DWWA Regional Chair for South Africa: Fiona McDonald

Fiona McDonald is Regional Chair for South Africa at the Decanter World Wine Awards (DWWA) 2026.

Fiona McDonald

Fiona McDonald is a trained news journalist who began her wine writing career when she helped organise a wine show, which resulted in her writing a weekly column on the topic.

She spent eight years as editor of Wine magazine in Cape Town, playing a key role in documenting the dynamic South African wine renaissance since her tenure coincided with the industry’s post-apartheid era growth.

Her experience cuts across both the trade and consumer spectrum, having edited Cheers magazine, a custom liquor title, for a decade, as well as contributing to a number of other websites and publications.

Tasting and writing for the highly-regarded Platter’s guide to South African wine takes up a chunk of her annual diary but provides an invaluable snapshot of what’s happening across the length and breadth of the country’s vineyards, as does judging at local and global wine competitions.

See more DWWA 2026 Regional Chairs.