OVER 950 wines later… Convened by the Wine-of-the-Month Club, the American Express Fine Wine Awards is one of the largest competitions of its kind in South Africa (entry fee just R99/wine). In the 2026 edition, tasting ‘blind', the judges evaluated the entries over six days before settling on 66 gold medallists, of which 15 were then rated best in class. Top honours (98 on the 100-point scale) went to a Cap Classique bubbly from Charles Fox in Elgin and a sweet Chenin from Tierhoek in Piekenierskloof.
Among the best-value finds at the show were: Perdeberg Vineyard Collection Grenache Blanc 2025 at R123pb, Nitida Semillon 2025 at R150pb, Alvi's Drift Reserve Sauvignon Blanc 2025 at R165pb, Kruger Family Reserve Chardonnay 2025 at R185pb, the white blend Cape of Good Hope Riebeeksrivier Caroline 2023 at R195pb, De Meye Syrah 2024 at R170pb, plus the red blends Agronomist Jaukali 2022, Bellevue Atticus 2025 and Raka Quinary 2022 at R165pb, R170pb and R190pb respectively.
And included among the top-scoring wines that had also been highly praised earlier in the year were: red blend Cavalli Warlord 2022 (also) scored 96 at the Decanter World Wine Awards, De Trafford Blueprint Syrah 2022 rated 95 at the Decanter Awards, Hazendal Chenin Blanc 2025 scored 96 at the Trophy Wine Show, Ken Forrester FMC 2025 awarded Best in Class at the National Wine Challenge and Survivor Chenin Blanc Reserve 2023 rated 95 at the Decanter Awards.
On the panel were Cape Wine Masters, winemakers, retail buyers, sommeliers, educators and journalists: Colin Collard, Hannes Meyer, Claude Felbert, Wayve Kolevsohn, Tarryn Vincent, Armand Righard, Joseph Dhafana, Janine van Zyl CWM, Samarie Smith, Andrew Shelly, René Groenewald CWM and Winifred Bowman CWM. See below for all of the gold medal winners scored 95+, with the trophy laureates highlighted in red, and to download the full report including the silver and bronze medallists, click here.
98/100
Charles Fox Cipher Blanc de Noirs 2018 (MCC)
R625pb ex-cellar, Elgin
Tierhoek Straw Wine NV
R280pb (375ml) ex-cellar, Piekenierskloof-Citrusdal Mountain
97/100
Cape of Good Hope Riebeeksrivier Caroline 2023 (White Blend)
R195pb ex-Anthonij Rupert cellar, Franschhoek
Cape of Good Hope Sneeuwkrans Pinot Noir 2022
R375pb ex-Anthonij Rupert cellar, Franschhoek
GlenWood Grand Duc Syrah 2024
R570pb ex-cellar, Franschhoek
High Constantia Huis in Bos Muscat de Frontignan 2016 (Natural Sweet)
R430pb 375ml) ex-cellar, Constantia
High Road Director's Reserve 2021 (Red Blend)
R795pb ex-cellar, Bosman's Crossing-Stellenbosch
Ken Forrester FMC 2025 (Chenin)
R970pb ex-cellar, Helderberg-Stellenbosch
Misty Mountains AnaMae 2023 (Sauvignon Blanc)
R195pb ex-cellar,
Nitida Wild Child 2025 (Sauvignon Blanc)
R200pb ex-cellar, Durbanville
Perdeberg Dry Land Natural Sweet Chenin Blanc 2025
R182pb (375ml) ex-cellar, Windmeul-Paarl
Vergelegen Reserve Merlot 2022
R370pb ex-cellar, Somerset West
96/100
Agronomist Juakali 2022 (Red Blend)
R165pb ex-producer, Stellenbosch
Alvi's Drift Reserve Sauvignon Blanc 2025
R165pb ex-cellar, Scherpenheuwel-Worcester
Bellevue Atticus Cape Blend 2025 (Red Blend)
R170pb ex-cellar, Bottelary-Stellenbosch
Benguela Cove Vinography Cabernet Sauvignon 2021
R615pb ex-cellar, Hermanus
Brave Chardonnay 2024
R395pb ex-Redamancy cellar, Stellenbosch
Cavalli Warlord 2022 (Red Blend)
R365pb ex-cellar, Helderberg-Stellenbosch
Copeland Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2024
R260pb ex-producer, Langebaan
De Krans Cape Vintage Reserve 2022 (Cape Port)
R350pb ex-cellar, Calitzdorp-Klein Karoo
De Meye Syrah 2024
R170pb ex-cellar, Muldersvlei-Stellenbosch
De Trafford Blueprint Syrah 2022
R360pb ex-cellar, Upper Blaauwklippen Valley-Stellenbosch
Deetlefs Voyage 2024 (White Blend)
R250pb ex-cellar, Rawsonville-Breedekloof
Earth Beneath Our Feet Syrah 2022
R280pb ex-producer, Franschhoek
Ghost in the Machine Skin Contact Chenin Blanc 2025
R228pb ex-The Drift cellar, Napier
Glenelly Glass Collection Cabernet Franc 2022
R265pb ex-cellar, Ida's Valley-Stellenbosch
Hartenberg Shiraz 2022
R300pb ex-cellar, Bottelary-Stellenbosch
Kruger Family Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2023
R285pb ex-Stellenview cellar, Devon Valley-Stellenbosch
Kruger Family Reserve Chardonnay 2025
R185pb ex-Stellenview cellar, Devon Valley-Stellenbosch
Le Bonheur Petit Verdot Reserve 2023
R500pb ex-cellar, Simonsberg-Stellenbosch
L'Ormarins Brut Classique Rosé NV (MCC)
R220pb ex-Anthonij Rupert cellar, Franschhoek
Manor House Lieverd 2025 (Chenin)
R305pb ex-Stanford Valley Country Lodge, Stanford
Nitida Semillon 2025
R150pb ex-cellar, Durbanville
Painted Wolf Solo Roussanne 2024
R240pb ex-producer, Simondium-Paarl
Perdeberg Vineyard Collection Grenache Blanc 2025
R123pb ex-cellar, Windmeul-Paarl
Peter Bayly Cape Vintage 2023 (Cape Port)
R250pb (375ml) ex-cellar, Calitzdorp-Klein Karoo
PF Cabernet Sauvignon 2023
R330pb ex-Peter Falke cellar, Helderberg-Stellenbosch
PF Ruby Cabernet Sauvignon Shiraz 2019
R330pb ex-Peter Falke cellar, Helderberg-Stellenbosch
Raka Quinary 2022 (Red Blend)
R190pb ex-cellar, Klein River-Stanford Wine Route
Sieraad Cabernet Sauvignon 2023
R300pb ex-cellar, Helderberg-Stellenbosch
Steenenbrug Pinotage 2023
R220pb ex-producer, Stellenbosch
Stellenbosch ‘1679' Old Vine Pinotage 2023
R400pb ex-Koelenhof Winery, Koelenhof-Stellenbosch
Strandveld Adamastor 2022 (White Blend)
R240pb ex-cellar, Elim-Cape Agulhas
Survivor Chenin Blanc Reserve 2023
R350pb ex-Landskroon cellar, Paarl
Tierhoek Cap Classique 2024 (MCC)
R295pb ex-cellar, Piekenierskloof-Citrusdal Mountain
Tokara Director's Reserve White 2023
R380pb ex-cellar, Helshoogte-Stellenbosch
Tokara Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2022
R440pb ex-cellar, Helshoogte-Stellenbosch
Villion Chardonnay 2024
R250pb ex-cellar, Bot River
95/100
Anthonij Rupert Optima 2022 (Red Blend)
R280pb ex-cellar, Franschhoek
Benguela Cove Sauvignon Blanc 2025
R195pb ex-cellar, Hermanus
Bosman Adama Red 2023
R229pb ex-cellar, Wellington
Copeland Reserve Chardonnay 2025
R240pb ex-producer, Langebaan
De Grendel Koetshuis Sauvignon Blanc 2025
R270pb ex-cellar, Durbanville
Delheim Wild Ferment Chenin Blanc 2024
R230pb ex-cellar, Simonsberg-Stellenbosch
Ernst Gouws & Co Chenin Blanc 2026
R120pb ex-producer, Stellenbosch
GlenWood Vigneron's Selection Chardonnay 2025
R330pb ex-cellar, Franschhoek
Hartenberg Doorkeeper Shiraz 2024
R145pb ex-cellar, Bottelary-Stellenbosch
Hazendal Bottelary Hills Sauvignon Blanc 2025
R139pb ex-cellar, Bottelary-Stellenbosch
Hazendal Chenin Blanc 2025
R395pb ex-cellar, Bottelary-Stellenbosch
Morgenhof Chenin Blanc 2025
R150pb ex-cellar, Simonsberg-Stellenbosch
Oakvale Brut Rosé Cap Classique 2023 (MCC)
Price t.b.c. – cellar in Franschhoek
Paul Clüver Sauvignon Blanc 2025
R125pb ex-cellar, Elgin
Somerbosch Merlot 2024
R135pb ex-cellar, Helderberg-Stellenbosch
Tamboerskloof Syrah 2021
R335pb ex-Kleinood cellar, Helderberg-Stellenbosch
Things Take Time Pinotage 2024
R225pb ex-TTT cellar, Calitzdorp-Klein Karoo
Vergelegen Estate White 2024
R395pb ex-cellar, Somerset West