It’s awards season and medals of all hues are raining down. The two most recent events, locally and internationally, have produced some significant results — and not necessarily what anyone would have predicted.
I need to state upfront that I serve as the regional chair for the South African panel at the Decanter World Wine Awards (DWWA), the results of which were announced in mid-June. The competition was judged in London in early May. More than 17,000 wines were entered and judged blind by 245 wine professionals from all over the world. Of those, a mere 50 (0.5%) were deemed worthy of the ultimate accolade — platinum best in show. Just 196 wines won platinum medals (1.18%) and 924 (5.5% of entries) received gold medals.
South Africa produced one best in show for Stellenbosch Reserve Hangbrug chenin blanc 2025, as well as eight platinum medals and 36 gold.
It was in the platinum tier that some familiar and forgotten or overlooked names reappeared. These eight medals went to Backsberg for its 2023 Patriarch cabernet franc; Boschendal for Auré 2022, a red blend with an impressive price tag (R3,500 a bottle!); Hartenberg The Mackenzie 2022; Steenberg merlot 2022; Lothian chardonnay 2023; Du Toitskloof Granite pinotage 2024; Perdeberg Joseph’s Legacy 2024; and Nederburg Anchorman Old Vines chenin blanc 2024.
When last did you see Backsberg, Nederburg, Du Toitskloof and Boschendal mentioned in dispatches? Perhaps 25 or 30 years ago no eyebrows would have been raised when there wasn’t nearly as much competition or white noise from other funkier/hotter/more modish labels out there.
Charl Schoeman and Jacques Viljoen from Boschendal (DANIE NEL)
The DWWA results were released just a week after the Investec Trophy Wine Show awards were announced — and Nederburg and Boschendal performed well there too. Nederburg was awarded four trophies. Its Winemasters Noble Late Harvest 2018 won Best Museum Class Dessert Wine and Best Museum Class Wine overall. The Winemasters shiraz 2024 also hit a double, winning the shiraz class overall and taking home the trophy for being the best value wine of the show.
Boschendal scored three: Best Museum Class for its Appellation Series Elgin pinot noir 2015; Best Other Red Blend for the Nicholas 2023; and Best Sauvignon Blanc/Semillon Blend for Suzanne 2024.
One fascinating take for me, on the basis of the Decanter results, was the “good news” take-out for the average wine consumer. The best in show wine cost R175 at release (sadly now sold out from the cellar), Nederburg’s Anchorman chenin retails for around R240, and at R180 the Du Toitskloof Granite pinotage will give you some change if you hand over two buffaloes. Boschendal is the outlier in the platinum stakes because the Auré is a limited-release blended cabernet sauvignon, merlot and cabernet franc.
Alto Rouge was always considered a step up. It was a wine with cachet, and now it has Decanter gold medal bragging rights too
— Fiona McDonald
Among the 36 golds there are also some old staatmakers, such as Alto Rouge. For wine lovers and drinkers who cut their teeth on Nederburg Baronne, Tassenberg and Chateau Libertas, Alto Rouge was always considered a step up. It was a wine with cachet, and now it has Decanter gold medal bragging rights too. All that for R140 a bottle — a bargain in anyone’s terms. That’s about the same amount of money that a 750ml Nederburg Winemasters shiraz 2024 — the Trophy Wine Show laureate — would set you back.
Further good news regarding Alto is that the Helderberg winery is undergoing a significant refurbishment and upgrade. Serious money is being spent on rebuilding and modernising the cellar because the owners want it poised for growth.
Zinaschke Steyn and Jamie Williams from Nederburg (DANIE NEL)
The three value gold winners at the DWWA were Kleine Zalze shiraz-carignan 2024, Perdeberg’s Dryland Collection natural sweet chenin blanc and Spier’s Villa Blue albariño 2025. The sticker price on the sweet chenin is R180, but it appears that both Kleine Zalze’s red blend and the Spier white are export-only wines and aren’t available in South Africa. They retail for less than £15 in the all-important UK market.
Not being able to source these medal winners locally might be disappointing, but Stellenbosch producers Spier and Kleine Zalze have such extensive and well-priced ranges that there is undoubtedly another white or red wine that will fit the bill and the value for money brief.
Dining and Cooking