The winners of the Diners Club Winemaker and Young Winemaker of the Year awards were announced at a gala dinner on Saturday 19 November, with Pierre Wahl (top image) and Murray Barlow claiming top honours respectively.
This year’s Diners Club Winemaker of the Year, Pierre Wahl, with over two decades of winemaking experience, delighted the judges (consisting of South Africa’s best minds and palates in the industry, and including international wine critic Nancy Gilchrist) with his 2014 Private Cellar Chenin Blanc from the Rijk’s Cellar.
The 2016 Diners Club Young Winemaker of the Year, Murray Barlow, delivered an unforgettable red blend: The Rustenberg RM Nicholson 2015. This talented young man was also the Diners Club Young Winemaker of the Year in 2013, and a finalist last year.
The Winemaker of the Year is in its 36th year, while the Young Winemaker has been running for 16 years are by far the most prestigious awards on the South African wine calendar. The competition affords all winemakers a shot at the sought-after title since entries are accepted from a wide spectrum of producers and remains free of charge.
Previous Winemaker of the Year and Young Winemaker of The Year winners include heavyweight vintners such as Walter Finlayson, Carl Schultz, Teddy Hall, Boela Gerber and Anri Truter, who have all garnered much acclaim and success after their wins.
The winning Winemaker receives R50 000 while the Young Winemaker, R25 000. Both winemakers get two return business class tickets on Delta Airlines to any wine producing region in the USA.
Winner: 2016 Diners Club Winemaker of the Year
Pierre Wahl
Wine: Rijk’s Private Cellar Chenin Blanc 2014
Region: Rijk’s Cellar, Tulbagh
Born in Port Elizabeth and then living in Gauteng for 11 years, Pierre Wahl was an unlikely candidate of becoming a winemaker, let alone Diners Club Winemaker of the Year.
After a year’s defence force duty, he attended Elsenburg Agricultural College, the youngest student in his class to study cellar technology. Graduating in 1995, he commenced his winemaking career at Neil Joubert Wines in Paarl as chief winemaker.
In 1998 he accepted a challenging appointment at Môreson in Franschhoek. It was here where he gained most of his winemaking experience and travelled the wine world.
After some winemaking experience in and around Paarl and Franschhoek, this talented winemaker left to join Rijk’s Cellar, Tulbagh, in 2002. He has since made steady progress in transforming Tulbagh into one of South Africa’s leading quality wine-producing areas. This cellar is known for its world class Chenin Blanc, Pinotage and Shiraz.
During the last 14 years at Rijk’s, Pierre has consulted for various wineries in the Tulbagh area, won numerous awards and travelled to Northern Rhône in France for the 2007 harvest.
Winner: 2016 Diners Club Young Winemaker of the Year
Murray Barlow
Wine: Rustenberg RM Nicholson 2015
Region: Rustenberg Wines, Stellenbosch
Murray was born into a winemaking dynasty with the Barlows having owned Rustenberg wines in Stellenbosch since 1941. Growing up amongst the vineyards and in the cellar, his passion for the farm and wine grew and he decided to pursue his studies with a view to joining the family business.
After completing his undergraduate studies at Rhodes University, Murray completed the 2009 and 2010 vintages at Rustenberg before reading his Masters in Oenology at the University of Adelaide in Australia, graduating in 2011 Cum Laude.
Murray returned to Rustenberg in November 2011 and is currently cellar master and oversees the marketing of the wines he creates. Murray has a passion for the industry and a keen interest in wine judging, having graduated from the Michael Fridjhon Wine Judging Academy with distinction in 2015, and has been an associate judge in several competitions.
Murray previously won the 2013 Diners Club Young Winemaker of the Year with his 2012 Rustenberg Stellenbosch Chardonnay, was a finalist last year with his Rustenberg Five Soldiers Chardonnay 2012 and Rustenberg Stellenbosch Chardonnay2014. This year, Murray had no less than three finalist wines: the RM Nicholson 2015, and the Buzzard Kloof Syrah 2013 and 2014 vintages.
