Two of the Gold Medals went to Simonsig Méthode Cap Classique wines: Cuvée Royale 2010 as well as the Kaapse Vonkel Brut 2010, with the Chenin Avec Chêne winning the third Gold.
This year’s Veritas Awards attracted close on 1 767 entries, the highest number of any local wine competition.
Simonsig cellar master Johan Malan says the two Double Gold medals were a recognition of Simonsig’s commitment to making terroir-driven wines as well as his wine making team’s skill in ensuring this terroir is reflected in a diverse range of high quality wines.
“What makes this year’s achievement exceptional is that our Double Gold medals went to wines entered into especially competitive categories,” says Johan.
“Red blends attracted over 250 entries and it is a known fact that South Africa’s Bordeaux blends count among the best wines this country makes. For the Simonsig Tiara to win one of only three Double Gold medals that were awarded in the category for Red Bordeaux Blends is a major achievement. It enhances not only our Estate’s reputation for red wine excellence, but that of Stellenbosch, a region that defines our wine achievements.”
Malan said that Chenin Blanc had always been a feature of Simonsig and winning Double Gold for the Simonsig unwooded Chenin Blanc 2014 underscored the Chenin Blanc ethos.
“It has been good year for Simonsig and Chenin Blanc, with our wooded Avec Chêne garnering a place in the first Top 10 Chenin Blanc Competition, and now the fresh, unwooded wine being awarded one of only two Double Golds in this category,” says Johan. “We are right behind the drive to get Chenin Blanc recognised as an indelible feature of the South African wine industry.”
The two Gold medals for Simonsig’s Cap Classique wines underscored the Estate’s reputation for a wine style it pioneered by producing South Africa’s first bottle-fermented sparkling wine in 1971.
“Both these winning wines – the Cuvée Royale and the Kaapse Vonkel Brut – are from the 2010 vintage, and show that Cap Classique has the ability to gain complexity and character from extended lees contact and bottle-aging,” says Johan. “This is still a young category, but the quality will grow and Simonsig looks forward to being at the helm.”
What was especially telling of this year’s Veritas, says Johan, was that Simonsig was awarded for wines representative of its entire range: white, red and Cap Classique, and at various price points. “Diversity is nothing without quality throughout the spectrum, and it is fantastic that our range has achieved this accolade,” he says.
• Wine lovers have the opportunity to sample the top-performing double gold and gold winning wines and brandies at country-wide tastings sponsored by Deloitte.
This year's Cape Town tasting will take place on Wednesday 15 October from 17:00 to 20:00 in the CTICC Ballroom. Tickets are available at R150.00 per person. The Bill Gallagher Room in Sandton Convention Centre will be the venue for the Veritas tasting in Johannesburg on Tuesday 28 October from 17:00 to 20:00 (R160.00 per person). Special Veritas WineX combo tickets are available for Tuesday/Wednesday at R240 and Tuesday/Thursday or Tuesday/Friday at R300 each. The special is available for bookings made until 12 October. Durbanites will get their tasting opportunity at the Function Room, Deloittes Head Office in Umhlanga on Wednesday 5 November 2014 from 17:00 to 20:00. Tickets are R110.00 per person. All the tastings include light snacks and a taste of cheeses that have won Qualité Awards. Book at Computicket.
Caption:
Front: Debbie Thompson (wine maker) and Johan Malan (cellar master).
Back from left: Charl Schoeman (assistant wine maker), Hugo Louw (packaging manager), Hannes Meyer (wine maker) and Tommie Corbett (viticulturalist).