The collective bruised ego that the nation suffered after the Springboks' forgettable World Cup campaign in England this year, was somewhat restored less than a fortnight ago, also in that country. On a typically damp English winter night, a winemaker from Stellenbosch in the Western Cape received the 46th International Wine and Spirit Competition's Winemaker of the Year award.Determined to restore some of the national pride his countrymen had dented months earlier, Abrie Beeslaar was all smiles as he told me how he tried to "set things right" when he accepted what is said to be one of the industry's most highly acclaimed awards at a ceremony at London's Guild Hall.The cellar master at Kanonkop Wine Estate, found in the "red-wine bowl" on the slopes of Simonsberg Mountain in Stellenbosch, is the first local winemaker to receive the award twice. He last won the title in 2008."This type of thing doesn't happen to most winemakers in their lifetime so for it to happen twice is [special]," Beeslaar said as we walked through the Kanonkop cellar, where he pointed out a cobwebbed rack of some of the farms earliest wines dating back to the 1970s.Kanonkop is a charming place, with its manicured vineyards and cobbled roads. Throughout, it manages to find an easy balance between the modern and antiquated.The farm is a fourth-generation family estate, and was originally owned by a former cabinet minister in the Union of South Africa, JW "Oom Paul" Sauer.A musty smell fills the air in the darkened cellar, where hundreds of casks are stacked and only a few streams of light find their way through cracks.Still beaming from his award, where he beat more than 80 international winemakers, Beeslaar said, "It's still just a crazy feeling, [there are] a lot of emotions still happening. I always thought winning or losing didn't bother me much, but when you do get that type of recognition you realise you're just human and it feels really nice."We walked to a different building where Beeslaar led me down a short flight of stairs into a hidden room used for private tastings. In it, a large wooden table surrounded by rows of shelves filled with dusty wine bottles. Between the shelves, a wall in the front of the room is full of colourful odes to wine.Beeslaar selected one written by a guest and which also covers a wall in the main foyer."Pinotage is juice taken from women's tongues and lions' hearts. After drinking a sufficient amount of it, one can talk forever and fight the devil."Kanonkop won Best Pinotage and SA Producer of Year at IWSC to go with Beeslaar's winemaker of the year award.The Stellenbosch University graduate, who studied oenology and viticulture there, credits the farm's success to the approach to wine-making at Kanonkop."We've kept our style consistent; we don't drastically change from year to year," said Beeslaar."We always try to improve, even if it's 1% to 2% in quality, but we keep our style consistent. We also have the right soil, climate and the right varieties planted in the soil. It's unique and allows us to make unique wines."Andre Morgenthal from Wines of South Africa had plenty of praise for the farm and its wine maker."[Abrie] is a tremendously talented and competent winemaker. It [also] proves the provenance and quality of Kanonkop. The vineyard is world class. We are rubbing shoulders with the best wine regions and wine makers in the world."This kind of accolade raises the image of the South African wine industry and wines. A look at the other competitors confirms our quality on the world stage."..