News

Good news for busy winemakers! Following numerous requests, the entry deadline for the prestigious 2026 Diners Club Winemaker of the Year Awards has been extended to 16h00 on Thursday, 3 September.

This year, the category for the 46th Winemaker of the Year Award is White Blends, while the category for the 26th Young Winemaker of the Year Award is Red Wine. As in previous years, winemakers can be shortlisted for more than one submission.

These awards are open to all in the South African wine industry at no cost, affording all winemakers an equal opportunity. The awards are presented to winemakers who produce a wine that the judging panel considers the best in the two specified categories of the annual competition.

The Winemaker and Young Winemaker awards focus on quality and the recognition of excellence and are among the country’s most prestigious and respected wine industry competitions. While most wine industry awards focus on winning wines, the Diners Club Winemaker and Young Winemaker of the Year awards celebrate the creators of the winning wines, honouring the skills and talents of the vintners.

The finalists for both awards, to be announced in due course, will be invited to a black-tie gala dinner on Saturday, 21 November 2026, where the winners will be revealed and presented with their trophies.
The winning Winemaker of the Year and Young Winemaker of the Year will receive a cash prize of R75,000 and R45,000, respectively, as well as a return air ticket to visit any wine-producing region in the world. Terms and conditions of the presenting sponsor apply.

To access additional information and enter these prestigious competitions, please visit:
https://www.dinersclub.co.za/news-events/winemaker-of-the-year