Issued by Marlene Truter Communications on behalf of Veritas
Awards
2014
Veritas Young Wine Writer announced: l to r Bennie Howard CWM (Veritas), Daisy
Knowles (runner-up), Sandile Mkhwanazi (winner), Christo Pienaar (Veritas)
Photographer:
Lionel Besterfield
Sandile
Mkhwanazi, a young enthusiastic agricultural scientist who studied Viticulture and Oenology at the Stellenbosch
University, was crowned as an exciting new voice in the wine
industry and winner of the 2014 Veritas Young Wine Writers Competition today.
The South African National Wine Show Association (SANWSA) started this
competition last year.
For
Sandile, who loves an exciting angle to every story, the fun part of wine is as
important as the academic side of it. Keen to bring a vibrant and dynamic
dialogue on all matters wine-related, Sandile said, “I’ve always liked to
reflect wine as a fun part of life, not an academic study.”
Sandile’s
two articles, The South African Wine Industry after 20 years of
Democracy: An Overview of What Happened and with Special Reference to how we
can Kick Start the Stagnant Local Market, as well as the more fun outlook
with The Best Value Wine That I have tasted in 2014, have impressed
the panel of judges with its wit, insight and enthusiasm.
Sandile
is currently working at Elsenburg Agricultural College as assistant winemaker
and acting viticulturist. He has a BSc. Viticulture and Oenology degree from the
Stellenbosch University.
Runner-up
in the competition, Daisy Knowles, a personal assistant to a Private
Investor/co-Director of a private investment company, has an extensive
knowledge and appreciation for wine. She has done various wine courses at the University
of Stellenbosch, the Wine & Spirit Education Trust and the Cape Wine
Academy. Daisy’s views in her blog on The Best Value Wines was entertaining,
well-informed and persuasive.
According
to the panel of distinguished South African wine writers – Dave Hughes, David
Biggs, Samarie Smith, Neil Pendock, Cathryn Henderson, Danie Keet and Edo Heyns
– the standard for this year’s competition was extremely high.
“There
was a clear distinction between those writers who presented grown up,
well-balanced work and those putting the emphasis on poetic descriptions. An
important requirement in our world today is the ability to understand the more
serious, realistic business side of the wine industry and to clearly
communicate that without neglecting the romantic side of it. This balance
clearly distinguishes between the good and the bad.”
“We
would like to congratulate Sandile and Daisy for their creative contribution
and hope this will help to cultivate a culture of wine interest and knowledge
in a new generation of readers and consumers and motivate more young people to
become wine writers,” says Charles Hopkins, Chairman of SANWSA.
The
Veritas Young Wine Writers Competition, presented by the SA National Wine Show
Association (SANWSA), aims to identify exciting new individuals within and
outside the wine industry who can clearly communicate the wine message
innovatively thereby generating increased public interest in all aspects of
responsible wine enjoyment.
As
the winner of the Veritas Young Wine Writers Competition, Sandile receives a
cash prize of R15 000. Runner-up Daisy Knowles receives R7 500.
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