Winemakers from the Stellenbosch and Franschhoek region again feature among the finalists of the coveted Diners Club Winemaker and Young Winemaker of the Year awards.

As is customary, six winemakers have been shortlisted to compete for the prestigious Winemaker of the Year award, while six will vie for the Young Winemaker of the Year title.The awards are presented to winemakers who produce a wine that the judging panel considers the best in the two specified categories of the annual competition.

This year, the category for the 46th Winemaker of the Year award is White Blends, and Red Wine is the category for the 26th Young Winemaker of the Year award.

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The finalists in the Winemaker of the Year award are:

• Jacques Erasmus – Jacques Erasmus 2026 (Stellenbosch)
• Helgard van Schalkwyk – Nitida Coronata Integration 2024
• Hannes Meyer – Alexander Vineyards, Susara, Sauvignon Blanc/Semillon 2024
• Stuart Botha – Tokara Director’s Reserve White 2023 (Stellenbosch)
• Alvi van der Merwe – Alvi’s Drift Reserve CVC 2024
• Bernard Claassen – Stellenbosch Vineyards Credo CVV 2025 (Stellenbosch)

The Young Winemaker of the Year finalists are:

• Daniela Briedenhann – Saronsberg Seismic 2024
• Loïc du Toit – De Wetshof Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 2024
• Lee-Irvine Geduld – Bon Courage Cabernet Sauvignon 2024
• Mosima Mabelebele – The Pledge Our 1060m Pinot Noir 2025 (Stellenbosch)
• Xander Spreeth – L’Ormarins Ou Bosstok Cinsault 2025 (Franschhoek)
• Carlo De Vries – Carlo Pinotage 2023 (Stellenbosch)

A taste of excellence

The awards focus on quality and the recognition of excellence and are among the country’s most prestigious and most respected wine industry competitions.

While most wine industry awards focus on the winning wines, the Diners Club Winemaker and Young Winemaker of the Year awards celebrate the creators of the winning wines, honouring the skills and talents of the vintners.

As in previous years, winemakers can be shortlisted for more than one submission. The awards are open to all in the South African wine industry at no cost.

The field was narrowed down to twelve finalists through rigorous judging over two days by a team of wine experts. All the judges agree that it will be a close race for the top prizes, a clear indication that all the finalist wines are outstanding.

The judges were Carrie Adams, Yegas Naidoo, Denzel Swarts, Johann Fourie and Wayne Buckley-Koch

The finalists will attend the black-tie gala dinner at the Arabella Hotel & Spa in Kleinmond on Saturday 21 November, where the winners will be revealed and presented with their trophies.

The 2026 Winemaker of the Year and Young Winemaker of the Year will receive cash prizes of
R75 000 and R45 000 respectively, as well as a return air ticket to visit any wine-producing region in the world.

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