Wine Diva

I visited the CTICC on 8 October for the Veritas Wine Awards sponsored by Agri-Expo, and it was indeed a fancy and fun evening out. My friend Delise and I enjoyed an evening of great food, wines, awards, beautifully decorated tables and some equally smart-looking winemakers in their “black tie ” ensembles. I am far more familiar with the sight of winemakers in their “punchdown” attire, but I dare say they clean up real nice.

KWV was crowned as the king of Veritas 2011, receiving a remarkable five double gold and nine gold medals at the award ceremony – the most double gold and gold medals ever won by one cellar.  Other top achievers include: Boplaas Family Vineyards, Nederburg Wines, Nuy Wine Cellar, Distell Brandy, Bon Courage, Spier, Flagstone and Kanonkop Wine Estate. 

So if you live in Johannesburg, Cape Town, Durban, Knysna and Port Elizabeth then you can taste top wines from the Veritas awards – without having to purchase the lot.

Cape Town, Joburg, Durban Tastings:

• Capetonians can taste the Veritas achievers at the VOC Room (Southern Sun Cape Sun, Strand Street) on 18 October from 5pm to 8pm with tickets at R130 pp.
• The Johannesburg tasting takes place on 26 October from 5pm to 8pm at the Bill Gallagher Room of the Sandton Convention Centre – tickets cost R140. 
• Wine lovers in Durban will get their chance on 3 November from 5pm to 8pm at the Function Room, Deloitte Head Office in Umhlanga – tickets are R100 each.
• Tasters can also enjoy this year’s Qualité cheese champions during these sessions too.

Tickets for Cape Town, Johannesburg and Durban tastings are available at Computicket. 

Port Elizabeth and Knysna Tastings:

• Squires Legendary Grill in the Boardwalk centre in Beach Road will host wine lovers on 15 November in Port Elizabeth for a sit-down tasting event of 16 wines including light refreshments, starting at 6pm (R100 pp).
• In Knysna, the Veritas victors can be tasted during a dinner hosted at Kilzers Kitchen on 16 November from 7pm – tickets cost R240.
• There will also be a sit-down tasting session with selected wines and snacks on 17 November from 6pm to 8pm at R85 per person at Kilzers.  

 Bookings for the Port Elizabeth and Knysna events must be made with the various venues and organisers directly – or see contact details below.

  For the latest news about Veritas, as well as interesting interviews with the organisers, international judges and top achievers, visit the online Veritas press office at www.winenews.co.za. Contact Elsabé Ferreira at tel (021) 807 3104, email to information@veritas.co.za or visit www.veritas.co.za for more information.

express – (adjective) accelerated, making few or no intermediate stops, quick, rapid, swift, velocious.

express – (noun) to press or squeeze out. To express the juice of grapes.

FS Tours and the Wine Desk at the V&A Waterfront have introduced a new Cape winelands trip called the The Wine Express. This fun tour visits the wine areas of Durbanville, Stellenbosch, Franschhoek and Paarl on various days of the week. The tour is also incredibly priced at only R395 per person per day, excluding tasting fees, which is good value as  the average price of a wine day tour is usually around R700 per person.

Basically the mini-bus departs V&A Waterfront at 10am, and visits 3 wineries in the Cape winelands, then there is 1 hour free time to explore the historic town of Stellenbosch, (except Mondays — which will take you to picturesque Franschhoek). The bus arrives back at Waterfront by 4pm. It’s such a stress free way to explore and taste wine, without worrying about drinking and driving.  All tastings are optional and not included in the tour price.

So all aboard… Hop on THE WINE EXPRESS… for more details, go to www.fstours.co.za or phone Norman on +27 (0)82 569 8299.

In the most closely contested race since the inaugural event in 2002, Spier edged ahead of Thelema Mountain Vineyards to take the Fairbairn Capital Trophy for the Top Producer at the 2011 Old Mutual Trophy Wine Show.

Spier’s Frans Smit can now include the laurels of the Old Mutual Trophy Wine Show to his international medals from the Decanter World Wine Awards and the Concours Mondiales.

A new award was created this year – the Old Mutual International Judges’ Trophy – for the wine which, in the opinion of the three international judges was the very best wine at the trophy judging. The inaugural winner for 2011’s judging is Paul Cluver Chardonnay 2009.

Here are all the trophy winners from the 2011 show:

• Fairbairn Capital Trophy for the Most Successful Producer  Spier Private Cellar
• Old Mutual Trophy for Best Red Wine:  Thelema Shiraz 2007
• Old Mutual Trophy for Best White Wine: Paul Cluver Chardonnay 2009
• Old Mutual International Judges’ Trophy: Paul Cluver Chardonnay 2009
• Old Mutual Trophy for Discovery of the Show: Nuy White Muskadel 2005
• Old Mutual Trophy for Best Dessert Wine:  Nederburg Private Bin Eminence
• Noble Late Harvest Muscadel 2008
• British Airways Comair Trophy for the Best Shiraz: Thelema Shiraz 2007
• Grande Roche Trophy for Best White Blend: Fleur du Cap Unfiltered Special White Blend 2010
• Riedel Trophy for Best Bordeaux-style Blend: KWV The Mentors Orchestra 2009
• American Express Trophy for Best Cabernet Sauvignon – Museum Class: Cathedral Cellar Cabernet Sauvignon 1995
• Just Riesling Trophy for Best Riesling: Jordan Riesling 2009
• Miele Trophy for Best Chardonnay: Paul Cluver Chardonnay 2009
• Trophy for Best Sauvignon Blanc Semillon Blend: Spier Creative Block 2 2010
• Trophy for Best Sauvignon Blanc: Delaire Coastal Cuvée Sauvignon Blanc 2010
• Trophy for Best Pinot Noir: Meerlust Pinot Noir 2009
• Trophy for Best Merlot: Hillcrest Quarry 2008
• Trophy for Best Pinotage: Rijk’s Pinotage 2007
• Trophy for Best Shiraz-based Red Blend: Ormonde Theodore Eksteen 2008
• Trophy for the Best Fortified Dessert Wine: Nuy White Muskadel 2005
• Trophy for Best Semillon – Museum Class: Cape Point Vineyards Semillon 2006
• Trophy for Best Riesling – Museum Class: Hartenberg Weisser Riesling 1999
• Trophy for Best Sauvignon Blanc – Museum Class: Lomond Sugarbush Sauvignon Blanc 2007
• Trophy for the Best Fortified Dessert Wine – Museum Class: KWV White Jerepigo 1933