THERE WERE as many as 95 of the 1293 wines and brandies entered in South Africa's 2026 Veritas competition that earned Double Gold medals – these over-and-above the 196 Golds, 276 Outstanding Silvers, 410 Silvers and 207 Bronzes. For a ranking of the top wines, we have to get the scores from the winning producers – the organisers of the judging and the gala awards function only share the exact ratings with the entrants, leaving it up to them as to whether or not to go public with the numbers. All that Veritas discloses about the top ratings is that to achieve a Double Gold requires the judges to award 93 or higher according to a 100-point system. It's no wonder that there are DG winners who are content to talk about their medals – to some, Double Gold appears better than 93 points.
Of the 95 Double Gold medallists, 88 were wines. Coincidentally, there were 88 local and international wine judges assigned to panels of five who deliberated for five days in choosing the medal winners, at the end of which all of the Double Gold medallists were retasted in deciding on an overall winner, a champion deserving of the Duimpie Bayly Veritas Vertex Award. For the third year in succession, the trophy went to KWV of Paarl – this time for their Laborie Blanc de Blancs 2020, a bottle-fermented Cap Classique sparkler made according to the traditional method, following wins for the Pinotage-led KWV Mentors Perold 2022 and 2021 Cape Blends in 2025 and 2024 respectively, with KWV Mentors Orchestra 2018 the winner in 2020. It was yet another great panel-review of KWV's sparkling Chardonnay in 2026, with the 2020 vintage having won the Cap Classique Challenge and scored 96 at the Trophy Wine Show.
See below for the top-scoring wines at the 2026 Veritas Awards – all of the Double Gold award winners were asked for the scores given to their wines, but not all responded, with two saying they'd prefer to withhold the exact ratings. For all of the various medal winners and more information about the competition, convened by the National Wine Show Association (SANWSA), click here. For info about and tickets to the public tastings of the Double Gold and Gold medallists, click here.
OVERALL WINNER
Laborie Blanc de Blancs 2020 (MCC)
R189pb ex-KWV cellar, Paarl
96/100 POINTS
Francois van Niekerk Pinotage 2023
R550pb ex-producer, Wellington
95/100 POINTS
Bergsig Icarus 30 Years Matured NV (Fortified Tinta Barocca)
R330pb (5ooml) ex-cellar, Breedekloof
Boplaas Cape Vintage Reserve Port 2006
R1200pb ex-cellar, Calitzdorp-Klein Karoo
Tokara Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2022
R440pb ex-cellar, Helshoogte-Stellenbosch
94/100 POINTS
Babylonstoren Nebukadnesar 2024 (Cape Bordeaux Red Blend)
R820pb ex-cellar, Simonsberg-Paarl
Beeslaar Pinotage 2024
R550pb ex-producer, Stellenbosch
Benguela Cove Vinography Cabernet Sauvignon 2021
R615pb ex-cellar, Hermanus
Beyerskloof Faith 2023 (Cape Blend, Red)
R1200pb ex-cellar, Stellenbosch
Beyerskloof Faith 2024 (Cape Blend, Red)
R1200pb ex-cellar, Stellenbosch
Dornier Merlot 2022
R218pb ex-cellar, Upper Blaauwklippen Valley-Stellenbosch
Francois van Niekerk Pinotage 2024
R550pb ex-producer, Wellington
La Cave Pinotage 2024
R195pb ex-Wellington Wines, Wellington
RAAR Carbonic Maceration Shiraz 2025
R197pb ex- Riebeek Valley Wine Co, Riebeek Kasteel-Swartland
93/100 POINTS
Alvi's Drift Chenin Blanc 2026
R93pb ex-cellar, Scherpenheuwel-Worcester
Babylonstoren Babel 2025 (Red Blend)
R260pb ex-cellar, Simonsberg-Paarl
Babylonstoren Sprankel 2021 (MCC)
R845pb ex-cellar, Simonsberg-Paarl
Bad Brothers Chenin Blanc 2026
R75pb ex-Goedverwacht cellar, Bonnievale-Robertson
Badsberg Noble Late Harvest 2017
R160pb (375ml) ex-cellar, Rawsonville-Breedekloof
Benguela Cove Joie De Vivre Brut 2022 (MCC)
R425pb ex-cellar, Hermanus
Boplaas Cape Vintage Reserve 2021 (Port)
R350pb ex-cellar, Calitzdorp-Klein Karoo
Cederberg Five Generations Chenin Blanc 2025
R420pb ex-cellar, Cederberg
Cilmor Chenin Blanc 2025
R75pb ex-cellar, Worcester
Delaire Graff Estate Banghoek Chardonnay 2025
R490pb ex-cellar, Banghoek-Stellenbosch
Flagstone Dark Horse Shiraz 2022
R415pb ex-cellar, Somerset West / Strand
Flagstone Dragon Tree Cape Blend 2023 (Red Blend)
R179pb ex-cellar, Somerset West / Strand
Flagstone Music Room Cabernet Sauvignon 2024
R415pb ex-cellar, Somerset West / Strand
Flagstone Treaty Tree Classique White 2025
R163pb ex-cellar, Somerset West/Strand
Grand Vin de Stellenbosch Cabernet Sauvignon 2023
R325pb ex-Le Grand Domaine cellar, Devon Valley-Stellenbosch
Grand Vin de Stellenbosch Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot 2022
R325pb ex-Le Grand Domaine cellar, Devon Valley-Stellenbosch
Hidden Valley Brut 2022 (MCC)
R340pb ex-cellar, Helderberg-Stellenbosch
Hidden Hidden Secret 2022 (Red Blend)
R330pb ex-cellar, Helderberg-Stellenbosch
Kasteelberg Chenin Blanc 2024
R244pb ex- Riebeek Valley Wine Co, Riebeek Kasteel-Swartland
Kleine Zalze Family Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2022
R510pb ex-cellar, Stellenbosch
La Cave Chenin Blanc 2025
R145pb ex-Wellington Wines, Wellington
La Motte Pierneef Sauvignon Blanc 2025
R190pb ex-cellar, Franschhoek
McGregor Winery Calcrete Chardonnay 2025
R168pb ex-cellar, McGregor
Merwida Pierre van der Merwe Chenin Blanc 2024
R170pb ex-cellar, Rawsonville-Breedekloof
Nuy Barbieri Idro Red Muscadel 2017
R235pb ex-cellar, Worcester
Nuy White Muscadel 2014
Museum Class, Worcester cellar
Orange River Cellars Red Muscadel 2013
R200pb ex-cellar, Uppington-Northern Cape
Orange River Cellars White Muscadel 2013
R200pb ex-cellar, Uppington-Northern Cape
Paul René Brut Rosé 2022 (MCC)
R275pb ex-cellar, Robertson
Perdeberg Dry Land Barrel Fermented Chenin Blanc 2015
Museum Class, Paarl cellar
Peter Falke Kailani 2021 (Cabernet Sauvignon)
R880pb ex-cellar, Helderberg-Stellenbosch
Rietvallei Estéanna Red Blend 2016 (Cape Bordeaux)
Museum Class, Robertson cellar
Saronsberg Full Circle 2024 (Cape Rhône Red Blend)
R720pb ex-cellar, Tulbagh
Stellenbosch Hills Shiraz 2024
R125pb ex-cellar, Vlottenburg-Stellenbosch
Tokara Director's Reserve Red 2021 (Cape Bordeaux)
R545pb ex-cellar, Helshoogte-Stellenbosch
Tokara Reserve Elgin Sauvignon Blanc 2025
R195pb ex-cellar, Helshoogte-Stellenbosch
Tokara Reserve Stellenbosch Chardonnay 2025
R325pb ex-cellar, Helshoogte-Stellenbosch
Villa Esposto Muscat d'Alexandrie Straw Wine 2023
R154pb (375ml) ex-Klawer cellar, Klawer-Olifants River
Zoetendal Chenin Blanc 2022
R330pb ex-cellar, Elim-Cape Agulhas
ALSO DOUBLE GOLD
Avontuur Disa Gorge Chardonnay 2025
R355pb ex-cellar, Helderberg-Stellenbosch
Boschendal Elgin Sauvignon Blanc 2025
R420pb ex-cellar, Franschhoek
Boschendal Nicolas 2016 (Red Blend)
Museum Class, Franschhoek cellar
Breëland Chenin Blanc 2026
R90pb ex-cellar, Rawsonville-Breedekloof
Breëland Moscato Perlé 2026
R85pb ex-cellar, Rawsonville-Breedekloof
Christina Moscato Noble Late Harvest 2024
R163pb ex-Van Loveren cellar, Robertson
Daschbosch Gevonden Hanepoot 2023 (Fortified)
R315pb (375ml) ex-cellar, Rawsonville-Breedekloof
De Grendel Op die Berg Pinot Noir 2024
R370 ex-cellar, Panorama-Durbanville
De Wetshof Merlot 2024
R145pb ex-cellar, Robertson
Durbanville Hills Blanc de Blancs 2022 (MCC)
R230pb ex-cellar, Durbanville
Fleur du Cap Unfiltered Merlot 2017
R272pb ex-Vinoteque, Heineken Beverages, Stellenbosch
Graham Beck Blanc de Blancs 2020 (MCC)
R420pb ex-cellar, Robertson
Graham Beck Cuvée Clive 2019 (MCC)
R1340pb ex-cellar, Robertson
KWV Cape Tawny NV (Port)
R119pb ex-cellar, Paarl
KWV Mentors Cabernet Franc 2017
Museum Class, Paarl cellar
KWV Mentors Canvas 2017 (Red Blend)
Museum Class, Paarl cellar
KWV Mentors Chenin Blanc 2023
Museum Class, Paarl cellar
KWV Mentors Grenache Blanc 2021
R149pb ex-cellar, Paarl
KWV Mentors Perold 2023 (Cape Blend, Red)
R799pb ex-cellar, Paarl
KWV Mentors Perold Tributum 2017 (Red Blend)
Museum Class, Paarl cellar
KWV Mentors Pinotage 2017
Museum Class, Paarl cellar
KWV Roodeberg Dr Charles Niehaus 2017 (Red Blend)
Museum Class, Paarl cellar
KWV Roodeberg Reserve 2023 (Red Blend)
R169pb ex-cellar, Paarl
Pierre DuMont Chenin Blanc 2025
R115pb ex-Du Toitskloof cellar, Rawsonville-Breedekloof
Robertson Winery Chenin Blanc 2026
R90pb ex-cellar, Robertson
Spier 21 Gables Cabernet Sauvignon 2012
Museum Class, Vlottenburg-Stellenbosch cellar
Spier 21 Gables Cabernet Sauvignon 2021
R440pb ex-cellar, Vlottenburg-Stellenbosch
Spier 21 Gables Chenin Blanc 2024
R355pb ex-cellar, Vlottenburg-Stellenbosch
Spier 21 Gables Sauvignon Blanc 2019
Museum Class, Vlottenburg-Stellenbosch cellar
Spier Creative Block 2 2022 (Sauvignon Blanc Semillon Blend)
Museum Class, Vlottenburg-Stellenbosch cellar
Spier Creative Block 2 2025 (Sauvignon Blanc Semillon Blend)
R190pb ex-cellar, Vlottenburg-Stellenbosch
Spier Creative Block 3 2016 (Cape Bordeaux, Red Blend)
Museum Class, 1.5L, Vlottenburg-Stellenbosch cellar
Spier Creative Block 5 2017 (Sauvignon Blanc Semillon blend)
Museum Class, 1.5L, Vlottenburg-Stellenbosch cellar
Zonnebloem Lauréat 2017 (Cape Bordeaux, Red Blend)
Museum Class, Heineken Beverages, Stellenbosch