Trophy for The World’s Best Cabernet

My family has been making Cabernet Sauvignon wines in South Africa since the 1960’s and over the decades, three generations from my Grandfather, Father and now myself have garnered a reputation for working with the Cabernet Sauvignon variety, particularly in the Stellenbosch region. The winning of the Trophy for the best Cabernet in the World in 2022 has capped an endeavour to make a wine that ranks amongst the world’s best, bringing acclaim to not only our family winery but also South Africa’s wine and Cabernet epicentre, Stellenbosch.

The GS Cabernet Sauvignon wine started with the planting of a single vineyard in 2000, on the gravel and shale soils of the Simonsberg mountain in Stellenbosch. It has taken twenty three years to achieve a personal goal that seems like a dream come true!

The fanfare that surrounded the award has created a worldwide demand from the USA, Europe and Asian markets for the award winning GS Cabernet Sauvignon 2019 that has carried to the whole brand and brought fine wine collectors to our doors. In a world where there are many wine competitions and ratings, I feel the authenticity and professionalism as well as the varietal focus of the Concours des Cabernet makes it one of the finest wine competitions in the world today.

'The Cabernet Riserva from the flagship range ‘Graf’ (‘Count’ in German) comes from an ennobled line of superior quality, cultivated with respect for tradition. These authentic wines restore the unique character of the grapes grown on our territory, in a historical landscape shaped by viticulture.
We saw a 26% increase in sales of Cabernet Riserva the year the Trophy was won. He also contributed to promoting and popularizing the ‘Graf’ range. Consumers praise our wines for their authenticity, and the distinctions confirm their purchase.
To get new markets, you need a great product, renown prices, and a good promotional campaign. This is why we relayed our victory in the media and on social networks.
Each prize won is a great satisfaction for us. This reinforces our quest for quality, authenticity and naturalness. The prestigious award of the Competition is a business card that predicts the superior quality of the "Graf" range, and contributes to the influence of the collective label of excellence ‘South Tyrol’.'

Stefan Kapfinger - Oenologist and Cellar Master - Kellerei Meran

"Before the Competition, Gran Reserva was mostly enjoyed at the vineyard itself, by connoisseurs of Viñedos Don Leo wines, or at events. But now that it has won the Trophy, Gran Reserva is very much in demand. Many consumers have even come to the vineyard specially to buy it! We sold our entire production in just 2 months.

Thanks to the Trophy, we have won new markets in Mexico, as well as in the United States and Europe.

And our wine’s victory has brought a bit of success to all Mexican vineyards. Other estates have indirectly benefitted from this distinction and have demonstrated widespread support. The Mexican press has also provided excellent coverage of Competition results: we are the subject of over 20 publications!

Last but not least, the Trophy has helped us promote other wines, particularly our Cabernet Sauvignon/Shiraz, which won a gold medal at the Competition. We are now relieved to be able to bring out the new vintages and thus fill all the orders that have been kept waiting!"
Paola Escobedo

"Thanks to the Trophy for the World’s Best Cabernet, we have won many new customers. Our Cabernet Sauvignon Grandmaître - Barrique vintage sold out very quickly. It was unlike anything we had ever seen. In fact, it sold out too quickly! But we were able to offer alternatives and introduce people to the rest of the line and other vintages. Relationships with returning customers were enhanced and strengthened, too, because they were proud to have discovered the World’s Best Cabernet before everyone else!

We have also had numerous contacts with the media, and that has made our domain more widely known. We are certainly going to participate in the Competition again, to try and win a second Trophy.”

Mitchell Taylor, third-generation Managing Director and Winemaker, Wakefield Wines:
“We shared the news of our award right away—through social media, directly to our customers and with an Australia-wide media release. The response was incredible. Winning the trophy led to an interview on national TV and widespread media coverage, immediately sparking increased interest in the world-class Cabernet we’re producing at Wakefield Wines, and in this wine in particular.”