Benguela Cove Excels at 2023 Veritas Wine Awards
Benguela Cove Lagoon Wine Estate clinched top honours at the prestigious Veritas Wine Awards 2023, South Africa’s premier wine competition. The estate secured the Duimpie Bayly Veritas Vertex Award for the ultimate champion wine, the Best Achiever title, and an impressive collection of Double Gold and Gold medals.
The coveted Duimpie Bayly Veritas Vertex Award was bestowed upon Benguela Cove’s cellarmaster Johann Fourie and his team for the 2019 Benguela Cove Joie de Vivre Cap Classique. This marks the second time a Cap Classique has claimed the competition's highest honour.
In addition to the Vertex trophy, Benguela Cove earned the Best Achiever title in the category for ten wines or fewer. The estate garnered three Double Gold medals and two Gold medals for the Joie de Vivre Cap Classique, as well as the 2020 and 2022 Benguela Cove Vinography Cabernet Sauvignon
"We are absolutely thrilled that our Joie de Vivre Cap Classique has been recognised as the best of the best at this year's Veritas Awards," said Fourie. "The cool climate and coastal breezes of Walker Bay produce world-class sparkling, and our dedicated team strives for excellence in every step of the winemaking process. This award is a testament to our terroir and methodology, and the support and backing of the estate owner, Penny Streeter."
About Veritas Awards:
The prestigious Veritas Awards, known as the ‘Oscars’ of the South African wine industry, saw over 1,200 entries evaluated blind by a panel of experts. The 33rd annual awards ceremony was held in October at a gala dinner in Cape Town.
Situated on the scenic Bot River Lagoon near Hermanus, Benguela Cove combines an idyllic location with a dedication to premium cool climate wines. The oceanside estate benefits from maritime breezes directly off the Atlantic Ocean.
In the cellar, Fourie blends traditional and modern winemaking techniques to produce around 350,000 bottles per year across diverse ranges. The estate exclusively uses grapes from its sustainably farmed vines. The grapes are processed on-site in a state-of-the-art 400-ton winery.
Cellarmaster Johann Fourie crafts wines that showcase Benguela Cove's unique terroir. The estate's diversity of slopes, soils and exposure to ocean winds allow Fourie to produce the best expression from each grape variety.