National Wine Challenge Special Awards 2026

Thursday, 25 June, 2026

buybetterwine.com

Special Award winners: Four categories namely Wine Consistency; Vineyard Consistency; Grand Cru Best In Class; and Wine Of The Year: Red, White, Sweet and Bubbly.

The NWC’s four special award categories represent the ultimate long-term benchmarks that elevate great wines above the rest. Each distinct category validates the core components of world-class wine performance. They are the essential building blocks that cultivate a trustworthy, globally recognized brand, corporate footprint, and prestige, irrespective of wine style, terroir, or region.

Pinpointing what makes a wine truly great always inspires spirited debate among enthusiasts, but the foundational principles are clear. It begins with exceptional vineyard sites, optimal clonal selection, and meticulous vineyard management. From there, forward-thinking leadership fosters innovation in both the field and the cellar. This is amplified by a highly skilled team working toward a common goal of excellence. Underpinning all of this is a commitment to investing in modern technology that refines every step of the winemaking journey.

Here is a closer look at the measurements and milestones achieved by the select wineries taking home these four prestigious awards.

‘Wine Consistency’ Awards

The Wine Consistency Awards identify and reward the sustained, top-tier performance of individual wines. Only a select handful of South African wines have achieved a significant number of Top 100 winning positions over the entire sixteen-year history of the competition. Currently, just three fine wines hold the ultimate leading positions, measured by their multiple annual Top 100 SA podium placements. These consistent victories provide a massive reputation boost for winemakers, cellar masters, and their entire teams. Given the extreme scarcity of awards at this level, a proven track record offers undisputed recognition and a blue-chip ranking that solidifies true fine-wine status. Winning wineries take immense pride in receiving these remarkable consistency accolades.

‘Vineyard Consistency’ Awards

The reliable production of top-quality wines, as measured by benchmark accolades, is the defining characteristic of the world’s greatest estates. Earning this blue-chip status often requires decades of dedicated investment and hard work. The NWC honors only the top-performing vineyards that have delivered a broad spread of Top 100 winning wines over a considerable period. In the context of the competition's sixteen-year history, only three vineyards currently hold the leading positions for 2026, with each boasting between 56 and 62 winning entries. This level of long-term outperformance is a extraordinary achievement. Amid fierce competition, it serves as a powerful endorsement of each vineyard's terroir, the caliber of its team, and the exceptional winemaking skills involved.

Grand Cru ‘Best in Class’ Awards

The NWC's highly regarded judging panels are uniquely equipped to identify the single wine in each flight that offers truly compelling qualities. This award honors the absolute finest expression of a specific cultivar or blend category. While all Top 100 winning entries are outstanding fine wines, the Grand Cru 'Best in Class' designation is reserved for the single wine that offers that unmistakable, extra layer of distinction and allure. Judges consider it a privilege to evaluate this final, remarkable flight of Grand Cru winners. Complex, nuanced, beautifully textured, and showing remarkable length, these wines exemplify the ultimate foundation of fine wine: exceptional balance.

'Wine of the Year' Awards; a red, white, bubbly and sweet wine

Introduced in 2020 to celebrate the NWC’s enduring track record, this fourth category reflects a steadfast commitment to recognizing excellence within the South African wine community. The awards celebrate four individual, iconic wines that stand entirely apart from the competition. The winners consist of a single white wine, a single red wine, a single bubbly, and a single sweet wine that each achieve the absolute highest score in their respective categories during the 2026 NWC competition.

These achievements bring unparalleled validation to the winning vineyards and their winemaking teams, offering distinct commercial value and brand differentiation. Each award delivers a final, powerful boost to a winery's reputation, yielding a positive local market impact and an enhanced global footprint.

The NWC Special Awards continue to champion the South African fine-wine category, validating the success, reputation, and upward trajectory of the local industry on both the local and global stages.

Sincere congratulations, applause, and absolute respect to each well-deserved winner!

WINE CONSISTENCY AWARDS

Top three place winners for the sixteen year period 2010 to 2026:

Raka Biography Shiraz (1st Place)
Saronsberg Full Circle (2nd Place)
Boplaas Cape Vintage Reserve (3rd place)

VINEYARD CONSISTENCY AWARDS

The ‘Top 4’ places for the 16 year period from 2010 to 2026:

Alvi's Drift Private Cellar (1st place - 69 wins)
Fairview Wines (Joint 2nd place - 62 wins)
Paul Cluver (Joint 2nd place - 62 wins)
Saronsberg (3rd place - 56 wins)

GRAND CRU AWARDS

‘Best in Class’ winning wines per cultivar or blend.

Quotes from winning vineyards who achieved these awards:

Alvi's Drift Private Cellar

Reserve Muscat Nectarinia
Reserve Viognier

Alvi van der Merwe, Owner: The recognition for Wine of the Year and to be awarded the prestigious Grand Cru National Champion Best in Class for two wines is a remarkable achievement for Alvi's Drift. It is a testimony to the dedication we have in consistently improving - delivering exceptional wines year after year.

Almenkerk Wine Estate

Almenkerk Chardonnay (Joint winner)

Joris van Almenkerk, Cellarmaster: To have our 2024 Chardonnay recognised as Joint White Wine of the Year is a special moment for Almenkerk. As a family, it was always out intention to produce some of the best wines in this country. This is a culmination of years of hard work by both our vineyard team and cellar span. It is also a reflection of our unwavering commitment to quality. Our intent is to continue making these elegant, terroir-driven wines.

Almenkerk Wine Estate

Almenkerk Chardonnay

Cameron Corney, Winemaker: Receiving this recognition gives credit to this unique single vineyard, the vintage and the team on Almenkerk. The Almenkerk Chardonnay 2024 highlights the purity and elegance of the fruit from this site, delivering a wine with tension and texture. A testament to our hard work, patience and attention to detail.

Boplaas Landgoed

Boplaas Cape Tawny N/V

Margaux Nel, Winemaker: Boplaas Cape Tawny is a wine that rewards patience. With an average age of 10 years, this blend draws on components ranging from 8 to over 20 years old. Each year, the final blend is painstakingly assembled from a selection of approximately 400 barrels, with hours spent in the maturation cellar identifying the perfect combination to maintain the distinctive Boplaas house style.

The wine displays a brilliant fire-red brick hue. Aromas of roasted nuts, toffee and caramel lead into a richly textured palate layered with dried fruit, and subtle spice. A lingering coffee and caramel finish provides remarkable depth and complexity. A versatile food wine, it pairs beautifully with blue cheese and mature hard cheeses, while also complementing roast chicken with crispy skin, pork belly and duck.

Dornier Wines

Dornier Malbec

Toit Wessels, Cellarmaster: We consider the National wine Challenge Top 100 to be a showcase of the finest wines in the industry where we hold all our peers in the very highest regard, therefore making this Grand Cru award for our beloved Dornier Malbec so special.

Holden Manz Wine Estate

Holden Manz Rothko Rosé
Holden Manz Semillon Reserve

Gerard Holden, Co-Founder: For the third year in a row Franschhoek Semillon from Holden Manz’s Reserve range receives Best in Class/Grand Cru. The 2023 vintage is developing well with bottle age and promises to bring joy for years to come. Holden Manz’s Provencal style Rothko Rosé is recognised with Grand Cru and Best In Class. Testament to fine winemaking under the guidance of Thierry Haberer.

Jakkalsvlei Private Cellar

Lord Jackal Cabernet Franc

Louis van der Riet, Winemaker: The 2026 NWC Top 100 wines results are out and we at Jakkalsvlei are again happy to be among the named wines for this prestigious accolade. Our 2024 Cabernet Franc did exceptionally well again reaching the top honours as its selected as the best in class Grand Cru winner. This achievement makes us very proud as this is the third year in a row that our Cabernet Franc made its mark on the NWC Top 100 podium. Also for a third consecutive year our Jakkalsvlei Mount Cuveé Cape Blend has come through strong also claiming its place on this years Top 100 list. We are very happy with this result as it again shows the consistency and quality of the wines we produce at Jakkalsvlei.

Ken Forrester Wines

The FMC

Ken Forrester, Proprietor: If we had vineyard classifications in Stellenbosch, the FMC vineyard planted in 1974, on ancient soils washed off the Helderberg, decomposed granite bound together with iron – this would most certainly be a Grand Cru site. Special soils will always provide special wines.

Koelenhof Wynkelder

Koelenbosch Nineteenfortyone

Nicholas Husselman, Head Winemaker: We at Koelenhof Winery are honoured to have seven of our wines recognised among the Top 100 Wines at the National Wine Challenge 2026.

This remarkable achievement is a testament to the dedication and hard work of our team in the cellar, as well as our unwavering commitment to producing quality wines across all our ranges for consumers to enjoy.
We extend our sincere gratitude to our staff, partners, and loyal customers who continue to support our journey. We look forward to building on this success and sharing many more exceptional wines with you in the years ahead.

Cheers to that!

Leopards Leap

Leopards Leap Culinaria Grand Vin

Kobie Lochner, CEO: The 2021 Culinaria Grand Vin really is a special wine. It does an exceptional job in combining complexity with exceptional versatility on the dinner table and we are delighted for it to be recognised by the National Wine Challenge as their Grand Cru National Champion and Red Wine of the Year! This extraordinary acknowledgement reflects our belief that some of the finest moments in life are created when food and wine truly enhance one another. We are grateful for the passionate and dedicated team responsible for making the most of the 2021 vintage.

Paul Clüver Family Wines

Cluver Prieur Colline Du Matin

Paul Clüver, MD: As a supporter of the NWC since inception, Paul Clüver Family Wines recognises the competition’s commitment to excellence and the role it plays in promoting the quality of South Africa’s wines. We are honoured to once again have been awarded for our wine quality, these awards being profound due to the reputation and status of this leading wine awards show.

Paul Wallace Wines

Paul Wallace Brave Heart Pinot Noir

Bobby Wallace, Winemaker: We are delighted to have been awarded Grand Cru Best in Class for our 2023 Brave Heart Pinot Noir and Top 100 SA Wines in the prestigious National Wine Challenge competition. We are surrounded by some of the best Pinot Noir producers in the country and it is indeed rewarding to receive acknowledgement for our unique terroir. A big thank you too to our fellow Elgin Pinot Noir producers for sharing their knowledge and experience, ensuring Elgin Pinot Noir puts its best foot forward. South African Pinot Noir is going from strength to strength.

Saronsberg

Full Circle
Cap Classique

Daniela Briedenhann, Winemaker: Winning Grand Cru Best in Class for both our Saronsberg Cap Classique and Saronsberg Full Circle is a tremendous honor and incredibly rewarding. These awards reflect our team's passion and dedication, as well as our commitment to creating wines that express excellence, character, and a true sense of place.

Stellenbosch Family Wines

Carlo Pinotage

Carlo de Vries, Winemaker: Wow! Wow! Wow! What a privilege and an incredible honour to receive the Grand Cru National Champion Best in Class, Double Platinum and Top 100 NWC award for my CARLO Pinotage 2023. I am truly grateful and humbled by this recognition. Thank you to the National Wine Challenge for celebrating the passion and dedication behind every bottle.

The full list of the winning Grand Cru wines:

Barbera Idiom Barbera
Bordeaux Blend Red Leopards Leap Culinaria Grand Vin
Cabernet Sauvignon Cape Wine Company Barandas Cabernet Sauvignon
Cabernet Franc Lord Jackal Cabernet Franc
Cape Blend Koelenhof Winery Koelenbosch Nineteenfortyone
Chardonnay Almenkerk Chardonnay (joint winner)
Chardonnay Cluver Prieur Colline du Matin (joint winner)
Chenin Blanc Ken Forrester Wines The FMC
Fortified Boplaas Cape Tawny
Malbec Dornier Malbec
MCC & Sparkling Saronsberg Cellars Cap Classique
Merlot Groot Constantia Merlot
Natural Sweet Alvi's Drift Reserve Muscat Nectarinia
Other Red Blend Groot Constantia Lady of Abundance
Other White Blend Cavalli Estate Reserve White
Pinot Noir Paul Wallace Brave Heart Pinot Noir
Pinotage Stellenbosch Family Wines Carlo Pinotage
Rhone Blend Saronsberg Cellars Full Circle
Rose' Holden Manz Rothko Rosé
Sauvignon Blanc Highlands Road Sauvignon Blanc White Reserve
Semillon Holden Manz Semillon Reserve
Shiraz Babylonstoren Shiraz
Viognier Alvi's Drift Reserve Viognier