A Gold medal at the 2026 Veritas Awards has landed in Constantia, one of South Africa's oldest wine regions and an easy half-day trip from central Cape Town. The winning bottle is Steenberg Vineyards' Merlot 2023, announced on 15 October at one of the country's longest-running wine competitions, judged entirely by blind tasting.
What makes this win notable is the streak behind it. The previous vintage, the Merlot 2022, picked up Gold and was named Merlot of the Year at the 2026 London Wine Competition, then added a Platinum medal at the 2026 Decanter World Wine Awards. Two strong vintages in a row suggests the estate has something reliable going on, not just a lucky year.
Carryn Wiltshire, marketing manager at Steenberg, put it down to consistency — the aim being a Merlot with depth, structure and freshness that shows where it comes from. Behind the scenes, viticulturist Vlok Hanekom handles the vineyard side, managing crop levels and harvest timing, while cellarmaster Elunda Basson decides how to carry that fruit through fermentation and ageing without losing its character.
The Veritas Awards, running since 1991, carry weight in South Africa precisely because of the blind-tasting format. Judges don't know which estate poured what, so a Gold medal reflects the liquid in the glass rather than a big name on the label. For local winemakers, it's a recognised benchmark; for visitors, it's a handy shortlist filter.
Why should a traveller care? Constantia's vineyards sit barely 20 minutes from Cape Town's city bowl, making them among the most accessible wine estates anywhere near a major city. Steenberg itself doubles as a full day out — wine tasting, restaurants and a restored 17th-century manor house on a farm that dates back to 1682. With the Merlot now winning awards across successive vintages, it's an easy pick for anyone plotting a tasting route through the Constantia Wine Valley, which also includes neighbours like Groot Constantia and Klein Constantia. As with any estate, check Steenberg's website for current tasting options, hours and bookings before you go.
