South African Winery Alvi's Drift Shines in International 2025 Awards Season
There’s no stopping Alvi’s Drift this year. With a trophy cabinet that’s filling up faster than a cellar during harvest. Alvi’s Drift has struck gold in 2025 with awards pouring in from both local and international competitions.
They have just been awarded The Vineyard Consistency Award at the National Wine Challenge (NWC). This rare accolade recognises vineyards that have delivered sustained excellence across all 15 years of the competition’s history. Out of hundreds of estates, only three received this honour — and topping them all is Alvi’s Drift with an unmatched 62 winning wines.
Awards That Span Every Range
Their wines collected over 85 medals in 2025, including:
8 Great Golds
14 Double Golds
43 Golds
9 Double Platinums
White Wine of the Year
Grand Cru National Champion
Trophies for Best in Show and Best Cap Classique
From the Albertus Viljoen Icon Range to the Verreaux Pinotage, the elegant Reserve Range, versatile 221 Collection, and their celebrated Cap Classique releases, Alvi’s Drift has shown incredible consistency across every style and price point.
Spotlight on the Winners
Albertus Viljoen Chenin Blanc 2023 stole the show, named White Wine of the Year at the National Wine Challenge, also scoring a Top 100 listing and Grand Cru National Champion.
Verreaux Pinotage proved its world-class status with multiple Great Golds both locally and abroad.
The Reserve CVC blend walked away with the Trophy for Best Wine on Show at the LUMO Awards.
Sparkling fans will love that the Brut Nature Cap Classique was crowned Best Cap Classique.
Even the everyday 221 Range wines impressed, with the Chenin Blanc landing in the Top 20 at the Chenin Blanc Challenge.
And let’s not forget international recognition: the Reserve Muscat Nectarinia 2017 earned a stunning 95 points at the Decanter World Wine Awards, while across Europe, Alvi’s Drift collected Great Gold medals at both the International Wine & Spirits Awards and the Catavinum World Wine & Spirits Competition.
The Secret Behind the Success
According to winemaker Alvi van der Merwe, the recipe is simple: passion, precision, and a dedicated team.
“These awards are a testament to our commitment to excellence at every stage of winemaking — from vineyard to cellar. We produce icons that compete with the world’s best, but we also take pride in crafting wines for everyday enjoyment that consistently impress in competitions.”
Cape Wine Master Junel van der Merwe adds that what excites her most is the range-wide success:
“The Albertus Viljoen range continues to command respect, but our Verreaux Pinotage, Reserve, 221, Signature, and Cap Classique wines are winning just as much attention. It shows that the Alvi’s Drift style — elegant, balanced, and expressive of our Scherpenheuwel terroir — resonates with judges across markets.”
About Alvi’s Drift
Family-owned and proudly South African, Alvi’s Drift produces wines that range from accessible everyday favourites to world-class icons. With hundreds of accolades under its belt and distribution in more than 40 countries, it’s no wonder this estate is considered one of the country’s shining stars.
If you’d like to learn more or explore their award-winning wines, visit alvisdrift.co.za.
