VERITAS RESULTS 2026

LIVING LEGENDS 2026

12

In 2001, he received the Robert Mondavi Trophy as International Winemaker of the Year at the International Wine & Spirits Competition (IWSC) in London, as well as the Dave Hughes Trophy as the Best South African producer and both trophies for Best Cabernet Sauvignon and Best Shiraz. Two years later, in 2003, he again receives the Trophy for Best Shiraz at the IWSC. in London. This was followed in 2005 by the award for Best Overseas Producer and Best Overseas Red Wine at the Mundus Vini Great International Wine Awards. Two years later he was named Best South African Producer by Selections Mondiales des Vins Canada in 2007. He can also write 12 other international trophies and more than 50 gold medals behind his name. He excelled at the Veritas Awards with 12 Double Gold medals and 13 Gold during the last eight years of his tenure as Managing Director. At the SA Young Wine show in 2008, Altus received the iconic General Smuts Trophy for his Merlot 2008. He also won the Pietman Hugo Trophy for best producer in both 1999 and 2002. He boasts no less than 12 SA Champions and 68 trophies during his career. His contribution to the industry will be remembered by his changing of the perception that a co-operative winery can only deliver average quality wines in large volumes, and he succeeded to expose the consumer to good MARK NORRISH Mark Norrish’s career in South African wine and spirit retail spans four decades. Mark joined Shoprite Checkers in 1991 as a Grocery Buyer before being appointed in 1992 as National Wine Buyer. Over seven years, he set about making wine a destination category for the Group, initiating the Oddbins wine brand and proving year after year to be the single biggest spender at both the Nederburg and Cape Wine Guild auctions. After periods with Engen Quick Shops and Picardi Rebel Wines, Mark returned to national wine buying in 2007 as National Wine General Manager of Ultra Liquors, a role he would hold for 13 years. There, he repeated “the trick”: under his direction, and Ultra’s wine offering grew from a minor sideline into a recognised destination for value-conscious South African wine drinkers. In 2010, he initiated the Secret Cellar and Top Secret ranges, brands that went on to collect a string of Trophies, Gold medals and Double Gold awards in national wine competitions – living up to their promise of being “small on pocket, big on palate”. He helped blending and worked hands-on with the winemaking teams on both Oddbins and Secret Cellar. His own cellar became something of a gathering place, where he hosted tasting evenings for winemakers still finding their feet, among them a young Eben Sadie and Adi Badenhorst, long before either name became synonymous with exceptional South African wine. packaging and quality, market-driven wines. Altus le Roux is a super legend of our industry.