OF THE 48 entries in South Africa’s 2026 Top 10 Merlot competition, the wine most preferred by the panel of judges was the 2024 Provenance Merlot from L’Avenir on the slopes of the Simonsberg in Stellenbosch. The Judges’ Choice Award winner also offered great value at R140pb – this in a selection that included the 2023 Reserve Merlot from four-time Top 10 winner Delaire Graff of Banghoek in Stellenbosch at R720pb.
The average price per bottle of the winning wines was R243, said panel chair Renier van Deventer, who noted the “ongoing trend of premiumisation” and that the leading wines “typically spend two to three years in bottle before reaching their peak, a trend consistent across recent competitions.”
Another standout among the Top 10 was the 2022 Reserve from Bein, the Merlot specialists on the Polkadraai Hills in Stellenbosch who have been represented among the winners every year since the inception of the competition – 2022 to 2026.
Besides Van Deventer (cellarmaster at Ridgeback in Paarl), the panel of judges also included Danielle le Roux (Cape Wine Master and cellarmaster at Rust en Vrede in Stellenbosch), Morné Kemp (of oenology products and solutions company Laffort in Paarl), Dawie Botha (cellarmaster at Anthonij Rupert Wines in Franschhoek), and sommelier/chef Janine van Zyl.
TOP 10 WINNERS
Bein Merlot Reserve 2022
R460pb ex-cellar, Polkadraai Hills-Stellenbosch
Carmen Stevens Merlot 2023
R280pb ex-cellar, Stellenbosch
Delaire Graff Estate Banghoek Reserve 2023
R720pb ex-cellar, Banghoek-Stellenbosch
Dornier Merlot 2022
R218pb ex-cellar, Upper Blaauwklippen-Stellenbosch
Glenelly Glass Collection Merlot 2022
R185pb ex-cellar, Stellenbosch
Holden Manz Merlot Reserve 2023
R705pb ex-cellar, Franschhoek
L’Avenir Provenance Merlot 2024
R140pb ex-cellar, Simonsberg-Stellenbosch
Rainbow’s End Merlot 2023
R295pb ex-cellar, Banghoek-Stellenbosch
Stellenbosch Reserve Kweekskool Merlot 2023
R200pb ex-cellar, Helderberg-Stellenbosch
Villiera Monro Merlot 2023
R385pb ex-cellar, Koelenhof-Stellenbosch
LEADING SA MERLOTS OF LATE
For the most highly rated SA Merlots in 2025 and 2026 to date, see below. For the SA Merlot Classification spanning the past 10 years, click here.
Almenkerk Merlot 2022
Best in Class at the 2025 Terroir Wine Awards
R360pb ex-cellar, Elgin
Fleur du Cap Unfiltered Merlot 2022
Winner of the 2025 Top 10 Merlot Competition
R235pb ex-Heineken cellar, Stellenbosch
Groot Constantia Merlot 2022
95/100 at 2025 Decanter World Wine Awards
R325pb ex-cellar, Constantia
Groote Post Merlot 2022
R97/100 at 2025 Trophy Wine Show
R231pb ex-cellar, Darling
L'Avenir Provenance Merlot 2024
Winner at 2026 Top 10 Merlot Competition
R140pb ex-cellar, Smonsberg-Stelenbosch
Le Bonheur Merlot 2021
95/100 at 2025 Fine Wine Awards
R125pb ex-cellar, Simonsberg-Stellenbosch
Steenberg Merlot 2022
97/100 at 2026 Decanter World Wine Awards
R240pb ex-cellar, Tokai-Constantia Wine Route
Van Loveren Merlot 2023
Best in Class at 2025 National Wine Challenge
R90pb ex-cellar, Robertson
Vergenoegd Löw Amalie Merlot 2023
Trophy at Global Fine Wine Challenge
R280pb ex-cellar, Faure-Stellenbosch