A further eight wine journalists and authors of wine books join the panel, as well as a number of specialists: a champagne specialist from Canada and six spirits and brandy judges from East and West Europe. Since the inception of the Michelangelo Liqueur Awards in 2014, this section of the competition has grown to such an extent that the 2016 competition will make provision for an even wider array of spirits entries, including gin, vodka and rum.
Says Michelangelo CEO, Lorraine Immelman, “while we are celebrating our 20th anniversary this year, we are honoured to welcome back one of our judges from the first Michelangelo in 1997 on the panel. He is OIV judge, oenologist and well-respected consultant, Sergio Correa Undurraga from Chile.
Creating exciting new partnerships to benefit our medal winners
Michelangelo is further embarking on an exciting new drive to offer medal and trophy winners added value, says Lorraine. “We have started the process of creating partnerships with a major food and wine show in South Africa as well as in a number of African countries.”
“The first Michelangelo Wine Pavilion will be presented at the Cape Town Good Food and Wine Show at the end of May – at very short notice we managed to get seven Michelangelo medal winners on board!
“They are Slaley, Klein Doolhof, Leipzig, Van Eck Family & Friends, Montpellier, Wellington Wines and Signal Gun.
“However, we plan a bigger and more spectacular appearance at the Johannesburg and Durban shows later this year, while also targeting Namibia, Mozambique and Zambia in 2017.”
Important dates for 2016
Competition opens for entries: 1 June 2016 (no deliveries)
Open for entries and deliveries of samples: 1 July 2016
Judging of wine and spirits entries: 15 – 20 August 2016
20th Birthday and awards dinner: Monday, 26 September 2016, Lord Charles Hotel, Somerset West. Guest artist: Emo Adams
For more information
www.michelangeloawards.com
www.facebook.com/MichelangeloAwards
Caption:
An historic picture, taken at the first Michelangelo in 1997: The only Gran d’Or medal that year was awarded to Stellenzicht for their 1994 Syrah. Pictured from left is 1997 judge Maria Isabel Mijares y Garcia Pilayo from Spain, Baudouin Havaux (OIV representative from Brussels), Stellenzicht wine maker in 1997, André van Rensburg; Sergio Correa Undurraga, (Chile) and Ramon Rada (Chilean Trade Commissioner in South Africa at the time).