2024 Veritas champion a leading ambassador for Cape Blends

OVER THE YEARS, it's been one of South Africa's most highly rated blended red wines – not only according to experts at the Veritas Awards but also those at the Decanter World Wine Awards (UK), the Perold Cape Blend Competition (SA) and Platter's SA Wine Guide, to name a few. The winner of the Vertex award for the most highly rated wine at the 2024 Veritas Awards presented by the South African National Wine Show Association: The Mentors Perold 2020 from the KWV cellars in Paarl. 40% Pinotage, 30% Shiraz, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Petite Sirah and 10% Malbec; 70% of the grapes from the Swartland, 20% from Stellenbosch and 10% from Wellington; 4500L; R799pb ex-cellar.

This was the second occasion since the introduction of the Vertex award in 2017 that it has been presented to the KWV – the first time having been in 2020, when the top-rated wine was The Mentors Orchestra 2018, a red blend using Bordeaux varieties. To date, the only other winery to have won it twice is Spier. In 2024, there were 1265 entries reviewed by four international and 84 local wine and brandy judges who awarded 70 double gold awards, 175 golds, 721 silvers and 201 bronzes. The panel charged with re-assessing all 60 of the double gold award-winning wines to choose the trophy laureate included: Michael Franz from the USA, winemaker/wine educator Ulrich Hoffman and BBC wine critic Joe Wadsack from the UK (both panel chairs at the International Wine Challenge), SA sommelier Jo Wessels based in Germany, and, based in South Africa, Masters of Wine Cathy van Zyl and Richard Kershaw, sommelier Samarie Smith-Meletiou, winemaker André van Rensburg, Veritas chair Christo Pienaar and vice chair Bennie Howard CWM, as well as Wildekrans winemaker De Wet Viljoen, chairman of the technical committee at the Veritas Awards.

For the names of the top-rated wines on show, see below, and for all the winners, click here. The Veritas tasting panels score the entries according to a 100-point scale, but the competition organisers stop short of publishing the exact ratings, leaving it to the producer entrants to disclose the numbers if they so wish. However, nobody would blame the KWV for not wanting to talk about the score of their Vertex award winner if it was initially lower than some of the other double golds, i.e. given that the figures given to the entrants aren't adjusted after the final round of judging.

Wine lovers wanting to compare some of the Veritas gold and double gold award winners are invited to the public tastings in Cape Town, Johannesburg, Durban and Port Elizabeth. For more info and to purchase tickets, click here.

 

Double Gold Winners – White

CHARDONNAY

Christiena Trousseau Chardonnay 2023 (Van Loveren)
R180pb ex-cellar, Robertson

Jordan Barrel Fermented Chardonnay 2023
R275pb ex-cellar, Stellenbosch Kloof

Kleine Zalze Family Reserve Chardonnay 2023
R284pb ex-cellar, Stellenbosch

Neethlingshof Unwooded Chardonnay 2024
R105pb ex-cellar, Stellenbosch

Spier Seaward Chardonnay 2023
R145pb ex-cellar, Vlottenburg-Stellenbosch

Vondeling Barrel Selection Chardonnay 2023
R195pb ex-cellar, Voor Paardeberg-Paarl

CHENIN BLANC

Alvi's Drift Albertus Viljoen Chenin Blanc 2021
R299pb ex-cellar, Scherpenheuwel-Worcester

Endura Single Vineyard Chenin Blanc 2022 (Perdeberg)
R250pb ex-cellar, Paarl

La Cave Chenin Blanc 2022 (Wellington Wines)
R165pb ex-cellar, Wellington

L'Avenir Single Block Chenin Blanc 2022
R450pb ex-cellar, Simonsberg-Stellenbosch

Perdeberg Dry Land Old Vine Barrel Fermented Chenin Blanc 2023
R170pb ex-cellar, Paarl

Spier Woolworths Private Collection Chenin Blanc 2023
Retailer's own label, Vlottenburg-Stellenbosch cellar

Stellenbosch Vineyards Credo Chenin Blanc 2023
R175pb ex-cellar, Stellenbosch

SAUVIGNON BLANC

Boschendal Elgin Sauvignon Blanc 2023
R360pb ex-cellar, Franschhoek

Cilmor Winemaker's Selection Sauvignon Blanc 2024
R99pb ex-cellar, Worcester

Flagstone The Surge Sauvignon Blanc 2023
R255pb ex-cellar, Somerset West / Strand

Wagenboom Sauvignon Blanc 2024 (Waboomsrivier)
Price t.b.c. – Breedekloof cellar

Zoetendal Sauvignon Blanc Limited Release 2023
R220pb ex-cellar, Elim-Cape Agulhas

NICHE WHITE VARIETIES

Flagstone Word of Mouth Viognier 2023
R150pb ex-cellar, Somerset West / Strand

Neethlingshof Gewürztraminer 2024
R105pb ex-cellar, Stellenbosch

WHITE BLENDS

Flagstone Treaty Classique White 2023
R150pb ex-cellar, Somerset West / Strand

Perdeberg Dry Land Rossouw's Heritage 2015
Museum Class, Paarl cellar

Spier Creative Block 2 2023
R160pb ex-cellar, Vlottenburg-Stellenbosch

Walker Bay Semillon Sauvignon Blanc 2023
Price t.b.c. – Stanford cellar

 

Double Gold Winners – Sparkling

CAP CLASSIQUE

Christiena Trousseau Brut Rosé NV (Van Loveren)
R215pb ex-cellar, Robertson

Babylonstoren Sprankel 2018
R710pb ex-cellar, Simonsberg-Paarl

Villiera Monro Brut 2017
R410pb ex-cellar, Koelenhof-Stellenbosch

 

Double Gold Winners – Red

CABERNET FRANC

Stellenbosch Vineyards Flagship Cabernet Franc 2018
R550pb ex-cellar, Stellenbosch

CABERNET SAUVIGNON

Alto Cabernet Sauvignon 2019
R280pb ex-cellar, Helderberg-Stellenbosch

Bartinney Cabernet Sauvignon 2019
R320pb ex-cellar, Banghoek-Stellenbosch

Diemersdal Journal Cabernet Sauvignon 2020
R370pb ex-cellar, Durbanville

Neil Ellis Jonkershoek Cabernet Sauvignon 2019
R550pb ex-cellar, Helshoogte-Stellenbosch

Peter Falke Kailani 2019
R800pb ex-cellar, Helderberg-Stellenbosch

MERLOT

Brink Merlot 2022 (Pulpit Rock)
R108pb ex-cellar, Riebeek West

PINOT NOIR

Groote Post Inheritance Pinot Noir 2022
R450pb ex-cellar, Darling

PINOTAGE

Beyerskloof Diesel Pinotage 2022
R1100pb ex-cellar, Stellenbosch

Diemersdal Journal Pinotage 2020
R370pb ex-cellar, Durbanville

Diemersdal Journal Pinotage 2022
R385pb ex-cellar, Durbanville

Flagstone Writer's Block Pinotage 2021
R412pb ex-cellar, Somerset West / Strand

Francois van Niekerk Pinotage 2022
R746pb ex-producer, Wellington

SHIRAZ / SYRAH

Diemersdal Syrah 2023
R210pb ex-cellar, Durbanville

DMZ Syrah 2021 (DeMorgenzon)
R155pb ex-cellar, Stellenbosch Kloof

Ghost Corner Syrah 2022 (Cederberg Cellar)
R395pb ex-cellar, Cederberg

Rhebokskloof Shiraz 2021
R155pb ex-cellar, Windmeul-Paarl

NICHE RED VARIETIES

Blake's Single Vineyard Malbec 2023
R120pb ex-cellar, Malmesbury-Swartland

Dornier Malbec 2021
R195pb ex-cellar, Upper Blaauwklippen Valley-Stellenbosch

Klein Roosboom My Way Petit Verdot 2022
R375pb ex-cellar, Durbanville

RED BLENDS

Alto Rouge 2022
R130pb ex-cellar, Helderberg-Stellenbosch

Benguela Cove Lighthouse Collection Moody Lagoon 2021
R175pb ex-cellar, Bot River

Blaauwklippen De Blaauwe Klip 2020
R310pb ex-cellar, Stellenbosch

Delaire Graff Botmaskop 2021
R430pb ex-cellar, Banghoek-Stellenbosch

Grand Vin de Stellenbosch Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot 2021 (Le Grand)
R300pb ex-cellar, Devon Valley-Stellenbosch

KWV Cathedral Cellar Triptych 2021
R159pb ex-cellar, Paarl

KWV Mentors Perold 2020
R799pb ex-cellar, Paarl

KWV Mentors Perold 2021
R799pb ex-cellar, Paarl

Nederburg Heritage Heroes Motorcycle Marvel 2021
R245pb ex-cellar, Paarl

 

Double Gold Winners – Fortified

DESSERT

Lomond Muscat de Frontignan 2017
R500pb (375ml) ex-cellar, Gansbaai-Cape Agulhas

Kapelsloot Rooi Muskadel 2015 (Excelsior)
R70pb ex-cellar, Robertson

PORT

Boplaas Cape Tawny NV
R250pb ex-cellar, Calitzdorp

Boplaas Cape Vintage Reserve 2019
R350pb ex-cellar, Calitzdorp