SA’s top wines from iconic pinotage have been announced

Just over 24 years ago the Absa Top Ten Pinotage competition started with just a handful of entrants. This year, inspite of the challenging start to 2020, over 149 entries were received!

At the 2020 awards ceremony, Beyers Truter, Chairman of the Pinotage Association, said: “The Pinotage Association’s Vision2025 endeavours to get all stakeholders in sync with regards to pinotage research, knowledge transfer and marketing. We want to double pinotage’s contribution to the economy in the period ending in 2025, when pinotage will be celebrating its centenary. This will be possible with the commitment from our partner Absa and their continued support to the wine industry”.

Beyers also referred to the improved quality of pinotage and winemakers’ greater understanding of their terroir, these being the fundamental ingredients of the variety’s success. He added that he was not only delighted with the quality of the wines, but also that they represented the entire Cape winelands area.

The winners include three wines from Stellenbosch, two from Durbanville, two from Paarl, one from Western Cape, one from Swartland and one from Worcester.  Five of the Top 10 winners are from the 2018 vintage, one from 2019, three from 2017 and one from 2016.

In the Vintage Class for wines at least 10 years old – which testifies to the good ageing potential of top pinotage – the winners are from Stellenbosch (2) and Tulbagh (1).

The 2020 Absa Top 10 Pinotage winners (in alphabetical order) are:

Aan de Doorns Pinotage 2018
WO Worcester, Winemakers Gert van Deventer & Chris Geldenhuys

Anura Signature Pinotage 2017
WO Simonsberg-Paarl, Winemaker Stander Maass

Beyerskloof Diesel Pinotage 2017
WO Stellenbosch, Winemaker Anri Truter

Conradie Family Vineyards Pinotage 2019
WO Western Cape, Winemaker CP Conradie

Delheim Vera Cruz Pinotage 2016
WO Simonsberg-Stellenbosch, Winemaker Roelof Lotriet

Diemersdal The Journal Pinotage 2018
WO Durbanville, Winemaker Thys Louw

Durbanville Hills Collectors Reserve Pinotage 2017
WO Durbanville, Winemaker Wilhelm Coetzee

Kaapzicht Pinotage 2018
WO Stellenbosch, Winemaker Danie Steytler

Pulpit Rock’s Brink Family Vineyards Pinotage 2018
WO Swartland, Winemaker Dewald Huisamen

Windmeul’s The Legend Collection Pinotage 2018
WO Paarl, Winemaker Abraham van Heerden

The 2020 Vintage Class winners are:

Kanonkop Pinotage 2009
WO Simonsberg-Stellenbosch, Winemaker Abrie Beeslaar

Neil Ellis Vineyard Selection Pinotage 2010
WO Jonkershoek Valley in Stellenbosch, Winemaker Warren Ellis

Rijk’s Reserve Pinotage 2010
WO Tulbagh, Winemaker Pierre Wahl

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