The national winners from all the cultivars and styles entered this year for the Novare SA Terroir Wine Awards, derive from 17 terrains across the Cape winelands – a clear sign that the country boasts numerous terroirs (wine terrains) whose soils and climate yield quality wines of different cultivars. Only wines certified as single-vineyard wine, estate-produced wine, wine from a ward or district not divided into more than one ward, are judged. The five trophies and certificates of the national winners were presented at a luncheon in Overture Restaurant of well-known chef Bertus Basson in Hidden Valley, on Wednesday, 22 September. The cultivar in this year’s competition that performed particularly well as one eminently suitable to our winelands, is also the most prolifically planted in South Africa, namely Chenin Blanc. This is certainly good news for the industry and bodes well for this grape’s future. The trophy for the overall top wine was this year awarded for the third time. From almost 300 entries, the Novare Trophy for SA Terroir Top Wine went to Villion Henning Chenin Blanc 2020, a Heritage Vineyard wine of origin from the Bot River Ward in Walker Bay. All the winners: Ola Leepile, CEO Novare; Nicholas Husselman- Novare Trophy for SA Terroir Top Single Vineyard Wine; Christo Pienaar Chairman SA National Wine Show ; Elbert Burger - Novare Trophy for SA Terroir Top Wine Estate and Novare Trophy for SA Terroir Top Producer; Kobie Viljoen - Novare Trophy for SA Terroir Top Wine; Derrick Roper, founder of Novare and Johnny Calitz and Stander Maass with the Novare Trophy for SA Terroir Top Area