The 2026 Fine Wine Awards recognised Benguela Cove with an impressive collection of accolades, including two Gold medals and eight Silver medals across its portfolio. The Estate Sauvignon Blanc 2025 and Vinography Cabernet Sauvignon 2021 led the charge with Gold, while a range of white and red wines earned Silver recognition, demonstrating the estate's commitment to excellence across every tier of production. 

The Fine Wine Awards evaluated 959 wines across 20 categories through blind tasting meaning judges assessed each wine without knowing its brand or price. That Benguela Cove's Estate Sauvignon Blanc 2025 and Vinography Cabernet Sauvignon 2021 both earned Gold confirms something worth paying attention to. Blind-tasted recognition validates what the estate's philosophy centres on: wines that express their place authentically, without chasing trends or points.  

Two Wines, Two Stories 

The Estate Sauvignon Blanc 2025 arrives with the freshness that defines the vintage. Grown in the cool maritime climate that makes this region distinctive, the wine balances vibrant fruit with mineral precision, the kind of wine that rewards lingering over a glass on a summer afternoon or pairing with an expansive lunch overlooking water and mountains. 

The Vinography Cabernet Sauvignon 2021 represents a different conversation entirely. This is a wine built for time in the cellar, though it drinks beautifully now. The Vinography series is Benguela Cove's single-vineyard expression, selected from blocks that have delivered consistency and depth across vintages. This 2021 carries the structured tannins and layered complexity that mark a wine worth revisiting year after year. 

Both are available for purchase directly from the estate and through select retailers. 

Beyond Gold: A Strong Showing of Silver Medals 

While Benguela Cove's Estate Sauvignon Blanc 2025 and Vinography Cabernet Sauvignon 2021 earned Gold medals, the estate's performance at the 2026 Fine Wine Awards extended well beyond its top honours. Several wines across the portfolio were recognised with Silver medals, highlighting the consistency and depth of quality being produced across multiple varieties and styles.  

Silver Medal Winners 

White Wines 

Red Wines 

These results reinforce Benguela Cove's commitment to crafting exceptional wines across its collections. From cool-climate Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay to expressive Bordeaux blends and single-vineyard reds, the awards highlight the diversity of the estate's maritime terroir and the precision of its winemaking approach. 

On Terroir and Intention 

Johann Fourie, cellar master at Benguela Cove since 2017 says 

"These Gold awards validate what we believe in at Benguela Cove, that our cool maritime climate and ancient soils produce wines with real integrity. The Estate Sauvignon Blanc and Vinography Cabernet showcase the diversity of our terroir. We're not chasing points or trends; we're expressing our place through careful winemaking. Recognition like this belongs to the whole team, and it reminds us why we do this work." 

 

Fourie, a recipient of the Diners Club Winemaker of the Year award, brings a decade-plus of experience to the role. His approach is methodical. The Gold results reflect not just skill but a deep understanding of how climate, soil and vintage shape what ends up in the bottle. 

Why Visit 

These wines don't just exist. They emerge from a specific place, shaped by cool winds that sweep across the vineyards and the unique soils underfoot. Understanding that context transforms how you experience them. 

Benguela Cove invites visitors to explore the estate and taste these award-winning wines where they were made. The tasting room offers a chance to try both the Sauvignon Blanc and Cabernet in the environment that shaped them, surrounded by the vineyards themselves. It's where conversation moves beyond notes and scores to what the wine actually tells you about where it comes from. 

The estate also offers experiences beyond wine, from fine dining at Moody Lagoon Restaurant to accommodation at luxury villas set across the property. There's a reason visitors return to Benguela Cove: the combination of serious winemaking, considered hospitality and a landscape that rewards attention. 

Order now 

Both the Estate Sauvignon Blanc 2025 and Vinography Cabernet Sauvignon 2021 are available for immediate purchase. Have them delivered to your door via our online shop or visit the estate's tasting room near Hermanus to taste them where they were made, surrounded by the vineyards themselves. 

Already convinced? Join the Wine Club and enjoy savings of 15–25% on seasonal selections hand-picked by Cellar Master Johann Fourie.

Questions about cellaring, food pairings, or what makes these wines different? Email us at info@benguelacove.co.za or call 087 357 0637.