Tshepang, a freelance writer for wine.co.za and former Classic Wine columnist, impressed the judging panel with her article entitled “A world class African vineyard”. In the winning piece she reflects on the country’s long walk to international relevance and pays homage to the pioneering attempts of individuals, regions and organisations that have empowered South Africa to walk into a fierce new era in global wine.
In addition to the article, participants also had to submit a more informal, conversational blog entry. Here too, she captivated the jury with her view on the topic: “Could Social Media Replace Traditional Wine Guides?”
Tshepang received prize-money of R15 000. The runner-up, Catea Sinclair, assistant winemaker at Benguela Cove Lagoon Wine Estate and WSET L3 graduate, collected R7 500.
The judging panel, consisting of seasoned South African wine journalists David Biggs, Cathryn Henderson, Cassie du Plessis, Dave Hughes, Danie Keet and Neil Pendock, were unanimous in their praise for Tshepang’s comprehensive research, flowing narrative and entertaining delivery. According to the judges the standard for this year’s competition was excellent, with well-researched and carefully considered entries submitted.
The announcement was made by the South African National Wine Show Association (SANWSA), custodians of this competition as well as the SA Young Wine and Veritas Awards, at the VinPro headquarters in Paarl yesterday (Wednesday 07 December).
Commenting at the prize-handover, SANWSA chairman, Charles Hopkins, said: “We are delighted to discover new talent whose voices communicate the message of wine enjoyment in a novel and thought-provoking way, thereby stimulating a culture of wine interest and growing a greater following of devotees for South African wine.”
For more information, contact the Veritas office via email info@veritas.co.za, tel +27.21 863 1599 or visit www.veritas.co.za.
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