Wine industry

SA Young Wine Show

The South African Young Wine Show gives winemakers the opportunity to showcase their best wines of the current vintage.

The eight participating wine regions are Robertson, Worcester/Breedekloof, Stellenbosch, Paarl, Oranje-Vaal, Olifants River, Swartland and the Little Karoo. The show dates back to 1833 when the Cape of Good Hope Agricultural Society presented the first wine show in South Africa, making the SA Young Wine Show the oldest wine competition in South Africa. Today we are still a sponsor of this important show in the wine industry.

The mission of the South African Young Wine Show is to judge the quality of wines that are still in their infancy, i.e. within the year of production – and have some way to go before they are finally blended and bottled. In this way, the industry can give recognition to the production capabilities of a wine cellar. Very few of these wines are for sale or in their final form at the time of being judged.

Champions are crowned in the following categories; Chenin Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Sémillon, Other White Cultivar, Dry White Blend, Sweetish Wine, Noble Late Harvest, Pinotage, Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Other Red Cultivar, Dry Red Blend, Port, Dessert Wine and Muscadel.

In addition to the 17 SA Championship trophies, the impressive General Smuts Trophy – introduced in 1952 – for the overall SA Champion Young Wine, and the Pietman Hugo Trophy, for the cellar with the highest score for five best entries, are also at stake.

Entries are adjudicated by specialist panels of seven judges drawn from winemakers or wine experts with a formal qualification and specialist knowledge of specific wine styles. An eighth junior judge per panel has been introduced to train future judges.

With just more than 1 900 young wines entered for this year's competition Riebeek Cellar came up trumps when their wooded Viognier won the General Smuts trophy as SA's new champion young wine and Badsberg won the Pietman Hugo trophy for the third time in a row.

The winners were announced during a luncheon at the Muisbosskerm in Lamberts Bay on 19 August 2011 with the West Coast Wine Route as host.

SA Champions

Front f.l.t.r: Boets Nel (De Krans), Alwyn Burger (Calitzdorp), Andre Bruwer (Bon Courage), Martin Lamprecht
(Cederberg), Koos Thiart (Namaqua Wines Spruitdift), Jaco Booysen (Badsberg), Henri Swiegers (Badsberg),
Willie Burger (Badsberg), De Wet Hugo (Badsberg), Francois van Niekerk (Windmeul).

Middle f.l.t.r: Gerhard Swart (Flagstone), Mia Pengilly (Flagstone), Alecia Boshoff (Riebeek Cellar),
Hattingh de Villiers (Uniwines).

Back f.l.t.r: Christo Pienaar (Nuy), Johann Fourie (KWV), Johan Ehlers (Agri-Expo), Duimpie Bayly (SANWSA), Nico
Grundling (Slanghoek), Eric Saayman (Riebeek Cellar), JM Crafford (Riebeek Cellar) Hanno van Schalkwyk
(Riebeek Cellar), Anri Truter (Beyerskloof).

Riebeek Cellar winemaker Eric Saayman with the
Genl Smuts trophy for their wooded Viognier crowned
as 2011 SA Champion Young wine.

Veritas

The Veritas Awards gives recognition to wines of exceptional quality and the distinctive Veritas symbol of excellence serves as an authoritative quality guideline.

After almost two decades the Veritas Awards has earned its reputation as one of South Africa's most authoritative and credible competitions for market ready wines. The Awards with its coveted Veritas emblem, has become synonymous with top quality wines. The results are trusted implicitly when international as well as local wine buyers use them to assist in their buying decisions.

Gold and double gold awards are of significant value to the wine industry and offer a prestigious image for the wine, winery and winemaker. Veritas is also the only wine competition in South Africa for the industry by the industry and there is no commercial gain.

The judging system for Veritas has been described as one of the most thorough in the industry. Judging panels are representative of the entire wine industry and include winemakers, researchers, academics and merchants and are compiled in collaboration with the relevant cultivar work groups.

All the judges are required to have a wine judging certificate from the University of Stellenbosch, a Cape Wine Masters Diploma or a similar accreditation.

On Saturday, 8 October at the CTICC, KWV was crowned as the king of Veritas 2011. This almost century old wine and brandy company with its headquarters in Paarl, received a remarkable five double gold and nine gold medals – the most double gold and gold medals ever won by one cellar.

Seven individuals received their specially designed scrolls of honour as Veritas Legends. A Veritas Legend is no less than an icon – an individual who has shaped the industry through his/her wine making or viticultural abilities, or writing, research or promotional contribution.

Agri-Expo, as partner of the South African National Wine Show Association (SANSWA) is the main sponsor for the Awards dinner.

Veritas top performers

Front f.l.t.r: Margaux Nel (Boplaas), Duimpie Bayly (Veritas Chairman),
Marlene Bester (Van Ryn), Kobus Gelderblom (KWV).

Back f.l.t.r: Gerhard Swart (Flagstone), Abrie Beeslaar (Kanonkop), Jacques Bruwer
(Bon Courage), Christo Pienaar (Nuy), Morne Vrey (Delaire Graff Estate), Frans Smit
(Spier), Tariro Masayiti (Nederburg), Richard Rowe (KWV).

Wine legends

Bennie Howard, Bernard Lüttich, David Biggs, Duimpie Bayly, Dr Kobus Conradie,
Allan Mullins, Hans Rabie (now deceased).

Cultivar work groups

Further support to the wine industry includes financial assistance to the various cultivar work groups. This project experienced significant growth over the past year and most of the work groups function successfully. Agri-Expo makes funds available for comparative tastings, work sessions and seminars that contribute to the promotion of the various cultivars. This year, funding was given to the Cap Classique work group, as well as the Chenin Blanc, Shiraz and Sauvignon Blanc groups.