THE VERTEX Award for the highest-scoring wine at the Veritas Awards has gone to Spier – the first time that a single ‘South African Champion’ has been honoured in this way since the inaugural event in 1990. Plus, the Stellenbosch cellar was the most successful winery on show, collecting six double gold medals, nine golds as well as plenty of
Read moreIF THERE WAS a trophy presented at the Veritas Awards for best value-for-money offered by the highest-scoring wines, the winner in 2016 would probably have been Boschendal for The Pavillion Shiraz Cabernet Sauvignon 2015, expected to sell for R55 a bottle from the cellar on the outskirts of Franschhoek and under R50 in the supermarkets. Its main rivals for the title would have
Read moreKWV was by far the most successful producer overall at the 2015 Veritas Awards, with double gold medals awarded for their leading Cape Blend, Abraham Perold Tributum 2013, their Tawny port and four wines in The Mentors range – plus eight gold medals presented for various other reds, whites and fortified wines in the KWV portfolio. Nederburg and Spier were also very
Read moreREFLECTING on the past year as regards Wine SA, there is a case to be made for Paarl being home to the champion producer in 2014 after KWV triumphed as the most successful entrant overall at the most prestigious competitions on the South African wine calendar – first at the Trophy Wine Show (for the second time) and then at the Veritas
Read moreAPPLAUDED as the top-performing cellars at the 2013 Veritas Awards according to the type and number of medals won were: KWV, Nederburg, Boplaas, De Grendel and Flagstone. Also singled out for special mention were: Delaire Graff, Eagles’ Nest, Graham Beck, Kanonkop, Rustenberg, Simonsig, Spier, Tokara and Windmeul. Among the newcomers of note? Rivendell near Bot River (good Sauvignon Blanc) and Kleinhoekkloof near Ashton (standout Merlot). For the
Read moreTHE STAND-OUT red blends, the best reviews of the year from around the world – and mostly premium-priced, with only seven under R100 a bottle (highlighted below), 38 ranging between R100 and R200pb, 26 between R200 and R300pb, eight between R300 and R400pb, and eight ranging between R450 and R725 per bottle: AA Badenhorst 2009 – highly recommended in Platter’s Guide
Read moreWindmeul Cellar, R44, Paarl THE 2012 VERITAS AWARDS include particularly impressive performances by KWV, Nederburg, Cederberg, Durbanville Hills, Marianne, Nuy, Rust en Vrede, Simonsig, Spier and Windmeul – all winning four or more gold or double gold medals at the South African National Wine Show Association’s major competition of the year. However for cash-strapped wine shoppers looking for bargains among
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