Distell dazzles at 2012 Veritas awards

Friday, 12 October, 2012
Distell
Distell wines amassed a trove of double golds and golds at the 2012 Veritas Awards, given by the panel of mostly local judges but also several experts flown in from Europe and the East.
Nederburg, recognised as South Africa’s most celebrated producer, emerged as the second favourite of this year’s show with four double golds, 12 golds and 20 silvers.  Durbanville Hills impressed with a double gold, three golds and six silvers; while Fleur du Cap earned a double gold, a gold and five silvers. Pongràcz received a double gold and two silvers; and Jc Le Roux, a gold and a silver.

Zonnebloem collected five silvers and Place in the Sun, Distell’s Fairtrade-accredited range, netted a silver. Distell’s fortified wine range, Monis, won three silvers.

The company’s Cape Legends portfolio also fared extremely well this year, with Gansbaai winery Lomond winning a double gold, a gold and five silvers, in line with its strong international showing.  Le Bonheur brought back a gold and two silvers, while Neethlingshof was awarded a gold.
 
Amongst the top performers was Nederburg’s 2010 Winemaster’s Reserve Noble Late Harvest, a wine that has been awarded on several panels abroad, including the Decanter World Wine Awards and the International Wine & Spirit Challenge, both staged in London.  Another notable coup was the gold achieved for the 2012 Winemaster’s Reserve Riesling.

Echoing the view of several leading international wine critics that South Africa is excelling with Chardonnay, both Durbanville Hills and Fleur du Cap took double gold in this category with 2011 vintage wines – Durbanville Hills for its core range Chardonnay and Fleur du Cap for its Unfiltered offering. 

Pongràcz is a regular medallist and JC le Roux recently won the 2012 Amorim MCC Challenge.

“Veritas medals are considered an important quality cue for South African consumers, faced with an ever-increasing choice of wine offerings,” says Carina Gous, who heads the company’s wine division. “They are regarded as a reassuring and independent verification of excellence, particularly for wine shoppers navigating their way across the complexity of the wine aisles in supermarkets and liquor stores.

“As producers, we also take encouragement from the affirmation. In many instances, the wines that have rated well with the Veritas panels are also those to have found favour with panellists on other competitions locally and abroad, giving additional confirmation of quality.”

NEDERBURG WINES

Double Gold
Nederburg Winemaster's Reserve Noble Late Harvest 2010
Nederburg Private Bin Edelkeur Chenin Blanc Noble Late Harvest (NLH) 2008
Nederburg Private Bin Edelkeur Chenin Blanc NLH 2004
Nederburg Private Bin R181 Merlot 2007
Gold
Nederburg II Centuries Cabernet Sauvignon 2007
Nederburg Private Bin Edelkeur Chenin Blanc NLH 2010
Nederburg Private Bin Edelkeur Chenin Blanc NLH 2009
Nederburg Private Bin Eminence 2009
Nederburg Private Bin Eminence 2008
Nederburg Private Bin S316 Weisser Riesling NLH 2004
Nederburg Private Bin Sémillon NLH 2002
Nederburg Solera Potstill Brandy
Nederburg The Anchorman Chenin Blanc 2011
Nederburg Winemaster's Reserve Riesling 2012
Nederburg Winemaster's Reserve SLH 2011
Woolworths Winemaster's Reserve Grenache (Nederburg) 2010
Silver
Nederburg II Centuries Cabernet Sauvignon 2008
Nederburg Manor House Cabernet Sauvignon 2010
Nederburg Manor House Cabernet Sauvignon 2009
Nederburg Manor House Sauvignon Blanc 2011
Nederburg Private Bin D215 Sauvignon Blanc 2012
Nederburg Private Bin D234 Sauvignon Blanc 2010
Nederburg Private Bin D253 Sauvignon Blanc/Chardonnay 2010
Nederburg Private Bin D270 Chardonnay 2011
Nederburg Private Bin Edelkeur Chenin Blanc 2007
Nederburg Private Bin Edelkeur Chenin Blanc NLH 2003
Nederburg Private Bin Eminence 2010
Nederburg Private Bin Eminence 2007
Nederburg Private Bin R121 Shiraz 2009
Nederburg Private Bin R163 Cabernet Sauvignon 2009
Nederburg Private Bin R163 Cabernet Sauvignon 2008
Nederburg Private Bin R163 Cabernet Sauvignon 2007
Nederburg Private Bin R181 Merlot 2009
Nederburg Private Bin R181 Merlot 2008
Nederburg Private Bin Sémillon NLH 2001
Nederburg The Motorcycle Marvel 2009

DURBANVILLE HILLS
Double Gold
Durbanville Hills Chardonnay 2011
Gold
Durbanville Hills Biesjescraal Sauvignon Blanc 2012
Durbanville Hills Luipaardsberg Merlot 2010
Durbanville Hills Luipaardsberg Merlot 2009
Silver
Durbanville Hills Caapmans Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot 2010
Durbanville Hills Caapmans Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot 2009
Durbanville Hills Caapmans Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot 2008
Durbanville Hills Merlot Rosé 2012
Durbanville Hills Rhinofields Pinotage 2011
Durbanville Hills Rhinofields Pinotage 2011

FLEUR DU CAP
Double Gold
Fleur du Cap Unfiltered Chardonnay 2011
Gold
Fleur du Cap Unfiltered Merlot 2010
Silver
Fleur du Cap Laszlo 2006
Fleur du Cap NLH 2010
Fleur du Cap Pinotage 2010
Fleur du Cap Unfiltered Cabernet Sauvignon 2010
Fleur du Cap Unfiltered Sémillon 2011

PONGRÁCZ
Double Gold
Pongrácz Desiderius 2003
Silver
Pongrácz MCC Brut Rosé N/V
Pongrácz MCC Pinot Noir/Chardonnay 1990

JC LE ROUX
Gold
JC le Roux MCC Scintilla 2003
Silver
JC le Roux MCC Pinot Noir Rosé 2008

LOMOND
Double gold
Lomond Sugarbush Sauvignon Blanc 2011
Gold
Lomond Cape Agulhas Sauvignon Blanc Semillon Viognier (SSV) 2012
Silver
Lomond Conebush Syrah 2009
Lomond Pincushion Sauvignon Blanc 2010
Lomond Pincushion Sauvignon Blanc 2007
Lomond Snowbush 2007
Lomond Sugarbush Sauvignon Blanc 2007

NEETHLINGSHOF
Gold
Neethlingshof Short Story Collection The Maria Noble Late Harvest 2012

LE BONHEUR
Gold
Le Bonheur Cabernet Sauvignon 2000
Silver
Le Bonheur Cabernet Sauvignon 2001
Le Bonheur Prima 1999

ALLESVERLOREN
Silver
Allesverloren Cabernet Sauvignon 2010

STELLENZICHT
Silver
Stellenzicht Golden Triangle Shiraz 2009

ALTO
Silver
Alto Cabernet Sauvignon 2009
Alto Shiraz 2010

UITKYK
Silver
Uitkyk 10-year-old brandy
Uitkyk Carlonet 2009
Uitkyk Chardonnay 2011

ZONNEBLOEM
Silver
Zonnebloem Laureat Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot 2010
Zonnebloem Limited Edition Cabernet Sauvignon 2009
Zonnebloem Limited Edition Pinotage 2010
Zonnebloem Limited Edition Shiraz 2009
Zonnebloem Shiraz/Mourvèdre/Viognier 2010

PLACE IN THE SUN
Silver
Place in the Sun Cabernet Sauvignon 2011

MONIS

Silver
Monis Full Cream
Monis Medium Cream
Monis Pale Dry