A weekend of unprecedented celebrations marked a historic milestone for South African wine as the Institute of Cape Wine Masters (ICWM) hosted two landmark events that showcased both tradition and groundbreaking achievements.
The festivities began on Friday 22 August with a prestigious awards luncheon at Lanzerac Hotel and Spa in Stellenbosch. Hosted by the Pinotage Association,
Lanzerac and the ICWM, the event celebrated both the 100th anniversary of pinotage and the first bottled pinotage under the Lanzerac label.
The centrepiece was the graduation of four new Cape Wine Masters, including Jacques Lombard, who made history as the programme’s first-ever blind graduate. Since the ICWM’s inception in 1983, only 120 candidates have achieved this elite self-study qualification, making this year’s achievements particularly remarkable.
Joining Lombard were Bradley Wood, a specialist urologist from Johannesburg, Riaan van der Spuy, cellarmaster at Swartland Winery, and Janine van Zyl, sommelier and international account manager at FirstPour.
The graduates were honoured with trophies across four categories; wood-dominated proceedings, scoring a hat-trick with awards for sparkling wine (presented by Villiera Wines), viticulture (Jordan Winery) and research-paper excellence (Kleine Zalze Wines). Van Zyl received the brandy trophy, presented by Van Ryn Brandy.
Lombard’s journey into wine began after losing his sight at age 26 in 1996, when he joined a tasting group for visually-impaired wine enthusiasts founded by Hermann Kirschbaum. His dissertation examined biogenic amines in wine, dispelling common myths about sulphites.
Van der Spuy explored high-altitude viticulture’s potential for South African marketing strategies, while Van Zyl investigated digital marketing opportunities for local wineries. Wood’s research concluded that the Cape South Coast offers optimal terroir for quality Syrah production.
Beyers Truter, Pinotage Association chairperson, led a special Grand Pinotage tasting featuring prestigious producers from recent decades. The session concluded with Lanzerac Commemorative Pinotage 2021, honouring the world’s first bottled pinotage from 1959.
The weekend’s celebrations culminated with the annual ICWM black-tie dinner at Beyerskloof on Saturday 23 August, where major industry awards were announced.
Ken Forrester, known as “Mr Chenin”, received the 2025 Wine Personality of the Year award for his extraordinary contribution to South African wine and dedication to championing chenin blanc. As founding chairperson of the Chenin Blanc Association since 2000 Forrester transformed perceptions of the cultivar from workhorse grape to celebrated varietal.
Dr Winifred Bowman earned the sixth Dave Hughes Trophy, recognising her dedication as international judge, wine writer, and ICWM mentor.
The ICWM’s Vision 2030 programme continues expanding with three 2024 candidates: Narissa Pieters (Rustenberg), Kelsey Shungking (Mullineux & Leeu) and Lerato Molekeki (Beck Family Estates). International partnerships with the Gerard Basset Foundation support sustainable candidate development.
Currently, 29 students are enrolled in the five-year programme – the highest figure ever – with nine new candidates joining this year. The weekend’s events showcased not only South African wines rich heritage but its commitment to inclusive excellence and future growth.
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