The Trophy Wine Show

The Trophy Wine Show, brought to you by Investec, is South Africa’s most authoritative wine competition. It is held annually in May and results are announced within a few weeks of judging.

• Panels comprise three judges (including one overseas juror) as well as an associate.
• Scoring is based on a 100-point system
  • 95 points or more are awarded gold medals
  • 90 to 94 silver medals
  • 85 to 89 bronze medals.
• All gold medal wines are submitted to the trophy judging where all the panellists re-assess them from freshly opened bottles.
• Judges with producer interests are not in a position to influence the award of a medal or a trophy to their own wines.

Michael Fridjhon, South Africa’s most respected wine authority, is the chairman of the Show judging panel of three international and at least six local judges.

The three international judges are Michel Bettane (France), Tom Carson (Australia) and Tamlyn Currin (UK).

The local judges comprise a panel of winemakers, wine writers and wine buyers all with proven judging competence. Local judges will include Christian Eedes, Heidi Duminy CWM, Eben February, Gynore Hendricks, Malu Lambert, Mandla Patson Mathonsi, James Pietersen and JD Pretorius.   Associate judges (usually drawn from distinction graduates of the Michael Fridjhon Wine Judging Academy held in conjunction with the Graduate School of Business of the University of Cape Town) sit with each judging panel, participating in the tasting and the post-judging discussion, though their scores are not included in the final tally.  

Associate judges (usually drawn from distinction graduates of the Michael Fridjhon Wine Judging Academy held in conjunction with the Graduate School of Business of the University of Cape Town) sit with each judging panel, participating in the tasting and the post-judging discussion, though their scores are not included in the final tally. 

• The Show results receive extensive local and international coverage.
• A programme of tastings, including public tastings in major centres and corporate tastings for the sponsor’s clients – where the trophy, gold and silver medal-winning wines are presented – follow the announcement of the results.
• Sales of medal-winning wines: In 2024, the Show’s appointed retailer Port2Port reported a total of R1.9m in wine sales (8000+ bottles) with 730 orders generated through direct online offers and sales and the public tastings in Cape Town and Johannesburg. 
• Access to high net worth client base through the headline sponsor, with the sale of the Private Selection hampers immediately after the results are announced.
• The Show’s courier of choice is Aspiring Logistics – conveniently chosen for producers in the Winelands – appointed to manage the receipt of medal-winning wines, packaging and distribution to the public tastings.
• The full list of medallists will be available on The Trophy Wine Show website with the results and best performing wines supported by a social media campaign.
• Feedback from judges at the Judges’ Feedback session, which happens in-person, on-site, immediately after the final judging concludes. Additionally, scores and judging comments are available on request to everyone who submits an entry.
• Enhanced recognition of South Africa’s cutting-edge producers, rewards for wines that appeal to international palates.
• Medal stickers facilitate quality wine identification in the increasingly confusing retail environment. Amidst the plethora of bottle stickers, Trophy Wine Show awards are widely recognised as the gold standard in judging credibility.

Notes:

• Samples of entries can only be delivered on above-mentioned date. Wines sent earlier will not be received by the hotel.
• 6 bottles per entry of the same seal code range to be delivered for judging.
• NB: Seal codes on bottles must correspond with those indicated on final certification submitted with entry form.
• Each entry to be packed in its own box (not included with other entries).
• Wine samples/bottles to be clearly labelled.
• All sample entries per producer should be delivered in one delivery consignment.
• All sample entries must be clearly marked with your producer / winery name.
• No stock may be delivered via the front entrance of the hotel.
• Wine delivered in error and not collected before commencement of judging will be deemed a donation to charity.
• Delivery staff must supply own trolleys.

1. The Trophy Wine Show 2025 Entry Form(s) (Excel format) to be completed in full. Incomplete and handwritten forms will NOT be accepted.
   
   1. Please ensure that the wine name entered corresponds directly with the label.
   2. Insert Class of Entry No. for each wine. If wine is entered as a Museum Class, Boutique, Organic, Old Vine or Low Alcohol wine (refer to Classes of Entry) please add the relevant suffix to the wine number. g. 3 OV for Chenin Blanc Old Vine.
   3. New! Insert the name of Winemaker (responsible for blending and bottling) for each wine entered, in the far-right hand column of Section B, even if that winemaker is not currently employed by the winery.
   4. The analysis on the Entry Form must correspond with the WSB 2a for each entry (e.g. alcohol percentage on the Entry Form must correspond precisely with that on the certificate).
   5. Please clarify with the organisers any queries regarding Class of Entry prior to submitting your entry form.
   6. Please complete in Title Case (not in CAPS) and submit entry form in Excel format (not PDF or any other version).
2. Certification to accompany entry form. Both WSB 2a and 4a certificates required.
   
   1. Complete analysis must be included on WSB 2a to ensure the correct tasting sequence.
   2. If not available at time of entry, producers may supply the WSB 4a by the time of judging; if not available by time of judging please advise organisers.
   3. Full allocated seal code range must appear on either the WSB 2a or 4a certificates submitted.
3. A copy of the wine label to accompany each wine entry.
   
   1. To assist the organisers with the precise names of the wines for the purpose of listing the competition results in publicity documents and on the website, please supply a copy of the wine label.
   2. In the absence of a label (and WSB 4a certificate), please enter the wine name precisely.
4. Complete The Trophy Wine Show 2025 Entry Form Checklist and submit together with your Trophy Wine Show 2024 Entry Form(s) and supporting documentation to the organisers.

Downloads: English & Afrikaans

To be added by mid-Feb.

Entry Procedures

1. Completed entry forms, certification documents (see rule 4) and copies of wine labels must be emailed to the organisers on or before Friday 4 April. Late submission of entry forms may be accepted at the discretion of the Show chairman.
2. Payment of entry fees on invoice by no later than 11 April. Please indicate on the entry form if a Purchase Order No. is required.
3. Entry samples (see rule 9) bearing full/complete labels (see rules 8 and 9) must be delivered to the Grande Roche Hotel on 8 Maybetween 08:00 and 16:00. Late submission of wines will not be accepted.
4. Certification documentation (WSB 2a or 4a MUST have full analysis and full allocated seal code range on the certificates) must accompany the entry forms. A submission must conform with the laws and regulations governing the production of wine in South Africa including, but not limited to, those detailed in the Liquor Product Act (Act 60 of 1989) and Health and Customs & Excise regulations. Organic and Old Vine wine entrants must submit the relevant certification from the respective Organic or Certified Heritage Vineyards bodies.
5. A copy of the wine label must accompany each wine entry to verify precise wine listings.
6. Medal-winning wines may be submitted to the Wine & Spirit Board and/or an independent laboratory for corroboration that the sample submitted for judging is identical to the wine as certified.
7. Only market-ready wines may be entered – no tank- or barrel-samples will be accepted; submissions must be entered provisionally in their final, bottled condition and should have received full certification from the Wine & Spirit Board (see rule 3) by the time of judging. (Wines may be entered provisionally by 4 April with the preliminary WSB2a certificate).
8. Entry samples (wines) must be labelled with either the actual wine label or – if not yet labelled – a computer label stating the correct name and vintage of the wine. Please do not stick anything else on the bottles. Bottle seal codes must correspond with final certification supplied.
9. Entry samples should comprise 6 bottles of each wine entered (including Museum Class entries), with each entry separately boxed and clearly labelled. Each box containing the samples must clearly indicate the name of the producer and the words “The Investec Trophy Wine Show 2025”.
10. Wine may be entered only by the producer responsible for the brand. The producer in terms of this regulation shall mean a person, partnership, association, co-operative, company or corporate body producing wine or growing grapes and having the wine produced for him/her for the purpose of sale by wholesale or retail under the name or preferred business name of the producer as stated on the entry form.

Volume Requirements

11. Minimum production volume: 900 litres per wine entered. However, for Boutique entries (see Supplementary Classes) this minimum volume is reduced to 600 – 899 litres. In the case of dessert and port wines, the minimum production requirement is 450 litres.
12. At least 55 cases x 6 x 750ml (35 cases for Boutique class; 126 litres for dessert /port wines) must be available at the cellar from the date of competition entry until 31 July. This includes wine reserved for promotional purposes and for sale (see rules 13 and 14)*.
13. Promotional stock: All medal winners must be able to supply 30 bottles (x 750ml or equivalent volume) of each medal-winning wine free of charge for the two Public Tastings and the promotional events hosted by Investec for clients. Entrants who have won medals will be advised during the week following the judging.
14. Stock availability for sales: 50 cases x 6 x 750 ml(half this volume for dessert/port wines; 30 cases for Boutique class) – or equivalent volume – is the minimum quantity of each wine that MUST be available for sale to the Show organisers or their appointed agents Port2Port at the national trade price (this price to be specified on the entry form as “Price to Show”).

    Producers must reserve this stock until close of business on 31 July even if a portion has been ordered by the show organisers or its agent Port2Port before this date, by which time the Show organisers or Port2Port will have indicated whether they wish to exercise the right to take up some or all of this reserve – to be used either to supplement volumes made available for the sponsor’s tastings, or to be marketed to enhance awareness of the Show and generate greater consumer demand for the Show’s award-winning wines.

    *Volume requirements for promotional and sales stock are waived for entries in a “Museum Class” section (see Classes of Entry/Supplementary Classes). However, medal-winning Museum Class wines may be made available for sale.

    NB: All medal-winning stock must be market-ready and labelled to meet the deadlines required by Port2Port by Friday 30 May. 

Entry Fees and Payments

15. For entry forms submitted by or before 4 April (VAT incl.):
    1 to 4 products: R2 195 per wine.
    5 to 9 products: R2 045per wine
    10 or more products: R1 795per wine
16. Upon receipt of invoice from Vinifera Pty Ltd., the full amount must be paid by EFT by 11 April.
    Proof of payment must be emailed to trophy@outsorceress.co.za.
    NO CASH PAYMENTS WILL BE ACCEPTED.
17. Late submission of entry forms may be accepted at the discretion of the Show chairman whereupon an additional fee of R250 per wine may apply.
18. Entries for which no payment has been made will be disqualified.
19. Cancellation Policy: No refund or credit for wines withdrawn within 7 days prior to the judging.

Bottle Stickers

20. Entrants whose wines win a medal or trophy at the Show will be entitled, by way of appropriate stickers issued by the Show, to indicate their achievements on the bottles of such wines. Such stickers may only be affixed to bottles originating from the same certification by the Wine & Spirit Board as the samples submitted to the Show judging panel.
21. The Trophy Wine Show 2025 Bottle Sticker order form will be emailed to successful entrants when the awards are announced.
22. Entrants requiring bottle stickers in respect of medal- or trophy-winning wines can purchase these stickers from the Show organisers at R545 (including VAT) per roll of 1000. Volume discounts are available for 10 and more rolls. Bottle sticker orders can only be accepted in multiples of 1000.
23. An invoice for stickers will follow receipt of order.
24. Bottle stickers will be available for collection upon receipt of payment, or delivered by a courier at an additional charge.
25. Digital stickers for medal winners will also be available immediately after the results are announced for use on social media platforms only, subject to Ts and Cs.

  Public Tastings

26. These are invaluable opportunities to engage with Investec’s clients and the wine-loving public in an elegant showcase format at no extra charge to the producer. Successful wineries are obliged to attend and present their wines (with promotional stock supplied to the show) at single-night public tastings in Cape Town and Johannesburg (June dates tbc). Should the winery not be able to send a representative, the organisers will arrange a pourer for the evening for the winery’s cost. More detail to follow.

  Declaration  

27. Entrants declare in submitting wine for judging in the Show that such wine has been made strictly in accordance with the regulations pertaining to wine production in South Africa and that no flavourant (natural, nature-identical or artificial) has been used in its production.

    Entrants further declare that the samples submitted have been drawn from that portion of the stock identified by the WSB certification accompanying this entry and are in all respects identical to that stock. In the event of any of the wine covered by this submission winning an award, entrants confirm that the stickers issued will only be applied to bottles from the same batch and bearing the identical WSB certification.

28. The Trophy Wine Show brought to you by Investec is committed to the principles of transparent ethical trading practices by the wine industry and all its stakeholders. Producers are accordingly requested to confirm their compliance to ethical trading practice in the declaration on the entry form.

Judging Procedures

29. All wines are tasted blind.
30. All entries will be judged in categories according to the variety and/or type of wine (the class) to which it belongs. The Show chairman may amend the class of entry of a submission if, in his opinion, the integrity of the competition will be best served by this amendment.
31. In the event that less than 10 entries are received in a particular Class of Entry, the competition organisers reserve the right to move the entered wine into a broader grouping that incorporates the original class entered.
32. The chairman of each judging panel – or failing him/her, the Show chairman – will attempt to achieve consensus between the members of the panel as to the score given to a particular wine.
33. Submissions will be judged on a 100-point system and medals will be awarded on the following basis: Gold = 95 points or more (superlative, world class)
    Silver = 90 to 94 points (excellent, wine of distinction)
    Bronze = 85 to 89 points (good to very good).
34. The gold medal winners in each class will be entered by the judging panels for the trophy selection.
35. The Show chairman may be called upon by a panel chairman in the event of consensus not being reached in respect of a score awarded to a particular wine. In this event, the Show chairman will determine a score.
36. All of the judges on the various panels will judge the trophy wine submissions, and the Show chairman will have a casting vote in the event of a deadlock on any decision regarding the awarding of a trophy.
37. The Show chairman will have the authority to disqualify any submission that in his/her opinion does not fully comply with the competition regulations.

Trophies for the best of the gold medal winners – wines scoring 95 or more out of 100 – may be awarded in all classes and to the museum entries in all classes. Cultivar and category trophies (e.g. fortified wine, sparkling wine and/or cultivar specific trophies) will be awarded to the highest scoring wine within the relative class groupings subject to a minimum of 5 entries in the niche/boutique classes, including category winners. These include (but are not limited to):

Investec Trophy for the Champion Winemaker of the Year
Investec International Judges’ Trophy *
Investec Trophy for Best Red Wine
Investec Trophy for Best White Wine
Investec Trophy for Best Dessert Wine
Investec Trophy for Discovery of the Show **
Investec Trophy for Best Cabernet Sauvignon
Investec Trophy for Best Cabernet Franc
Investec Trophy for Best Merlot
Investec Trophy for Best Niche Red
Investec Trophy for Best Niche White
Investec Trophy for Best Pinot Noir
Investec Trophy for Best Rhône-style Red Blend
Investec Trophy for Best Semillon
Business Day Trophy for Best Shiraz
Financial Mail Trophy for Best Sauvignon Blanc Semillon Blend
Harold Eedes Trophy for Best Chenin Blanc
Miele Trophy for Best Chardonnay
Riedel Trophy for Best Bordeaux-style Red Blend
Rosa Kruger Trophy for Best Old Vine Wine ****
Sowetan Trophy for Best Cap Classique
Sunday Times Trophy for Best Sauvignon Blanc
Tony Mossop Trophy for the Best Cape Port
Vinolok Trophy for Best Premium Wine *****
Best Boutique Class
Best Fortified Wine
Best Museum Class Overall
Best Organic Wine ***
Best Other Red Blend
Best Pinotage
Best Other White Blend 

Museum Class trophies are awarded to the highest scoring gold medal Museum Class entry in each of the above classes of entry.

*          The Investec International Judges’ Trophy will be presented to the unfortified, non-dessert, non-boutique, non-museum-class gold medallist to which they award their top score.
**        The Investec Trophy for the Discovery of the Show (best value) will be made to the gold medal winner – unfortified, non-dessert, non-museum, non-boutique – whose final score, divided by its pre-show price (in Rands – adjusted by a red wine/white wine index) produces the highest quotient.
***       The Trophy for the Best Organic Wine – providing that entries in this category attain the requisite standard when judged blind in the appropriate classes.
****     Rosa Kruger Trophy for Best Old Vine Wine – presented to the highest scoring gold medallist from a Certified Heritage Vineyard.
*****    Vinolok Trophy for Best Premium Wine – Vinolok Trophy for Best Premium Wine – presented to the highest scoring premium-priced gold medallist.