Stellenbosch, South Africa — Kleine Zalze Wines has once again demonstrated its standing among South Africa’s leading wine producers after delivering one of the country’s strongest performances at the 2026 Concours Mondial de Bruxelles.
The Stellenbosch winery was awarded South Africa’s only Grand Gold Medal at this year’s competition for its Family Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2021, which was also named the competition’s South African “Revelation” Wine—an honour reserved for the country’s most outstanding wine in its category.
In addition to the Grand Gold, Kleine Zalze secured three Gold medals for:
- Vineyard Selection Cabernet Sauvignon 2023
- Vineyard Selection Chardonnay 2025
- Family Reserve Chardonnay 2025
Held this year in Armenia, the Still Red and White Wine Session of the Concours Mondial de Bruxelles attracted approximately 6,700 wines from around the world, all assessed through one of the wine industry’s most respected international judging processes.
For RJ Botha, Cellarmaster at Kleine Zalze, the results are particularly meaningful because they reinforce a pattern of consistent excellence.
“The Family Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2021 is enjoying an extraordinary run during this year’s international awards season,” says Botha. “Wine competitions become truly significant when a wine performs consistently across multiple respected judging platforms, and this vintage has done exactly that.”
The latest accolade follows an impressive series of honours already collected by the wine in recent weeks, including a Gold medal at the Investec Trophy Wine Show, two trophies at the International Wine Challenge, and a Gold medal at the 2026 Global Cabernet Sauvignon Masters.
For Botha, the success also reinforces Stellenbosch’s reputation as South Africa’s premier region for Cabernet Sauvignon.
“With our Vineyard Selection Cabernet Sauvignon 2023 also receiving Gold, it highlights the strength of our Cabernet programme. Both wines originate from Stellenbosch vineyards, a region that has spent decades establishing itself as South Africa’s benchmark for Cabernet Sauvignon. International recognition such as this continues to validate that reputation.”
Celebrating an Exceptional Chardonnay Vintage
While Cabernet Sauvignon dominated the headlines, Kleine Zalze’s two Gold medals for Chardonnay also tell an important story.
The Vineyard Selection Chardonnay 2025 and Family Reserve Chardonnay 2025 were both recognised with Gold medals, reflecting what many in the industry have already described as one of the Cape’s finest Chardonnay vintages in recent years.
“The 2025 season followed an excellent winter with abundant rainfall, providing vineyards with healthy water reserves,” explains Botha. “Cool, moderate conditions through spring and early summer allowed for slow, even ripening, resulting in Chardonnay grapes with exceptional purity, balance and natural acidity.”
“From the outset we believed 2025 had the potential to be a landmark vintage, and these awards provide encouraging confirmation of that.”
Recognition Built on Consistency
The Concours Mondial de Bruxelles results add further momentum to what has already been an exceptional year for Kleine Zalze, reinforcing the estate’s reputation for producing world-class wines across multiple varieties and styles.
For Botha, however, the awards represent something more enduring than individual accolades.
“Every recognition reflects years of careful work in the vineyard and cellar. While awards are gratifying, our greatest ambition is to produce wines that consistently express the quality of Stellenbosch and continue to earn the confidence of wine lovers around the world.”
With South Africa’s only Grand Gold Medal, three additional Gold medals and one of the competition’s highest individual honours, Kleine Zalze once again demonstrated why it remains one of the country’s most respected and internationally recognised wine producers.c
