Merlot SA Reveals 2026 Taransaud Merlot Top 10 Winners at Klein Alto Ceremony

Merlot SA is proud to announce the winners of the 2026 Taransaud Merlot Top 10 Competition, marking the fifth year of celebrating excellence in South African Merlot. The awards ceremony, held on 18th June 2026 at Klein Alto in Stellenbosch, brought together leading producers, industry partners and members of the Merlot community for an intimate and insightful showcase of the country’s finest expressions of the varietal.

This year’s Top 10 reflects both consistency and exciting new talent, with several producers reaffirming their long-standing commitment to Merlot excellence.

2026 Merlot Top 10 Winners • Bein Merlot Reserve 2022 • Carmen Stevens Merlot 2023 • Delaire Graff Estate Banghoek Reserve 2023 • Dornier Merlot 2022 • Glenelly Glass Collection Merlot 2022 • Holden Manz Merlot Reserve 2023 • L’Avenir Provenance Merlot 2024 (Judges’ Choice Award) • Rainbow’s End Merlot 2023 • Stellenbosch Reserve Kweekskool Merlot 2023 • Villiera Monro Merlot 2023

Taransaud, one of our major sponsors, awarded one of its exceptional barrels as a prize for the Judges’ Choice Merlot. This wine is not selected based on score but on the unanimous preference of the panel as a favourite on the final day of judging. This year, the award, along with the prestigious Taransaud barrel, was presented to L’Avenir for its Provenance Merlot 2024.

A competition built on excellence and growth Now in its fifth year, the Taransaud Merlot Top 10 Competition has become a benchmark for quality and innovation. Several producers have demonstrated remarkable consistency:

• Bein has achieved a Top 10 placement every year since inception. • Delaire Graff Estate has placed four out of five years, missing only one edition. • Dornier celebrates three consecutive years in the Top 10.

Panel Chair, Renier van Deventer, noted that the competition continues to gain traction within the industry, with producers increasingly valuing focused, story driven competitions over large scale events. He highlighted that despite tougher economic conditions, the Taransaud Merlot Top 10 remains a meaningful platform where producers can showcase their work in an intimate, high-quality environment.

“We’re seeing a clear shift in South African Merlot,” said Panel Chair Renier van Deventer.

“The wines are showing more purity, brightness and clean fruit expression, with oak that’s beautifully balanced. It’s exciting to see how producers are refining their styles while moving decisively away from the green notes of the past.”

Industry insights from the panel chair Renier van Deventer shared key statistics and observations from the judging process:

• South Africa now has over 5,300 hectares of Merlot planted, up from 81 hectares in 1682. • The country contributes around 5 percent of global Merlot plantings. • The average alcohol level among the Top 10 wines was 14.3 percent, with an average price point of R243 per bottle, reflecting the ongoing trend of premiumisation.

Renier’s Observations on the Wines Entered Renier emphasised a clear stylistic evolution across the entries:

• Wines are becoming more focused, showing purity, brightness and clean fruit expression. • Oak use is increasingly balanced and refined, with some producers incorporating American oak to excellent effect. • The category is moving decisively away from the green notes historically associated with Merlot. • Younger vintages (2024 and 2025) showed energy and refinement, while older vintages (2022 and 2023) displayed polish and elegance.

He also noted that the Top 10 wines typically spend two to three years in bottle before reaching their peak, a trend consistent across recent competitions.

A celebration of community and quality Merlot SA Chair, Matthew Copeland, emphasised the association’s commitment to keeping the awards intimate, people centred and focused on storytelling, creating a space where producers can share their craft and celebrate the varietal’s growing stature in South Africa.

“Merlot is the wine of the people,” he said. “This competition is about elevating the varietal while keeping the experience warm, personal and connected.”

The Top 10 wines will be available at Wine of the Month (https://www.wineofthemonth.co.za/products/taransaud-top-10-merlot-2026)