The truth of Veritas Awards
IN VINO veritas. In Latin this means "in wine, truth". There are similar sayings in many other ancient languages, pointing to the human capacity for spilling secrets – or inability to lie, from a different angle – after a glass or two.
So, 20 glasses later (thankfully of tasting proportions) at the recent public tasting, not only is a designated driver required, but one does feel eminently qualified to pronounce on the "truth" of the South African wine industry's annual Veritas Awards.
Local and international wine awards are the proverbial dime-a-dozen, mostly sponsored or focused on commercial considerations like advertising sales (with entries costing the wineries more than a dozen dimes, you can be sure).
Savvy wine-lovers sifting through all the piles of gold medals, starry notes and glittery bottle stickers, though, will inevitably arrive at the venerable Veritas as a yardstick.
The awards are a "by the industry, for the industry" affair, focused on wines available on the shelf, and based on blind tastings, with the top gold and double-golds onlyawarded by full agreement of the panel of seven judges.
Veritas awards vice-chairman Bennie Howard – well known to many Port Elizabeth wine lovers from his stint as the local PR man for the old Stellenbosch Farmers' Winery (SFW) and later the general manager of the Nederburg Auction – promises that with every year he tries to present a "rabbit from the hat" from the vast selection of winners.
He pulled off that with wine No 1 on the list of 20 – the Orange River Cellars Colombard.
From a region better known for producing grapes for brandy-distilling and box wine, this was a fresh and citrusy surprise – a well-priced (about R32) refreshing summer wine.
Simonsig Chenin Avec Chene 2012 was another star of the show, a well-aged wine with its touch of oak giving it a hint of creaminess and solid, rich roundness balanced with crisp freshness. (My tasting notes say "yum!").
From cool-climate Elgin, Winters Drift Pinot Noir delivers all the right notes of salty-savouriness and mushroomy-truffle in a translucent red that belies its depth of flavours.
Amongst a clutch of stunning red wines, the Lomond Cape Agulhas Shiraz-Mourvedre- Viognier stood out for both value and flavour. Cool climate again, which tends to produce clear, defined flavours, its nose of white pepper and red berries leads into a full, rich and ripe rounded mouthful with notes of sour cherries (about R120).
And on the note of promises, Howard assured Port Elizabeth wine enthusiasts that the 25th anniversary of Veritas next year would bring an extra-special tasting event to the city – watch this space!
- A Vine Time, with Sam Venter
