Winners Crowned At 14th Shiraz SA Challenge With 18 Awards Across Rosé Blends And Shiraz

The winners of the 14th Shiraz SA Challenge were revealed at an illustrious awards ceremony on Thursday 6th August in Paarl. The event, attended by all the finalists and wine industry celebrities, was preceded by a tasting of the finalist wines, at The Venue and followed by the annual Shiraz SA Awards Function at Blacksmith’s Kitchen.

Fermentis by Lesaffre, global leader in yeast and fermentation solutions, has been on board as annual silver sponsor since 2025 for the Shiraz SA Awards as well as other activities hosted by the organisation throughout the year.

Three categories deliver 18 winners

Eighteen winners were awarded in the three categories viz. Rosé (1) Shiraz Blends (5) and Shiraz (12) with Spier pocketing two awards - one in the blends and one in the Shiraz categories:

The Top 12 Shiraz of 2026 are: (in alphabetical order)

Cederberg Teen die Hoog Shiraz 2023De Grendel op die Berg Syrah 2024Driehoek Syrah 2023Fairview Cyril Back 2023Groot Phesantekraal Syrah 2024Rickety Bridge Foundation Stone Shiraz 2025Riebeek Raar Shiraz Carbonic Maceration 2025Rooiberg Shiraz Reserve 2023Rust & Vrede Estate Vineyards Syrah 2022Spier Seaward Shiraz 2024Stellenbosch Hills Shiraz 2024Windmeul Shiraz 2023

The 2026 Shiraz blend winners are:

Black Elephant Vintners Free Bird Bush Vines Red 2024Perdeberg The Dry Land Collection Joseph’s Legacy 2024Quoin Rock Simonsberg Blend 2023Spier Creative Block 3 2022Zevenwacht Tin Mine Red 2023

The 2026 Shiraz Rosé winner is:

Benguela Cove Lighthouse Rosé 2026

Judges impressed with quality

The panel, chaired by La Motte’s cellar master Edmund Terblanche, judged the entries over a period of four days from Tuesday 23 – Friday 26 July at Nederburg, Paarl and was assisted by Elzette du Preez, Denzel Swarts (Zoetendal), Samarie Smith-Meletiou and Bertho van der Westhuizen (Alto Estate).

“The single variety Shiraz/Syrah category is where South Africa is really making a statement,” Terblanche said. “Wines were beautifully integrated, handled with a lighter touch of oak and by the final round, the top 30 wines were so close in quality, it really put our tasting abilities to the test!” he added.

“The category for blends was particularly enjoyable; the wines offered a wide spectrum of flavours, combining generosity with harmony” Terblanche said.

He added that although the number of rosé entries were few, they were all young and fresh, displaying the new trend of light salmon and onion skin colour that reflect a dry clinical style.

“The Shiraz SA Challenge continues to raise the bar for South African wine,” concluded Terblanche. “Each year brings new stories, new expressions, and above all, an unwavering commitment to excellence.”

A unique system for judging

Since 2018 judging panels have been following Shiraz SA’s unique method of adjudicating entries for the Shiraz SA Challenge. Each judge receives their own individual tasting order, with no discussion permitted during tasting.

This format was devised in collaboration with Stellenbosch University to ensure impartiality and independent assessment and eliminate palate fatigue.

Wine MS, software and support company and a sponsor, has been involved since the competition's inception in 2013 and once again managed the scoring system.

The auditing firm Exceed Group monitored the procedure and verified the outcomes.

The bottle seals for winning wines are sponsored by Lebone Paarl Labels.

The Pebbles Project once again benefited from the customary donation of unused samples.

2026 Bernard Podlashuk Shiraz Trophy and Prize

The Bernard Podlashuk Shiraz Trophy and Prize, sponsored by Bellingham, was presented for the fifth time this year with Stellenrust Wine Estate revealed as the 2026 winner. Journey’s End, winner in 2025 and Lomond Wine Estate were the runner-up finalists.

Apart from the magnificent trophy, the winner bags a R30 000 cash prize.

The competition, introduced in 2022 to honour Bernard Joel Podlashuk, the “Father of South African Shiraz”, comprises several levels with detailed questions linked to the criteria for innovation, sustainability, creativity, and social responsibility.

The panel consisted of Francois Haasbroek (Chairman), Dr Etienne Terblanche (Vinpro) and Prof Jako Volschenk (Stellenbosch University Business School).

Specially curated packs of winning wines

Wine enthusiasts will again have the opportunity to acquire curated 12- and 6-bottle packs featuring this year’s Top 12 Shiraz winners, with the five winning blends and one rosé presented in a 6-bottle pack. This special offering is assembled by Pieter Badenhorst of For the Love of Wine and can be ordered from This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

SA National Shiraz Day and seven days of celebrating Shiraz

Shiraz SA once more extends an invitation to all Shiraz aficionados to participate in the countrywide celebration of Shiraz on SA National Shiraz Day on Friday 21 August, which also marks the start of Seven Days of Celebrating Shiraz. Participating wineries and restaurants present various programs and events to attract wine lovers to celebrate this noble cultivar.

Activities to be shared on Shiraz SA’s social media platforms on Facebook and Instagram @ShirazSouthAfrica and X by @Shiraz_SA

Join the conversation with the hashtag #ShirazSAAwards #SANationalShirazDay and #7DaysOfShiraz