KWV has made an impressive mark at the 2024 Trophy Wine Show, securing several top 10 positions and the Trophy for Most Successful Producer Overall – a performance that highlights the “consistent quality” that defines wines from its cellars.
The Trophy Wine Show is one of South Africa’s most credible wine competitions, with Trophy and Gold awards extremely difficult to achieve. In a line-up of 640 wines, only 32 won gold, and 19 trophy-winning wines were shared among 15 producers. From this year’s entries, KWV wines received two Trophies, one Gold, four Silver, and two Bronze awards, ultimately emerging as this year’s Most Successful Producer Overall.
KWV’s chief winemaker, Justin Corrans, expressed his pride in the team’s accomplishments: “This is a great achievement for KWV and validates the hard work of the entire team, from the growers and the viticulturists to the winemakers and the dedicated team who bottles the precious liquid. The credibility of the competition, with its international judges, makes this acknowledgment of our wines even more rewarding.”
“A feature of the laureates at the Trophy Wine Show is the extraordinary value they offer wine-drinkers. The Trophy Wine Show is a benchmarking exercise where quality alone determines the final outcome,” said Trophy Wine Show organisers.
KWV's award-winning performance at the 2024 Trophy Wine Show
- Investec Trophy for Most Successful Producer Overall: KWV
- Harold Eedes Trophy for Best Chenin Blanc: The Mentors Chenin Blanc 2022 (Score: 98/100)
- Trophy for Best Other Red Blend: The Mentors Canvas 2020 (Score: 97/100)
- Gold Winner: Cathedral Cellar Sauvignon Blanc 2023 (Unwooded) (Score: 97/100)
Top rankings
- Top 10 Red: 5th position The Mentors Canvas 2020 - 97/100
- Top 10 White: 2nd position The Mentors Chenin Blanc 2022 - 98/100; 7th position Cathedral Cellar Sauvignon Blanc 2023 - 97/100
- Top 10 Best Value Whites: 1st position Cathedral Cellar Sauvignon Blanc 2023 - 97/100; 2nd position The Mentors Chenin Blanc 2022 - 98/100
- Top 10 Niche Varieties: 1st position The Mentors Grenache Blanc 2021 - 92/100
Izele van Blerk, winemaker for The Mentors range, added, “It is indicative of KWV’s consistency and how the winemaking team strives to enhance the quality of our wines. Competing with the best is truly remarkable, and the diverse, global perspective of the panel is invaluable. It is also rewarding to observe how our wines have evolved and remain relevant both locally and globally. These awards reflect the quality and consistency of our efforts. We know how difficult it is to receive a Gold at The Trophy Wine Show, let alone a trophy, and we are very proud.”
All wines are judged blind – labels out of sight – and submissions are subjected to rigorous scoring criteria by the competition’s esteemed judging panel. The weight of an award at the Trophy Wine Show is amplified by the quality of the three-person judging panels and the role played by international judges in determining the final aesthetic.
Leading figures in the world of fine wine – Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW from Napa, Fongyee Walker MW from China, and Claire Blackler MW from London – added a wealth of judging expertise and an international vision to the panels. This year’s South African panel comprised esteemed wine experts Narina Cloete, Heidi Duminy CWM, Eben February, Gynore Hendricks, Mandla Patson Mathonsi, James Pietersen and François Rautenbach.