South Africa’s top winemaking talent was celebrated at a black tie gala dinner held at the Five Star Arabella Hotel and Spa on Saturday 22 November. The prestigious Diners Club Winemaker and Young Winemaker of the Year awards once again spotlighted the people behind the bottles, recognising excellence creativity and dedication within the local wine industry.

Coenie Snyman of Rock of Eye Wines claimed the 2025 Winemaker of the Year title in the Cabernet Sauvignon category for his Rock of Eye Cabernet Sauvignon 2022. The Young Winemaker of the Year award went to Marnich Aucamp of Stellenbosch Vineyards for his Credo Chenin Blanc 2024, taking top honours in the White Wine category.

Unlike many wine competitions that focus only on the final product, these awards celebrate the creators themselves. They honour winemakers who continue to elevate the standard of South African wine both locally and internationally. The competition is open to all winemakers in the country at no cost, creating equal opportunity and promoting growth across the industry.

This year saw an increase in entries, making the judging process highly competitive. After two days of rigorous tasting and evaluation, the panel of experts selected 11 finalists. Judges agreed that the quality of wines was exceptionally high, making the final decision a close and exciting one.

The winners received cash prizes of R75,000 and R45,000 respectively, along with a round trip air ticket to an international wine producing region.

The judging panel for the 2025 awards included Carrie Adams, Yegas Naidoo, Shane Mumba, Denzel Swarts, Johann Fourie and Wayne Buckley.

South African wine continues to go from strength to strength and these awards highlight the passion innovation and talent driving it forward.