Wines and Museum White Wine with 2 medals each. A Double Gold medal each was awarded to Cabernet Franc, Cinsaut, Malbec, Merlot, Museum NLH, Museum Red Wine, Natural Sweet Wine, Pinot Noir, Rosé and Straw Wine. Double golds for Fortified wines was awarded to Cape Style (2), with 1 medal each Dessert Wine, Museum Dessert Red and Red Muscadel. Potstill Brandy excelled with 5 Double Gold awards, Vintage Brandy and Standard Brandy 1 each. In the Gold medal stakes, Red Blends (25) was tops, followed by Sauvignon Blanc (16), Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc (13), Cabernet Sauvignon (12), Potstill Brandy and White Blends (10), Cap Classique, Pinotage and Shiraz (7), Heritage Vintage Wines (6), Museum Red Wine (5), Cape Style, Malbec, Museum Cap Classique and White Muscadel (3) Two medals each was awarded to Cabernet Franc, Cap Classique Rosé, Grenache, Merlot, Museum Dessert White Wine, Museum White Wine, Other White Cultivar, Petit Verdot, Red Muscadel, Rosé, Standard Brandy and Viognier. One medal each was awarded to Cinsaut, Dessert Wine, Museum Cape Style, Museum Dessert Red Wine, Museum NLH, Natural Sweet Wine, NLH, Other Red Cultivars, Pinot Noir, Sémillon, Straw Wine and Weisser Riesling. Full results are available online at www.veritas.co.za.