Six esteemed international judges have joined forces with the highly qualified Veritas group of almost a hundred local judges for a marathon tasting of 1 744 market ready wines and brandies.
The international delegation includes a South East Asian wine expert – a fact that is significant in light of this fast growing market for South African wines.
The 2012 Veritas judging process takes place from 3-7 September at the Nederburg Auction Complex.
“The annual inclusion of internationally revered and experienced tasters undoubtedly contributes to the favourable reputation of this wine competition,” says Charles Hopkins, SANWSA chairperson. “Local and international wine and brandy buyers put a high premium on the Veritas results as the stringent judging standards by specialist panels produce trustworthy results that act as a reliable barometer of quality.”
Hwee Peng Lim, a certified wine specialist from Singapore is a wine and spirits judge, speaker and journalist with extensive experience in some of the world’s foremost wine countries. Lim was recently honoured as the Most Dynamic Wine Educator in Asia and his Hwee Pen Lim Wine Academy has been accredited by the international Society of Wine Educators as the only presenter of the prestigious wine specialist certification programme in the East. He is also a regular judge at wine competitions in Australia, Chile, Argentina and South Africa.
Lim is also contributing editor for Cuisine & Wine Asia, a bi-monthly food and wine trade publication.
Janåke Johansson was one of the first Swedish importers to start selling South African Wines after sanctions were lifted in 1993. His extensive CV includes 24 years at the Swedish Wine Trade Monopoly, Systembolaget. Since 1990 he has been owner and co-owner of various leading wine import companies responsible for top volume exports. Janåke has presented numerous wine tastings, acted as judge at various international wine competitions and has visited more than 5 000 worldwide cellars to source quality wines.
Thomas Lüber from Germany has since 2002 been the chief buyer of South African wines for WIV Wein International AG – the world’s largest direct wine sales company with wine interests in Germany, France, Hungary, Australia and South Africa. He is also responsible for buying wines for WIV from other wine producing companies and is a specialist on wines from Spain & France. He judges on many international wine shows and has been a regular judge at Veritas.
Richard Rowe, currently chief wine maker at KWV, is recognized as an exceptional wine maker and judge. At the 2011 Veritas Awards ceremony the KWV, under his leadership, received the most double gold and gold medals ever won by one cellar. Richard’s wine making experience in Australia and Germany, as well as his finely developed wine discernment abilities make him one of the most sought after international wine judges.
Denis Lahouratate, cellar master at the French House of Bisquit Cognac, will join Dave Hughes for the judging of this year’s brandy entries. His illustrious wine making career began 1984 at Maison Joseph Mellot in Sancerre. In 1987 he moved on to become cellar master at Lillet, a well known French aperitif from Bordeaux, after which he joined Leopold Gourmel in 1995 – this House of Cognac focuses on natural ageing and blending processes.
Dave Hughes, one of South Africa’s leading wine and spirits experts with extensive international experience once again lends his weight to the Veritas judging process. Hughes is also a wine and spirits writer, consultant, auctioneer, architect of the Cape Wine Academy and Brandy Guild member. In addition to judging brandy, he will also lead various panels for other wine classes.
As in the previous three years Sauvignon Blanc leads with 211 entries, while Shiraz took the second place with 181 wines. Cabernet Sauvignon is once again amongst the top three with 146 entries, followed by Red Blends with 117. Thirty three standard, vintage and pot still brandies entered for this year’s competition.
The international wine and brandy experts are supported by a formidable team consisting of local wine makers, researchers, academics, Cape Wine Masters, wine buyers, wine writers and consultants.
A wine judging certificate from the University of Stellenbosch, the Wine Judging Academy, a Cape Wine Master Diploma or similar accreditation is a prerequisite for inclusion in the tasting panels.
Entries are tasted blind in groups of ten wines/brandies by panels of seven judges.
Following a discussion a consensus score is then awarded according to a 20 point scale: 18 or more wins a double gold; 17 points is worth gold and silver goes to a 16 point wine/brandy.
A bronze medal goes to a wine/brandy with 15 points.
The some 290 participating cellars will have to wait patiently until Saturday 6 October when the winners will be announced during a gala event at the Cape International Convention Centre (CTICC), sponsored by Agri-Expo.
Visit Veritas for information about the various public tastings of double gold and gold medal winners taking place country wide, or contact Elsabé Ferreira at tel 021 863 1599 or via email to admin@veritas.co.za.
Follow Veritas at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Veritas-Awards/257143924401201 and Twitter at @veritasawards.
