THEY WON'T tell us the number of entries received for South Africa's 2026 National Wine Challenge, convened by Robin von Holdt of Buy Better Wine, and for a while it wasn't clear just who was on the panel, however… The producers of the winning wines in the last of the meaningful wine competitions involving Cape wines during the first half of the year are class acts – as judged by Richard Kershaw (Master of Wine and winemaker in Elgin), Ginette De Fleuriot (Cape Wine Master and wine education manager at wine wholesaler Vinimark), Le Roi van der Vyver (was head sommelier of ëlgr Restaurant in Cape Town) and Matthew Day (winemaker at Klein Constantia).
See below for the wines rated best in each class, with the NWC Wines of the Year highlighted in red. The most highly rated red wine in the competition was the 2021 vintage of the Culinaria Grand Vin from the Leopard’s Leap cellar in Franschhoek: a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon from Darling and Stellenbosch, Merlot from Stellenbosch, Malbec from Bot River and Petit Verdot from Durbanville; R175pb ex-cellar.
Of the other standouts, the 2023 Shiraz from Babylonstoren on the Simonsberg in Paarl was also a trophy winner at the International Wine Challenge in the UK, and the 2025 Chenin-led Reserve White from Cavalli in the Helderberg area of Stellenbosch also came top in Winemag’s Cape White Blend Report.
Almenkerk Chardonnay 2024
R360pb ex-cellar, Elgin
Alvi's Drift Reserve Muscat Nectarinia 2022 (Fortified Dessert)
R240pb (375ml) ex-cellar, Scherpenheuwel-Worcester
Alvi's Drift Reserve Viognier 2025
R165pb ex-cellar, Scherpenheuwel-Worcester
Babylonstoren Shiraz 2023
R380pb ex-cellar, Simonsberg-Paarl
Barandas Cabernet Sauvignon 2024
R265pb ex Cape Wine Co, Paarl
Boplaas Cape Tawny NV (Cape Port)
R250pb ex-cellar, Calitzdorp-Klein Karoo
Carlo Pinotage 2023
R580pb ex-Stellenbosch Family Wines, Koelenhof-Stellenbosch
Cavalli Reserve White 2025 (Blend)
R310pb ex-cellar, Helderberg-Stellenbosch
Clüver Prieur Colline du Matin 2024 (Chardonnay)
R1250pb ex-Paul Cluver cellar, Elgin
Dornier Malbec 2024
R230pb ex-cellar, Upper Blaauwklippen Valley-Stellenbosch
Groot Constantia Lady of Abundance 2022 (Red Blend)
R200pb ex-cellar, Constantia
Groot Constantia Merlot 2023
R325pb ex-cellar, Constantia
Highlands Road Sauvignon Blanc Reserve 2022
R350pb ex-cellar, Elgin
Holden Manz Rothko Rosé 2025
R170pb ex-cellar, Franschhoek
Holden Manz Semillon Reserve 2023
R410pb ex-cellar, Franschhoek
Idiom Barbera 2022
R300pb ex-cellar, Sir Lowry's Pass-Somerset West
Ken Forrester FMC 2025 (Chenin)
R970pb ex-cellar, Helderberg-Stellenbosch
Koelenbosch Nineteenfortyone 2023 (Red Blend)
R125pb ex-Koelenhof cellar, Koelenhof-Stellenbosch
Leopard's Leap Culinaria Grand Vin 2021 (Red Blend)
R175pb ex-cellar, Franschhoek
Lord Jackal Cabernet Franc 2024
R375pb ex-Jakkalsvlei cellar, Herbertsdale-Klein Karoo
Paul Wallace Brave Heart Pinot Noir 2023
R261pb ex-cellar, Elgin
Saronsberg Blanc de Blancs Brut 2022 (MCC)
R280pb ex-cellar, Tulbagh
Saronsberg Full Circle 2024 (Red Blend)
R740pb ex-cellar, Tulbagh