Wellington Wines has once again made its mark on the national stage, with a wooded Pinotage crowned the SA Champion Young Wine of 2026 at the SA Young Wine Show awards function, held at Elsenburg Agricultural Training College on Friday 21 August.
After first being named Best Pinotage, the wine went on to claim the coveted General Smuts Trophy as the best overall young wine of the show – bringing this prestigious title home to Wellington Wines for the third time.
It is an achievement of which we are immensely proud, and another remarkable chapter in Wellington’s long and distinguished relationship with Pinotage.
A remarkable record of excellence
For eight of the past ten years, Wellington Wines has been awarded the Dr. A.I. Perold Trophy for producing the SA Champion Pinotage. To achieve this level of consistency year after year is a powerful affirmation of the quality of our vineyards, the dedication of our people and a winemaking philosophy deeply connected to the land from which our wines originate.
This year’s victory also places Wellington Wines among a very small group of Pinotage producers to have taken the competition’s ultimate honour.
Only four Pinotage wines have been crowned South Africa’s Best Young Wine during the past 20 years. The first was produced by Wamakersvallei Cellar in 2007 (prior to its amalgamation with Wellington Wines in 2013). Badsberg Cellar followed in 2016, before Wellington Wines claimed the title with Pinotage in 2018 – and now, once again, in 2026.
Our success with the General Smuts Trophy has not been limited to Pinotage. In 2023, our Cabernet Sauvignon was named the overall champion, meaning Wellington Wines has now secured the trophy three times in just nine years: 2018, 2023 and 2026.
A trophy steeped in history
The General Smuts Trophy was awarded for the 75th time this year as part of a competition whose history stretches back 194 years, making the SA Young Wine Show the second-oldest competition of its kind in the world.
Its enduring importance lies not only in recognising outstanding wines, but in providing the South African wine industry with an early indication of the quality and potential of each new vintage.
As SA Young Wine Show Chairperson Christo Pienaar explains:
“The SA Young Wine Show remains relevant for the industry after 194 years. It provides a valuable first glance at the quality and potential of the new vintage, as well as indications of new wines and new trends.”
The competition also provides vital recognition for the winemakers and viticulturists behind each vintage, while creating an important platform for young and emerging talent to demonstrate their expertise.
Pinotage and Wellington – a natural partnership
For us, these accolades carry particular significance.
Wellington’s exceptional climate, diverse soils and abundant sunshine give us grapes of outstanding quality and character. In the cellar, our task is to recognise that potential – receiving these special little berries at precisely the right moment and transforming them into wines that express both their cultivar and their place of origin.
It is a cultivar that thrives in our generous sunshine and reveals its unique character here season after season. The concentration, structure and personality that Wellington vineyards bring to Pinotage make it a natural expression of the landscape we call home.
Recognition at the SA Young Wine Show therefore means more to us than another trophy for the cabinet. It is confirmation that the work taking place throughout our vineyards and cellar continues to deliver wines of genuine quality and distinction.
Celebrating the people behind the wine
This year’s success also brings an exciting opportunity for one member of the Wellington Wines winemaking team, who will enjoy a sponsored six-day overseas trip through the partnership between the South African National Wine Show Association and Porex, the Paarl-based supplier of winemaking machinery and products that has supported the initiative since 2019.
Above all, however, this achievement belongs to our people.
To our entire Wellington Wines team – from those tending the vineyards throughout the season to those receiving the grapes and guiding the wines through the cellar – congratulations and thank you.
Winning once is an honour. To return to the top of South African Young Wine competition time and again is something truly special.
And for Wellington Pinotage, the story continues.