The Stellenbosch winery that produced the best wine in the world

Stellenbosch Reserve’s Hangbrug Chenin Blanc has been named the best wine in the world at the 2026 Decanter World Wine Awards, becoming the only South African wine to receive a Best in Show award.

The wine comes from a Stellenbosch Reserve, which was established in 2005 by three friends who were born and raised in Stellenbosch.

When they started the brand, they wanted to produce a wine that represented their hometown and paid tribute to its heritage.

Its first wine, then called The Stellenbosch Ridge, was released in 2006. It was a Bordeaux-style blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz, Merlot and Cabernet Franc.

In 2009, the blend evolved to focus on Cabernet Sauvignon, a variety for which Stellenbosch has become internationally recognised.

The vintage helped establish the brand as a premium wine producer, earning gold medals at the Veritas Awards, Concours Mondial de Bruxelles and Selection Mondiales de Vins.

The brand was renamed The Stellenbosch Reserve in 2013. That year also saw the introduction of two single-varietal wines: Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon.

The range expanded further in 2014 with the addition of Chardonnay, followed by Chenin Blanc and Syrah in 2018. Cinsault completed the seven-wine range in 2019.

Today, the wines include Hangbrug Chenin Blanc, Moederkerk Chardonnay, Stadsaal Cinsault, Kweekskool Merlot, Kruithuis Syrah, Ou Hoofgebou Cabernet Sauvignon and Vanderstel Bordeaux-style Blend.

Each wine takes its name from a landmark or part of Stellenbosch’s history. These include the town’s Moederkerk, the Kweekskool and the historic Kruithuis, completed in 1777.

In 2023, Stellenbosch Reserve established its physical home on a farm next to Rust en Vrede, on the slopes of the Helderberg. The property includes its winery and tasting room, where visitors can explore the full range.

How Stellenbosch Reserve makes the best wine in the world

Stellenbosch Reserve sources grapes from different appellations across the Stellenbosch region. It works with established grape growers to secure fruit from vineyards with varied characteristics.

This approach allows the winery to use the distinct qualities of different locations to produce wines that reflect the region’s terroir.

The grapes are hand-harvested early in the morning and transported to the cellar in refrigerated trucks.

For red wines, the grapes are crushed and partially destemmed before fermentation. The wine is fermented in oak barrels and open-top stainless-steel fermenters, with the length of skin contact determined by the required colour and tannin structure.

The winemaking team also performs daily pump-overs and punch-downs during fermentation.

White wines are crushed before pressing to release the juice. Fermentation takes place in oak barrels and stainless steel tanks at low temperatures to retain fresh fruit flavours.

Lees stirring is performed every three weeks, while partial malolactic fermentation is allowed to add texture and character.

Most white wines mature for six months in French oak barrels. The Chardonnay uses 10% new oak, while the Chenin Blanc is matured in 300-litre and 500-litre French oak barrels, with 25% new oak.

The winery said its approach is intended to preserve the characteristics of the grapes while producing wines that reflect Stellenbosch’s different growing areas.

This approach has paid off, with the Stellenbosch Reserve receiving international recognition for its Hangbrug Chenin Blanc 2025, which won Best in Show at the Decanter World Wine Awards in June 2026.

The wine received 97 points and was the only South African entry selected for the award in 2026.

The competition involved thousands of wines assessed by leading international wine experts. Best in Show is among the awards’ highest accolades.

Judges praised the wine’s precise expression of Chenin Blanc, freshness and brightness, as well as its Stellenbosch character.

They also highlighted its balance between fruit purity and oak integration, which gives the wine texture and complexity.

The award was credited to winemaker Ignus Ferreira and his team, as well as the vineyard teams responsible for producing the grapes.

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Photos of Stellenbosch Reserve

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