The results of The Trophy Wine Show 2023 were announced at an event hosted at Delaire Graff Restaurant on 8 June.
The media and awardees enjoyed a delightful lunch during the awards. The atmosphere was filled with excitement and proud moments. Like Michael Fridjhon says, “Life is always better with a little bit of food and wine.”
Nearly 700 wines were entered in this year’s Trophy Wine Show. Among these were 19 best-in-class trophies including 4 Museum Class trophies, from 32 gold medals, 86 silver medals and 320 bronze awards. With 36% of wines receiving no medal at all the show continues to remain true to its objective which is to be the most rigorous wine competition in the world. As many of South Africa’s producers have ruefully admitted – “a medal, any medal, at the Trophy Wine Show is an achievement to be proud of.”
All the 2023 Trophy Winners
The judging took place in the week of 15th May where the judges (including Jancis Robinson MW OBE, Anne Krebiehl MW and Benjamin Roffet, who were flown to South Africa especially for the event).
This is the second year the show has enjoyed headline sponsorship by Investec. The partnership unites Investec’s visionary “Out of the Ordinary” approach with the competition’s commitment to identifying South Africa’s best wines.
Cumesh Moodliar, head of Investec Private Banking SA says, “We pride ourselves in creating the ‘Out of the Ordinary’ for our clients, whether it’s exceptional products and service or exclusive experiences that money can’t buy. As the headline sponsor of The 2023 Trophy Wine Show, we are not only proudly supporting South Africa’s exceptional wine industry, but we are also giving our clients access to something they can’t get anywhere else, including first access to curated crates of award-winning wines to master classes and public tastings.”
The 2023 Most Successful Producer overall is Zevenwacht Wine Estate with three best-in-class trophies viz. The Sunday Times Trophy for Best Sauvignon Blanc, The Harold Eedes Trophy for Best Chenin Blanc and the Rosa Kruger Trophy for Best Old Vine Wine. These were awarded to Zevenwacht Z Collection Sauvignon Blanc 2022 and the Zevenwacht Z Collection Chenin Blanc 2022 respectively. Winemaker Hagen Viljoen, who has been at the property since 2018, garnered an additional two silver medals for the 2020 Cabernet Sauvignon and the 2021 Chardonnay. This is the first time Zevenwacht has won trophies at the Show.
Hagen Viljoen, winemaker at Zevenwacht Wine Estate
The High Road Director’s Reserve 2019 won the Riedel Trophy for Bordeaux-style Red Blend, the Vinolok Trophy for Best Premium Wine and the Investec Trophy for Best Red Wine Overall.
The Survivor Cellar Master Series Chardonnay 2022 (from Overhex) won the Miele Trophy for Best Chardonnay and the Investec Trophy for Best White Wine Overall.
The Essay Syrah Cinsaut & Grenache & Mourvèdre from MAN Family Wines won the Investec Trophy for Best Rhône-style Red Blend and the Investec Trophy for Discovery of Show (best value gold medallist).
The winner of the Investec International Judges’ Trophy (for the gold medallist with the highest combined scores of the three international judges, at the trophy judging) was awarded to The Villiersdorp Winery Syrah 2020. Villiersdorp is one of three newcomers on the trophy-winners’ podium this year, sharing the status with Bloemendal and The High Road. Canto and Bloemendal are the only two newcomers as gold medallists.
Trophy Winners
Investec Trophy for Most Successful Producer Overall
Zevenwacht Wine Estate
Riedel Trophy for Best Bordeaux-Style Red Blend
Vinolok Trophy for Best Premium Wine
Investec Trophy for Best Red Wine Overall
The High Road Director’s Reserve 2019
Miele Trophy for Best Chardonnay
Investec Trophy for Best White Wine Overall
Survivor Cellar Master Series Chardonnay 2022 (Overhex)
Investec Trophy for Best Rhône-Style Red Blend
Investec Trophy for Discovery of the Show – Best Value Gold Medallist
Essay Syrah Cinsault & Grenache & Mourvèdre 2021 (MAN Family Wines)
Investec Trophy for Best Dessert Wine
Buitenverwachting ‘1769’ Limited Release 2020 (Noble Late Harvest)
Tony Mossop Trophy for Best Cape Port
De Krans Cape Vintage Reserve 2020
Trophy for Best Pinotage
Groot Phesantekraal Berliet Pinotage 2021
Sowetan Trophy for Best Cap Classique
Laborie Blanc de Blancs Cap Classique 2017 (KWV)
Rosa Kruger Trophy for Best Old Vine Wine
Harold Eedes Trophy for Best Chenin Blanc
Zevenwacht Z Collection Chenin Blanc 2022
Business Day Trophy for Best Shiraz
Old Road 12 Mile Syrah 2021
Sunday Times Trophy for Best Sauvignon Blanc
Zevenwacht Z Collection Sauvignon Blanc 2022 (Wooded)
Financial Mail Trophy for Best Sauvignon Blanc Semillon Blend
Vergelegen G.V.B White 2021
Investec Trophy for Best Cabernet Sauvignon
Neil Ellis Stellenbosch Cabernet Sauvignon 2019
Investec Trophy for Best Cabernet Franc
Thokozani Cabernet Franc 2021 (Diemersfontein)
Winner of Investec International Judges’ Trophy
Villiersdorp Winery Syrah 2020
Investec Trophy for Best Niche Red Blend
Bouchard Finlayson Hannibal 2020 (Sangiovese, Nebbiolo, Barbera)
Trophy for Best Museum Class Sauvignon Blanc Semillon Blend
Trophy for Best Museum Class Wine Overall
Bloemendal Kanonberg 2017
Trophy for Best Museum Class Semillon
Bloemendal Semillon 2016
Trophy for Best Museum Class Cabernet Sauvignon
Eikendal Cabernet Sauvignon 2013
Trophy for Best Museum Class Chenin Blanc
Bosman Optenhorst Chenin Blanc 2013 (Old Vines)
Gold Medal Winners
Benguela Cove Chardonnay 2022
Bloemendal Tyger Syrah 2016
Bon Courage Chardonnay Unwooded 2022
Canto Méthode Cap Classique Brut 2020
Delaire Graff Banghoek Reserve Chardonnay 2022
Delaire Graff White Reserve 2021 (Sauvignon Blanc Semillon Blend)
Durbanville Hills Collectors Reserve The Cape Mist Sauvignon Blanc 2022
Hartenberg Woolworths Reserve Collection Chardonnay 2022
KWV Cathedral Cellar Sauvignon Blanc 2022
Louisvale Five Barrels Cabernet Sauvignon 2020
MAN Free-run Steen Chenin Blanc 2022
Oldenburg Rondekop Stone Axe Syrah 2021
Spier Woolworths Private Collection Cabernet Sauvignon 2018
The silver and gold medal and trophy-winning wines will be available for public tasting for a single night only in Johannesburg on 14th June and Cape Town on 21st June. Wines will be available for sale via the Show’s online fulfilment partner, Port2Port, which will also be represented at the two tastings. Winning wines will also be offered at a series of Masterclass® tastings hosted by Investec for the banks’ corporate and high net worth clients over the course of 2023 at a number of venues around South Africa. (The winning wines from the 2022 competition were shown as Masterclasses® in Cape Town, Pretoria, Johannesburg, East London, Plettenberg Bay, George and at Wine on Water in St Francis Bay).
