43rd Blaauwklippen Blending Competition

Entries Closed for 2026!

The Blaauwklippen Blending Competition returns for the 43rd year!

Have you ever imagined yourself in the role of a winemaker? Carefully blending different grape varieties, adjusting each element with precision, and crafting a wine that is entirely your own. At Blaauwklippen Wine Estate, this vision becomes reality.

The Blaauwklippen Blending Competition, now in its 43rd year, is a long-standing tradition that invites wine enthusiasts to step into the art of winemaking. Participants receive a selection of wines from the estate and are challenged to experiment, refine, and ultimately create a unique blend of their own. With patience, creativity, and a touch of intuition, non-winemakers are given the rare opportunity to explore the craft behind every bottle.
More than a delightful experience to share with friends and family, the competition carries a remarkable reward: the overall winning blend will be produced and sold by the estate, becoming part of the Blaauwklippen story.
Entries open on 1 April 2026 and close on 31 April 2026. Once registration has closed, blending kits will be distributed to all participants. From there, the journey begins; time to experiment, refine, and perfect your creation before submitting your final recipe to the farm by the end of July 2026.

DETAILS

For the 43rd Blaauwklippen Blending Competition, the challenge is to blend a luminescent Cape Bordeaux style blend with 3 of Blaauwklippen’s greatest red cultivars namely: Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Malbec.
Vintage 2025 showed great potential in all the regions of the Cape Winelands. Participants will receive four samples (one Cabernet Franc, two Cabernet Sauvignon and one Malbec), and all four wines must be included in the final blend. The winning blend must take the great 2025 vintage to even greater heights.
A maximum of 60% of each Cultivar may be used (thus the two Cabernet Sauvignon components can be a maximum of 60% together) and a minimum of 5% of each component must be included in the blend. I wish you the best of luck and thank you for accepting the challenge.

WHAT IS IN THE KIT?

1 x Wine 1 - Cabernet Franc 2025
1 x Wine 2 - Cabernet Sauvignon Clone 169 2025
1 x Wine 3 - Cabernet Sauvignon Clone 46 2025
1 x Wine 4 - Malbec 2025
1 x 100ml Measuring Cylinder

Rules & Guidelines:
1. All four wine samples must be used and add up to 100%
2. No more than 60% per cultivar may be used. A minimum of 5% of each sample must be used. Please remember the total percentage of Cabernet Sauvignon may not be more than 60%.
3. Craft a serious Bordeaux style blend from vintage 2025.
4. All recipes must be submitted online via e-mail to nanette@blaauwklippen.com
5. All recipes must please be submitted by 31 July 2026.
6. No winemakers.