A rare event for us in 2024; the 2024 Veritas Awards dinner at the CTICC
The invitation said "Strictly black tie" and many of the men did, indeed, wear suits with black neckties
with a reasonable number in proper evening gear, but it was disturbing to note how few had polished their shoes
The women, naturally, were beautifully, mostly glamorously, turned out. The men need to polish their act
Dr Winifred Bowman CWM, Wosa CEO Siobhan Thompson,
Kendra Thompson, Neil Pendock
Lynne in her finery, looking suitably glamorous
Glasses of good local Cap Classiques served to keep us hydrated and happy. They did
Deep fried prawn tails in abundance with a dipping tartar sauce. Good prawns, but they needed a little salt?
Pouring Boschendal Brut Rosé MCC
Beetroot canapés
Etienne and Aaltjie Gouws, Leon and Marie Uys of Amorim Cork
At Wegner of GetWine
Great to meet his beautiful daughter who is not in the industry, but works in the bush at Kruger National Park
Nice moist lamb Koftas
A loud rock band played all the old favourites like Elvis, Country and Western and solid rock
and made conversation difficult
At our table were Alvi and Junel van der Merwe CWM owners of Alvi's Drift in Worcester
Also at the table were Gera and Johan de Wet of DeWetshof in Robertson
Bennie Howard CWM started proceedings
followed by Christo Pienaar, President of Veritas Awards
There were three Wine Legends awards this year. Sadly, Johann Rupert was unable to attend
His award will be delivered to him in London
Philip Jordaan of Dutoitskloof Winery in Rawsonville
Tim Hutchinson was instrumental in steering the DGB group
to become one of South Africa’s largest independent wine and spirit producers and distributors
A moments silence for those we have lost this year.
A televised address by Cape Town mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis, saying how much he would like to be there
as he is a great lover of Cape Wine, but he had other commitments away from home
And we had some great wines on the table. This De Wetshof Calcrete Chardonnay, crisp and clean and delicious,
went so well with the rich starter
Deliciously rich duck confit with citrus segments, herbed quinoa, parsnip and beetroot purée,
and a great duck jus. It would have made a meal on its own
The main was a duo of South African Beef:
a rich Beef Wellington in the pastry caseenrobed in mushrooms,
long and slow cooked Beef brisket, Duchesse potato, roasted baby carrots, a melanage of wild muchooms,
crushed peas and a roasted butternut purée
John's dinner sans Mushrooms, the Brisket and a rare fillet of beef in a chilli sauce
Our table had several good wines to sample, to see which went best with dinner
The one that excited us most was the rich and full Buitenverwachting Double Cab,
a blend of Constantia Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc made by cellarmaster Brad Paton
The highest performing winery, the KWV team with their gold and double gold medals,
photographed with Bennie Howard and Christo Pienaar
Desert was a chocolate bar filled with a Marquise chocolate mousse, a good macaron, fresh strawberries
and a brandy snap circle
Executive Chef Roberto Carvalho is in charge of all the catering at the Cape Town Convention Centre
We will publish the list of Award winners when it becomes available
All our stories can be seen in the Blog Archive near the top of the column on the right
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