VERITAS 2018

11 VERITAS AWARDS 2018

Christine Rudman has had a love affair with wine since joining the then Stellenbosch Farmers’ Winery (SFW) in1977, following an FMCG (fast moving consumer goods) marketing career in Johannesburg. Enrolling at the Cape Wine Academy (CWA), she achieved her Cape Wine Master qualification in 1986; left SFW to run the CWA for seven years; and has since done consultancy work, wine judging, lecturing and writing. She has been a taster for the Platter’s Wine Guide since 2003. Christine has written for various publications over the years and has published two editions of A Guide to the Winelands of the Cape , the first of its kind. She has been a panel chairperson at Veritas and the International Wine and Spirit Competition for many years, a Wine of the Month Club judge and is currently also Technical Director of the Michelangelo International Wine & Spirits Awards. Martin van der Merwe hails from Cape Town and after graduating from Elsenburg Agricultural College, spent 19 years with Bertrams Wines and Gilbeys, concentrating on wine production and viticulture. He was a regular judge for both the SA Young Wine Show and Veritas Awards during this time. Martin started his North American Career in 1997, when being appointed as Vice-President Operations and Logistics for Vincor International in Canada, where he was responsible for Drove Customer Service levels to above 98% for Constellation Brands Canada. Before retiring in 2017, his portfolio was expanded to the USA where he managed 17 production and barrel-maturation facilities countrywide. Martin is the first recipient of the Legends award living abroad.