JUANDRÉ BRUWER NAMED CHAMPION WINEMAKER AT 25TH INVESTEC TROPHY WINE SHOW

Diemersdal Wine Estate in Durbanville delivered an outstanding performance at the 2026 Investec Trophy Wine Show, with winemaker Juandré Bruwer named Champion Winemaker of the Year at the 25th edition of one of South Africa’s most respected wine competitions.

The title, introduced in 2025, recognises the winemaker responsible for the most awarded wines of the competition. For Bruwer and the Diemersdal cellar team, the award follows a remarkable set of results, including two trophies, three gold medals and nine silver medals across a diverse range of white and red wines.

Diemersdal’s trophy-winning wines were:

• Diemersdal Grüner Veltliner 2024 – Investec Trophy for Best Niche White
  • Diemersdal The Journal Sauvignon Blanc 2021 – Trophy for Best Museum Class Sauvignon Blanc

The estate’s gold medals were awarded to:

• Diemersdal Private Collection 2021
  • Diemersdal Syrah 2023
  • Diemersdal The Journal Pinotage 2023

“These results are incredibly meaningful, not only because of the recognition from such a respected competition, but because they reflect the work of an entire team,” says Bruwer. “At Diemersdal, we are fortunate to work with exceptional vineyards, and our focus is always to allow the terroir, season and character of each variety to show honestly in the glass. To receive this recognition across different wine styles is a proud moment for all of us.”

The Investec Trophy Wine Show attracted 650 entries in 2026 and was judged through a structured blind-tasting process. The judging panel was chaired by Michael Fridjhon and included respected international judges Oz Clarke OBE, Heidi Mäkinen MW and Kenichi Ohashi MW, alongside leading South African wine authorities. All wines were assessed on merit through a process designed to ensure fairness, consistency and confidence in the results.

For Diemersdal, the two trophy-winning wines reflect both innovation and regional strength. The Grüner Veltliner 2024 highlights the estate’s pioneering spirit and its willingness to explore varieties that find a distinctive voice in Durbanville’s cool maritime climate. The Journal Sauvignon Blanc 2021, awarded in the Museum Class, reaffirms the ageing potential and serious stature of Sauvignon Blanc from the region.

The three gold medals further underline the estate’s breadth, with Diemersdal Private Collection 2021, Syrah 2023 and The Journal Pinotage 2023 showing the structure, elegance and sense of place that continue to define Diemersdal’s red wines.

“Wine is never the achievement of one person alone,” Bruwer adds. “It starts in the vineyard, carries through the hands of the cellar team, and only then finds its way into the bottle. This award belongs to everyone who contributes to that journey.”

Situated on the slopes of the Dorstberg in the Durbanville Wine Valley, Diemersdal continues to build on a legacy of family farming, dry-land viticulture, sustainability and cool-climate winemaking. Rooted in heritage, yet driven by innovation, the estate’s results at the 2026 Investec Trophy Wine Show stand as a tribute to the land that shapes its wines and the forward-looking approach that defines its cellar.