On 21 August at Elsenburg Agricultural College in Stellenbosch, a wooded Pinotage from Wellington Cellar was crowned the SA Champion Young Wine of 2026, taking both Best Pinotage and the prestigious Genl Smuts Trophy for overall winner. This marks the third overall win for Wellington Cellar, having previously claimed the trophy in 2018 (also with Pinotage) and 2023 (with Cabernet Sauvignon).
Pinotage victory remains rare; this is only the fourth time in 20 years that the cultivar has taken top honors. The 2026 awards ceremony, hosted by Agri-Expo in the Percheron Hall, celebrated the 75th presentation of the Genl Smuts Trophy within a competition that spans 194 years—making it the second oldest wine show in the world.
Standout Producers and Regional Stars
KWV delivered a stellar performance, securing the Pietman Hugo Trophy for the best five-entry aggregate for the second consecutive year (and third time overall). KWV earned three National Trophies:
- Wooded Sauvignon Blanc
- Wooded Petit Verdot (Best Other Red Cultivar)
- Wooded Petit Verdot/Pinotage/Carignan (Best Red Blend)
Montagu Winery also excelled, clinching two National Champions for its Red Jerepigo (Champion Dessert Wine) and Red Muscadel/White Muscadel blend (Champion Muscadel).
Paarl emerged as the top-performing region overall with seven National Trophies. Klein Karoo followed with three, while Breedekloof/Worcester, Robertson, and Cape Town secured two each, and Stellenbosch claimed one.
Cape Town Debuts with Strong Showing
The 2026 show made history by introducing Cape Town as a distinct ninth region. Demarcated as a Wine of Origin area in 2017—encompassing Durbanville, Constantia, Hout Bay, and Philadelphia—the region previously competed under Stellenbosch. Cape Town made an immediate impact, claiming two National Champions, four class winners, and five gold medals.
2026 National Champions
From 1,387 total entries evaluated by 88 specialist judges across five days at Nederburg Wines in Paarl, 52 wines achieved Class Winner status and 117 received Gold Medals. The full list of National Champions includes:
- Chardonnay: Stettyn Wine Cellar Chardonnay
- Chenin Blanc: Groot Phesantekraal Chenin Blanc (wooded)
- Sémillon: La Motte Sémillon (wooded)
- Other White Cultivar: De Wet Cellar Weisser Riesling
- White Blend: Badsberg Cellar Chardonnay/Chenin Blanc
- Natural Sweet: Perdeberg Wines Chenin Blanc Natural Sweet White Wine (wooded)
- Noble Late Harvest: Bon Courage Wine Estate Noble Late Harvest (wooded)
- Cabernet Sauvignon: Alto Wine Estate Cabernet Sauvignon (wooded)
- Shiraz: Diemersdal Wine Estate Shiraz (wooded)
- Merlot: Montagu Winery Merlot
- Cape Style: Boplaas Estate Any Other Cape Style or blend
A Vintage of Remarkable Quality
Presented by the SA National Wine Show Association (SANWSA) alongside Agri-Expo, the competition offers an essential first look at vintage quality. SANWSA Chairperson Christo Pienaar noted that despite a challenging harvest period, the 2026 vintage yielded wines with exceptional concentration, balanced structure, and striking color development.
To protect the identity of top wines, the official Genl Smuts Trophy bottle sticker—introduced in 2013—will highlight the overall champion in the marketplace. As an added reward, winning winemakers from Wellington Cellar and KWV will receive a six-day overseas trip sponsored by Porex, celebrating another benchmark year for South African wine.
