Investec Trophy Wine Show Celebrates 25 Years Highlighting South African Winemaking Talent

The Investec Trophy Wine Show marks its 25th edition in 2026, celebrating a quarter century of excellence in South African winemaking and the talent behind the country’s finest wines.

Over more than two decades, the Show has become one of the country’s most respected wine competitions, celebrating not only outstanding wines, but also the people and practices behind them – from vineyard to cellar, and from judging bench to bottle.

The competition has also played a consistent role in highlighting the quality of South African wine and the individuals and teams behind it. This year, the Show attracted 650 entries.

The judging panel – chaired by leading South African wine authority and Chairman of the judges, Michael Fridjhon – brought together three international judges and 7 South African judges, including Oz Clarke OBE, Heidi Mäkinen MW and Kenichi Ohashi MW on the international panel, alongside Cathy van Zyl MW, Heidi Duminy CWM, Christian Eedes, Malu Lambert, Mandla Patson Mathonsi, JD Pretorius and Kyle Davids.

Wines were assessed through a structured blind-tasting process designed to support fairness, consistency and confidence in the results.

Champion Winemaker of the Year

The Investec Trophy for the Show’s Champion Winemaker of the Year, introduced in 2025 to recognise the winemaker responsible for the most awarded wines of the competition, has been awarded to Juandré Bruwer of Diemersdal Wine Estate.

He walked away with 9 silver medals, 3 gold medals for the Private Collection 2021, Syrah 2023 and The Journal Pinotage 2023, and 2 trophies for Diemersdal Grüner Veltliner 2024 and The Journal Sauvignon Blanc 2021 (Museum class).

Supporting South African craftsmanship

As its longstanding sponsor, Investec supports the Trophy Wine Show in helping bring South Africa’s finest wines to broader audiences at home and abroad.

“Investec is deeply invested in South Africa and in the industries that contribute meaningfully to economic participation and long-term value creation,” says Peta Dixon, Head of Sponsorships at Investec. “The wine industry is a strong example of this – built on skill, craft and innovation, with a well-established reputation for quality. Through our support of the Investec Trophy Wine Show, we are proud to help shine a light on an industry that shares our values of excellence and legacy, showcasing it to audiences locally and internationally.”

A new trophy honouring legacy and craftsmanship

This year sees the introduction of a new trophy named in honour of the late John Skotnes, the artist and craftsman who designed the competition’s trophies from the outset. His work helped shape one of the Show’s most distinctive traditions: trophies that not only recognise achievement, but carry a sense of artistry, permanence and legacy.

The new award is a fitting tribute to that contribution, and to the idea that, like great wine, true craftsmanship leaves something enduring behind. It will be presented annually to the producer of the highest scoring blended wine, red or white, from 2026.

This year’s winner is the Zwartwater Estate Red Blend 2024, also winner of the Investec Trophy for Best Rhône-style Red Blend.

Judging with rigour

The competition’s trademark methodology involves three-person judging panels, each including an international judge. All wines are tasted blind by every panellist and presented in varied sequences, with scoring supported by discussion and consensus. This approach is designed to ensure a fair and consistent outcome for producers, while reinforcing the credibility of the results for buyers, collectors and consumers.

Commenting on this year’s results, Michael Fridjhon said, “A particularly gratifying feature of this year’s results is the spread of trophies and medals across a wider range of classes than we have ever seen before, as well as more gold medallists than usual in the major categories. It is clear that over the past quarter of a century the Cape wine industry has evolved from one with a limited offering from a few key producers into one with a significantly enhanced breadth and depth of wine quality.”

At its core, the Investec Trophy Wine Show rewards wines on merit, while honouring the dedication behind them. It recognises not only exceptional wines, but the people, skill and commitment that continue to shape South African winemaking.

The Results

Trophy Winners

Investec Trophy for South Africa’s Champion Winemaker of the Year Juandré Bruwer of Diemersdal Wine Estate

Harold Eedes Trophy for Best Chenin Blanc Investec Trophy for Best White Wine Overall Vinolok Trophy for Best Premium Wine Cederberg Five Generations Chenin Blanc 2024

Investec Trophy for Best Cabernet Sauvignon Investec International Judges’ Trophy Investec Trophy for Best Red Wine Overall Delaire Graff Estate Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve 2022

Trophy for Best Chardonnay Cavalli Chardonnay 2025

Investec Trophy for Best Niche Red Rosa Kruger Trophy for Best Old Vine Wine Allée Bleue Old Vine Cinsaut 2025

Investec Trophy for Best Shiraz Investec Trophy for Discovery of the Show – Best Value Gold Medallist Nederburg The Winemasters Shiraz 2024

Investec Trophy for Best Rhône-Style Red Blend John Skotnes Trophy for Best Blended Wine Zwartwater Estate Red Blend 2024

Investec Trophy for Best Semillon Regna Loca by Rickety Bridge Semillon 2025

Tony Mossop Trophy for Best Cape Port Delaire Graff Cape Vintage 2023

Investec Trophy for Best Niche White Diemersdal Grüner Veltliner 2024

Trophy for Best Cap Classique Graham Beck Méthode Cap Classique Blanc de Blancs 2020

Trophy for Best Other White Blend Kloovenburg Eight Feet 2024

Riedel Trophy for Best Bordeaux-Style Red Blend Neil Ellis The Left Bank Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot 2021

Trophy for Best Pinotage Bellingham The Bernard Series Bush Vine Pinotage 2023

Trophy for Best Sauvignon Blanc Semillon Blend Boschendal Suzanne 2024

Trophy for Best Sauvignon Blanc Hermanuspietersfontein Sondagskloof Sauvignon Blanc 2024

Trophy for Best Other Red Blend Boschendal Nicolas 2023

Investec Trophy for Best Pinot Noir Paul Clüver Estate Pinot Noir 2024

Trophy for Best Organic Wine Stark-Condé Monk Stone Chenin Blanc 2025

Investec Trophy for Best Pinotage-Based Red Blend / Cape Blend Boland Cellar Reserve Red 2024

Trophy for Best Museum Class Dessert Wine Trophy for Best Museum Class Wine Overall Nederburg The Winemasters Noble Late Harvest 2018

Trophy for Best Museum Class Cape Port Boplaas Cape Vintage Reserve 2016

Trophy for Best Museum Class Sauvignon Blanc Diemersdal The Journal Sauvignon Blanc 2021

Trophy for Best Museum Class Niche White Leeuwenkuil Grenache Blanc 2016

Trophy for Best Museum Class Cap Classique L’Ormarins Private Cuvée 2017 (Anthonij Rupert)

Trophy for Best Museum Class Pinot Noir Boschendal Appellation Series Elgin Pinot Noir 2015

Gold Medal Winners

Bellingham The Bernard Series Basket Press Syrah 2024

Cape of Good Hope Altima Sauvignon Blanc 2025

Constantia Uitsig Natura Vista 2024

De Krans Cape Vintage Reserve 2015

Delaire Graff Estate Banghoek Chardonnay 2024

Diemersdal Private Collection 2021

Diemersdal Syrah 2023

Diemersdal The Journal Pinotage 2023

Glen Carlou Chardonnay 2025

Graham Beck Méthode Cap Classique Cuvee Clive 2019

Hazendal Bottelary Hills Syrah 2025

Hazendal Chenin Blanc 2025

Jordan Timepiece Chenin Blanc 2025

Kleine Zalze Family Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2021

KWV Cathedral Cellar Sauvignon Blanc 2024

Laborie Le Traditionnel Cap Classique Blanc de Blancs 2020

Mellish Bakenkop Blanc Fumé 2020

Nederburg Heritage Heroes The Brew Master 2021

Perdeberg G.O.A.T Chenin Blanc 2025

Roodekrantz Donkermaan Chenin Blanc 2024

Spier 21 Gables Sauvignon Blanc 2023

Stellenzicht Thunderstone Red 2024

The Fledge & Co Vagabond 2024

Warwick The White Lady Chardonnay 2024

Zandvliet Estate Shiraz 2024

The complete set of results is on the website and includes the Top Ten lists, winners by award, winners by category and winners by producer.

The judges’ feedback session transcript and individual interviews are here.