WeeklySA_AdminCHAPTER: A string of wine awards puts the young winemaker at the heart of Vergenoegd Löw’s revival, where vineyard renewal and cellar experimentation are yielding results…
By Len Maseko
Vusi Dalicuba’s winemaking journey is taking root alongside the revival of one of South Africa’s oldest working farms — and the latest accolades suggest both are finding their stride.
The young winemaker, whose full name is Mvuselelo, is helping shape a new chapter at Vergenoegd Löw, the historic Stellenbosch estate where he has worked as viticulturist and winemaker since 2021.
According to the estate, its wines secured strong scores and medals in the 2026 Tim Atkin MW South Africa Report, SA Young Wine Show and Michelangelo International Wine & Spirits Awards. For Dalicuba, the results reflect years of learning, experimentation and an increasingly precise understanding of the farm’s vineyards.
This farm is my place of learning, all the time, each new day…
“This farm is my place of learning, all the time, each new day,” he says.
In the 2026 Tim Atkin report, six of the estate’s wines scored at least 90 points. Three led the showing with 93 points apiece: the 2023 Family Collection Lara Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2023 Family Collection Maximilian Bordeaux-style Red Blend and the 2025 Family Collection Bordeaux-style White Blend.
The 2024 Cabernet Sauvignon earned 91 points, while the 2025 Chardonnay and 2024 Merlot each received 90. Dalicuba was also shortlisted as a Rising Star in the report.
At the Stellenbosch regional leg of the SA Young Wine Show, the estate’s wooded Chardonnay collected three trophies: Champion Chardonnay, Champion Wood Matured White Wine and Champion White Wine overall. Its Cape Vintage Port-style wine won Champion Fortified Wine. Both subsequently earned gold medals at the national competition.
The Michelangelo awards added further recognition, with double gold for the 2017 Sebastian Port-style wine and gold medals for the 2025 Sauvignon Blanc, 2023 Cabernet Sauvignon and 2024 Merlot.
Learning from the land
Dalicuba arrived at an estate already undergoing substantial change. Following German investor Peter Löw’s acquisition of the property in 2015, Vergenoegd Löw began an extensive vineyard replanting programme in 2017, guided by detailed soil analysis.
The farm, whose history dates to 1696, also follows regenerative vineyard practices intended to improve soil health, encourage biodiversity and support natural systems. Its conservation work has earned it recognition as a WWF Conservation Champion.
For Dalicuba, vineyard renewal and cellar development are closely connected. Working with managing director Corius Visser and the wider team, he explores how individual vineyard blocks can express the farm’s distinctive character.
Blocks are vinified separately, while fermentation and extraction methods are adapted to preserve freshness, fruit purity and texture.
“We experiment as far and as widely as we can,” he says, describing an approach that combines innovation with traditional winemaking.
He brings a Master’s degree in Viticulture and Oenology from Cape Peninsula University of Technology and mentorship from wine professionals Lorraine Geldenhuys, Beyers Truter and Abrie Beeslaar.
Recognition preceded this year’s successes. Dalicuba was runner-up in Winemag.co.za’s inaugural Next Generation Awards in 2024, when the estate’s 2022 Lara Cabernet Sauvignon scored 95 points. That year, its Amalie Merlot from the same vintage won the VinLog Merlot Trophy at Michelangelo.
The latest awards strengthen the connection between the estate’s investment in its vineyards and the development of the winemaker entrusted with their fruit. “I have huge respect for Corius and all my colleagues,” Dalicuba says. “Here, the learning never stops.”
Visitors can taste the collection at the historic farm near Stellenbosch. Wines are also available online for nationwide delivery.
