At the 2021 Veritas Wine Awards held on Saturday 6 November, Spier received top honours with the Duimpie Bayly Veritas Vertex Award for the 2018 Spier Creative Block 5. A Bordeaux-style blend, Creative Block 5 was selected as the overall champion wine from almost 1300 entries.
Incredibly, this is the second time that Spier walks away with the Veritas Vertex trophy! Spier also received four Double Golds and five Golds for the following wines:
Veritas Double Gold:
2015 Spier 21 Gables Chenin Blanc
2020 Spier 21 Gables Chenin Blanc
2018 Spier Frans K Smit White
2018 Spier Creative Block 5
Veritas Gold:
2013 Spier 21 Gables Sauvignon Blanc
2021 Spier Creative Block 2
2017 Spier Creative Block 3
2017 Spier Creative Block 5
2018 Spier Private Collection Cabernet Sauvignon (Woolworths)
These results mark a remarkable achievement for Cellar Master Johan Jordaan and the winemaking team - particularly in a year where a record number of 88 Double Gold medals were presented to wineries.
“What an absolute honour. I am blown away!” says Johan. “For Spier to be recognized for our craft in this way - and for the second time - is truly a testament to our team’s unwavering dedication in the vineyards and cellar. This is also the second time that a red Bordeaux-style wine clinches this top trophy, highlighting the immense potential for these varieties in the Cape.”
The 2018 Spier Creative Block 5 has already enjoyed a significant awards season, bringing home 93 points in the 2021 Tim Atkin Annual South African Report - the highest score for a Spier wine this year. As part of the Creative Block series, each wine is made with 2, 3 or 5 varietals from specially selected vineyard blocks. Over the years, this range has become Spier’s most awarded range of blends.
According to the Veritas Awards team, this year’s entries were judged by an authoritative jury of 64 local specialists during a five-day blind tasting session. The hand-crafted glass trophy is named this year in honour of legendary industry role player Duimpie Bayly, who passed away in August. The results were announced at an informal luncheon in Paarl, amidst an atmosphere of excitement and rejuvenation following the challenging past two years’ Covid-19 pandemic restrictions.
“If this year’s Veritas Awards results are anything to go by, the South African wine industry is as resilient as the vines it nurtures. In the face of adversity, we doubled down our efforts and now let us reap the rewards of our combined efforts,” ends Johan.
Well done to the Spier winemaking and viticulturist teams!