VERITAS 2018

VERITAS AWARDS 2018 10

VERITAS PAYS HOMAGE TO LEADING INDUSTRY FIGURES

The tradition of annually honouring a handful of industry leaders took place at this year’s 28th Veritas Awards ceremony on Saturday 6 October. This award serves as recognition for exemplary service to the industry over the years – acknowledging their commitment and paying homage for remarkable achievements. Thereby five luminaries received the 2018 Living Legends Scroll of Honour for their dedication to and enthusiasm and passion for the local wine and brandy industries. Albert Eksteen graduated with an LLB degree from the University of Stellenbosch and joined KWV Legal Administration in 1985, becoming the Company Secretary 12 years later. During his career of 31 years he represented KWV and the wine producers in general in various negotiations and discussions with government and the industry. When KWV embarked on an unbundling exercise, he was responsible for the extensive redrafting of memorandum and articles for this major change at the organisation. He was also extensively involved in the drafting and registration of Groot Constantia Estate’s memorandum in terms of which ownership passed from the State to a new Section 21 company. Pierre Marais studied at the University of Stellenbosch, acquiring his doctorate in Agriculture (Plant Pathology) in 1983. He joined the Institute of Viticulture and Oenology, Nietvoorbij, and did research in Plant Pathology, serving in several posts at the Institute over a period of 20 years. During his research years, he published 26 scientific and numerous popular articles, also delivering 20 scientific papers, locally and international. He joined Distillers Corporation in 1989 and served, among others, as Cellarmaster at the Bergkelder and Technical Manager: Wine at Distell until his retirement. He served on various committees of the Wine and Spirit Board for more than 30 years and he was also President of the South African Society for Enology and Viticulture (SASEV). Melvyn Minnaar is a veteran journalist and has been a wine, food, art and travel writer for more than 40 years, having written for most of the domestic Afrikaans and English newspapers, as well as various magazines. These include WineLand, Wine Spectator , World Wine Report (France), Wine & Spirit International and Grape . As an art curator, advisor and judge, he has been counselling numerous art festivals in South Africa over many years. He is a founding member of the Cape Town Convivium of Slow Food and a member of the International Jury for the Slow Food Award.