Diners Club Winemaker of The Year finalists announced

Now in its 35th year, the award is presented to the winemaker who produces a wine the judging panel considers to be the best in a specified class. The competition is open to all in the South African wine industry at no cost and, consequently, this affords little-known winemakers a shot at the title.

The categories for 2015 are non-Bordeaux single varietal red wines (excluding Shiraz) for Winemaker of the Year, and white wines for Young Winemaker of the Year. As many entries as possible from as wide a spectrum of producers were sought, culminating in the announcement of the deserving finalists.

The finalists are:

Winemaker of the Year:

• Johan Jordaan from Spier - 21 Gables Pinotage 2012 and 21 Gables Pinotage 2013;
  
• Johan Fourie from KWV - The Mentors Pinotage 2013;
  
• Margaux Nel from Boplaas Family Vineyards - Tinta Barroca 2014;
  
• Anthony de Jager from Fairview - Primo Pinotage 2013; and
  
• Jeremy Borg from Painted Wolf (Leeuwenkuil) - Guillermo Pinotage 2012.

Young Winemaker of the Year:

• Philip Viljoen from Bon Courage Wine Estate - Noble Late Harvest 2015 and Andre's Fame Colombard 2015;
  
• Murray Barlow from Rustenberg Wines - Five Soldiers Chardonnay 2015 and Stellenbosch Chardonnay 2014;
  
• Anné van Heerden from Alvi's Drift - Reserve Chardonnay 2014; and
  
• RJ Botha from Kleine Zalze - Family Reserve Sauvignon Blanc 2015.

The winners will be announced on Saturday, 21 November 2015, at an award ceremony hosted at the five-star La Residence hotel in Franschhoek. The winemakers will win a combined cash prize of R75,000 and a trip for two to a wine-producing region of the US.