Hasher Family Wines has been named Winery of the Year at the 2026 London Wine Competition, marking its second consecutive win. The title, awarded to the winery whose portfolio achieves the highest average score across all judged criteria, places Hasher at the top of an international field entries from 30 wine-producing nations.
Leading the charge was the Ernest Pinot Noir 2024, which scored 99 out of 100 points, earning a Double Gold medal – the competition’s highest honour, reserved for wines that judges unanimously consider best in class. The 2024 Ernest also claimed Pinot Noir of the Year, Wine of the Year South Africa, and Wine of the Year.
Equally, the 2023 Batrachella Pinotage scored a staggering 99 points, while the Marimist Chardonnay 2024 was awarded 98 points. Both the 2023 Cyriel Cabernet Franc and 2025 Nauticus Sauvignon Blanc scored 95 points.
For a winery established only in 2021, winning it twice signals something far more meaningful: consistency at the highest level.
“We’ve always believed that quality isn’t a single moment – it’s something you build, vintage by vintage,” said Natasha Williams, winemaker at Hasher Family Wines. “Winning Winery of the Year back-to-back tells us that what we’re doing in the vineyards and in the cellar is truly consistent, and that matters to us more than any single score. We’re especially proud of how the 2024 vintage is showing. It was our third growing season, and the shift towards a more regenerative approach is now clearly reflected in the quality of the grapes and ultimately, in the glass.”
This recognition reflects the work of the entire Hasher team and the estate’s commitment to minimal intervention, wild fermentation, and farming that works with the land rather than against it. Hasher Family Wines farms some of the oldest vineyards established in the Upper Hemel-en-Aarde Valley ward, and nearly a third of its property is dedicated to nature conservation.
About the competition
Now in its ninth year, the London Wine Competition draws entries from wine-producing nations worldwide and judges each wine across three weighted criteria – Quality, Value, and Packaging – producing a score designed to reflect how a wine performs in the real world, not just in a tasting room. The quality is tasted blind and carries double weigh ng in the final calculation. The Competition is built to identify wines that consumers genuinely want to buy and that trade buyers will want to list, making it one of the most commercially relevant competitions in the global calendar. Judging is carried out by a panel of active trade professionals, including Masters of Wine, Master Sommeliers, and senior buyers from fine dining, retail, hospitality, and distribution. The Double Gold medal is awarded only to wines scoring between 96 and 100 points.
About Hasher Family Wines
Hasher Family Wines is a South African estate with growing global presence, rooted in the Upper Hemel-en-Aarde Valley – one of the most exciting and distinctive appellations in South Africa. Founded in 2021 by the Herten-Haspeslagh families, the estate is run by a young and ambitious team that has wasted little me making their mark internationally – from top scores at Decanter and The Drinks Business, to back-to-back Winery of the Year tiles at the London Wine Competition.
The estate produces primarily Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, with small batches of Sauvignon Blanc, Pinotage, and Cabernet Franc under the guidance of winemaker Natasha Williams. In the vineyard, the focus lies on regenera ve farming – working with the land’s natural rhythms, building soil health, and allowing the unique character of the Upper Hemel-en-Aarde Valley to express itself fully. In the cellar, this translates into minimal intervention, wild fermentation on, and careful use of French oak. Nearly a third of the property is dedicated to nature conservation, including a rare palmiet peat wetland, reflecting the belief that great wine and a healthy landscape are inseparable.
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