Before a wine ever wins a trophy, it lives through years of early mornings, unpredictable seasons, hands stained with grape skins, and the stubborn belief that excellence is worth the wait.
This June, at the Trophy Wine Show (TWS), that quiet pursuit of mastery took centre stage. The show didn’t just recognise great wines, it revealed the human stories behind them: the winemakers who protect their craft, the judges who uphold world-class standards, and the partners, like Investec, who understand the value of commitment measured in decades, not moments.
The TWS stands as one of South Africa’s most rigorous and respected wine competitions. Founded in 2002 by industry veteran Michael Fridjhon, it brings together an accomplished panel of local and international judges to assess more than 800 entries each year. The wines are evaluated blind using a 100-point system, ensuring that results reflect nothing but quality and precision.
“The trophy wine show is unique in the sense that it has consistently exposed South African wines to some of the most critical voices [and] opinion leaders in global wine,” says Mike Ratcliffe, owner of Vilafonté Vineyards and founder of Wine Business Advisors.
Fridjhon, who has spent four decades shaping the South African wine landscape, explains that the industry’s evolution has been driven by both external feedback and internal ambition.
International exposure broke the “echo chamber” of the isolation era, allowing winemakers to understand how nuance shapes excellence. “The last 25 years have delivered that,” he reflects. “Our winemakers have had to go out there and show their wines against the rest of the world.”
These competitions have led to an industry that boasts a diverse range of wines.
“We haven’t boxed ourselves into one particular niche,” Ratcliffe says. “International consumers are willing to experiment with South Africa, and that’s a huge advantage. That comes through in the results of the TWS, where there are pockets of excellence across multiple styles and varieties. I think that’s exciting.”
This breadth of skill was exemplified in the crowning of the show’s first Investec Champion Winemaker of the Year, Zevenwacht cellarmaster Hagen Viljoen. The title is awarded to the individual responsible for the competition’s most awarded wines.
Situated on the Stellenbosch Wine Route, Zevenwacht secured multiple accolades, including the Harold Eedes Trophy for Best Chenin Blanc and the Rosa Kruger Trophy for Best Old Vine Wine from their Z Collection Chenin Blanc 2024, as well as the Best Rhône-Style Red Blend for the Tin Mine Syrah Mourvèdre 2022 and a Gold Medal for the Estate Syrah 2022.
“I think we all want that little star on the forehead, that little bit of affirmation that we’re kind of going down the right direction,” Viljoen says. “The focus for Zevenwacht over the last several years has been repositioning our top range of wines. It has come [a long way] since 2021, and to see the fruition of that effort has been really rewarding.”
Yet the shine of a gold medal can obscure the challenges beneath it. South Africa’s wine industry is still young compared to centuries-old European regions. That youth can breed insecurity, compounded by limited government support, a volatile currency and an international market that has historically undervalued South African wine.
“We’ve seen the rand [weaken] for so long that it makes South African wine profitable to be sold cheaply,” Fridjhon explains. “About 70% of [the wine we] export is sold in bulk and that drags down the perceived value of [our industry].”
Producers like Vilafonté have countered this by specialising relentlessly. “We don’t do very much, but what we do, we do at the best of our ability, and we [aim to lead],” Ratcliffe says. Confidence, he adds, is as essential as quality. “Once you’ve crafted a [world-class] product, you need the confidence to place it comfortably on the table next to the biggest names. Once you’re there, it needs to deliver.”
It’s precisely at this intersection, between promise and pressure, that meaningful partnerships matter.
Support from institutions like Investec helps raise the industry’s profile locally and globally, while reinforcing credibility in a competitive market. These partnerships contribute to a more resilient ecosystem, giving producers the visibility and validation needed to shift perceptions and build long-term value.
And the opportunity is significant. “Most of the world’s wine industries are dealing with shrinking consumer bases,” says Fridjhon. “We are lucky. We have a growing middle class, and so does the rest of the continent. We’re on the doorstep and we need to understand that we don’t just have to pursue the markets which are shrinking.”
This growth benefits not only producers but also consumers and investors, especially those who understand the value of wine as an asset. For wealth manager and oenophile Roy van Eck of Investec, wine offers a rare intersection of pleasure and financial potential. “[Wine] is a fun hobby that you can use to fund your passion,” he shared on Investec’s Wine in Focus podcast.
As an agricultural product, fine wine becomes scarcer over time, and scarcity drives value. “The greatest wines in the world are really at their greatest after time has run its course,” says Johan Malan, investments manager at online wine merchant Wine Cellar. “Consequently, you have diminishing supply [and] rising demand over time.”
Van Eck notes that wine investment can be straightforward. Some collectors buy several bottles, enjoy a few and sell others once their value has grown, recycling returns back into their cellars. Others take a more traditional investment approach, holding bottles purely for long-term financial appreciation.
It is here where the parallels between winemaking and wealth management are highlighted. Both demand patience, discipline and the willingness to make decisions today whose rewards may only materialise years later. A great vintage, like a great investment strategy, emerges from reading the environment, understanding cycles and trusting the process even when conditions are uncertain.
In the end, the Trophy Wine Show reminds us that excellence is never accidental. It is shaped slowly, through seasons of uncertainty and moments of conviction, by people willing to invest in years the world never sees. “Wine is, in many ways, a measure of humanity,” Fridjhon says. “It connects us to the soil, the climate, the cycle of the year, and to each other.”
As South Africa’s wine industry grows in confidence and global relevance, its trajectory mirrors any world-class investment: built on expertise, strengthened by collaboration and rewarded by those who stay the course. The TWS celebrates that journey and ensures that it continues.
Because whether in vineyards or investment portfolios, true excellence is measured not in moments, but in legacies.
In celebration of this year’s Trophy Wine Show, Wanted and Investec are giving readers the chance to win an exclusive selection of award-winning wines. Entry details are available on our Instagram page (@wantedonlinesa), where you can find the official giveaway post and instructions on how to participate. Full terms and conditions, as well as the complete list of wines included in the prizes, appear below.
Terms and Conditions:
This competition is sponsored by Wanted and Investec Bank Limited (“Investec”). By entering the competition, you agree to the rules as set out below. There are no entry fees to participate in this competition.
Competition Period:
The competition runs from December 5 and ends on December 12.
Eligibility:
Entrants must be 18 years or older.
Staff of Investec, Arena Holdings and their marketing agency partners may not enter.
How to Enter:
Entry details are available on the official giveaway post on Instagram (@wantedonlinesa).
Additional entry mechanics appear on Instagram and must be followed as instructed there.
Prizes:
- Two winners will each receive six bottles of Trophy Wine Show–winning wines.
- The prizes are non-transferable and may not be deferred, changed, or redeemed for cash or any other item.
- Full details of the winning wines can be found at trophywineshow.co.za.
Prize Boxes
Box 2:
- Groote Post Merlot 2022
- Graham Beck Artisan Collection Pinot Meunier 2022
- Du Toitskloof Hanepoot Jerepigo 2021
- Durbanville Hills Collectors Reserve The Cape Garden Chenin Blanc 2024
- Kleine Zalze Vineyard Selection Sauvignon Blanc 2024
- Warwick The Black Lady Pinotage 2023
Box 2:
- Boschendal Stellenbosch Cabernet Sauvignon 2021
- Graham Beck Artisan Collection Pinot Meunier
- Du Toitskloof Hanepoot Jerepigo 2021
- Durbanville Hills Collectors Reserve The Cape Garden Chenin Blanc 2024
- Kleine Zalze Vineyard Selection Sauvignon Blanc 2024
- Warwick The Black Lady Pinotage 2023
General:
- The draw is final and no correspondence will be entered into, except with the selected winners.
- Winners must have a public Instagram profile to allow initial contact.
- Winners will be chosen through a random draw and notified privately via email or direct message by Monday, December 15.
- Winners must provide a valid form of identification (such as an ID or driver’s licence), as well as their business or home address, name, and telephone number for delivery.
- If a winner fails to provide valid ID, they will forfeit the prize and another winner will be selected.
- Once verified, Investec will fulfil delivery of the prize.
- Wanted and Investec reserve the right to amend or withdraw the competition if circumstances beyond their control make this unavoidable.
- They reserve the right to carry out audits or screening to verify eligibility.
- All personal information will be kept confidential and will not be shared with third parties.
- Once no longer required, all personal information will be securely disposed of.
- These terms and conditions are governed by South African law.
- The competition is regulated by the Consumer Protection Act, 68 of 2008 (“CPA”). All terms are intended to comply with the CPA.
- By entering the competition, entrants accept all terms and conditions without exception.
