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Judging

The judging system for Veritas has been described as one of the most thorough in the industry. Judging panels are representative of the entire wine industry and include winemakers, researchers, academics and merchants and are compiled in collaboration with the relevant cultivar work groups. All the judges are required to have a wine judging certificate from the University of Stellenbosch, a Cape Wine Master’ Diploma or a similar accreditation.

Wines are tasted blind by panels that consist of seven experts judging ten wines at a time. The wines are then thoroughly discussed and scores are awarded according to the international 20-point scale, with discussion and consensus.

A double gold medal is awarded through a consensus decision by the panel if the wine scores 18 or more out of 20. Gold is awarded when a wine notches-up 17 points, a silver sticker will go on a bottle of wine if the wine scored 16 points, while bronze medals go to wines that scored 15 points.

The integrity of Veritas’ judges is undisputable and the whole judging process is audited through independent auditors.

This years overseas delegation includes Australia’s most senior wine judge, Ian McKenzie, particularly well known for his contribution in the development of one of Australia’s most famous sparkling wines as well as this country’s favourite Chardonnay; Thomas Lüber, lead buyer for the world’s largest direct wine sales company, WIV Wein International with its head office in Germany; Lynne Sheriff, deputy chairperson of the Institute of Masters of Wine (MW), a South African wine consultant, lecturer and judge who currently lives in Britain. She also served as the head of the Hong Kong International Wine and Spirits Academy and was Director of Vinfruco. Anders Barren, the fourth international judge, is the buyer responsible for South African wine purchases by the Swedish alcohol retail monopoly, Systembolaget that last year sold more than 26 million liters of SA wine in Sweden.

PANEL	JUDGE NAME
DRY WHITE	DE VILLIERS DIAAN VAN DER MERWE MELANIE MARAIS, DANIE CARSTENS, PIETER HUGO, HERMIAS PAUW, CARLA MAASS, ALWYN
CHENIN BLANC	BESTER, ZAKKIE SHERRIFF, LYNNE/ENGELBRECHT, WERNER LE ROUX, ALTUS MEAKER, FRANK JORDAAN, PHILIP RETIEF, BUSSELL PIENAAR, CHRISTO
SAUVIGNON BLANC	OBERMEYER, ERIKA HOPKINS, CHARLES EKSTEEN,BARTHO LOUBSER, JOHN RUST, NICOLAAS ROUX, JACQUES SHERRIFF, LYNNE BARREN ANDERS
CHARDONNAY	VAN ZYL, EUGENE SMIT, FRANS BRUWER, JACQUES DE WET, STERIK CARSTENS, PIETER DE JONGH, CERINA BARREN, ANDERS
NOBLE LATE HARVEST SPECIAL LATE HARVEST NATURAL SWEET WHITE	FRITH, COLIN VILJOEN, DE WET BURGER, ANDRIES PIENAAR, CHRISTO LE ROUX, ALTUS GERBER, KOBUS GRUNDLING, NICO
DRY RED	CARSTENS, ELSA ALBERTYN, CHRIS ERASMUS, SUSAN VAN NIEKERK, CALLIE SWART, ELMARI COETZEE, KLAAS STRYDOM, NEIL LUBER, THOMAS
MERLOT	MOORE, MARTIN MARAIS, PIERRE TRUTER, HUGO LE ROUX, DANIELLE WAHL, PIERRE DE KLERK, CHRIS JORDAAN, JOHAN
CABERNET SAUVIGNON	BESTER, NIEL WENTZEL, HENK UYS, ANNA-MAREÉ SNYMAN, COENIE WALLER, IRENE DU PLESSIS, CHARL LOUW, HANNES
PINOTAGE	BOERSSEN, GERT ROUX, CHRIS NAUDé, FRANCOIS VILJOEN, FRED KRITZINGER, HEIDI WANNENBURG, BENNIE LUBER, THOMAS
SHIRAZ	VERMEULEN, NICO BENADÉ, PAUL MARSHALL, CATHY LOUW, MIKE BORMAN, JACQUES TERBLANCHE, EDMUND MCKENZIE, IAN
OTHER RED CULTIVARS CABERNET FRANC AND PINOT NOIR INCLUDED	FRITH, COLIN PIENAAR, WOUTER MOMBERG, TINNIE FERREIRA, PIETER SCHULTZ, LINLEY MACICI, RAZVAN RUDMAN, CHRISTINE
PORT	FRITH, COLIN RUDMAN, CHRISTINE NEL, CAREL NEL, BOETS CHRISTOWITZ, DIRKIE WEAVER, MERYL JOUBERT, CHRIS
DESSERT	SWIEGERS, HENRI COOPER, MARILYN BIGGS, DAVID THERON, CHARL GRUNDLING, NICO HUGHES, LORNA VAN DEVENTER, GERT
MCC	GRIER, JEFF FERREIRA, PIETER MALAN, JOHAN VAN DER MERWE, MELANIE BASSON, ELUNDA JONKER, PHILIP MCKENZIE, IAN
MUSEUM	BAYLY, DUIMPIE HOWARD, BENNIE RUDMAN, CHRISTINE MCKENZIE, IAN WEAVER, MERYL LUBER, THOMAS FRITH, COLIN

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