The spotlight shines brightly on the world of South African winemaking as the results of the much-anticipated 2023 Absa Top 10 Pinotage Awards are unveiled..This year’s competition marks a significant milestone, celebrating over 26 years of honouring the finest Pinotage wines, proudly supported by Absa bank. The Pinotage Association was established in 1995, and will be celebrating its 28th year in November 2023.
The stars of the show
Professor Abraham Perold, the father of Pinotage—the uniquely SA grape, the one we can call our own—sadly did not live to taste wine made from the grape he had invented. The famous four seeds he had developed narrowly missed being destroyed had a young lecturer at Stellenbosch named Charlie Niehaus not rescued them. A cross between the robust Cinsault (known as Hermitage in SA then) and the finicky Pinot Noir grape, one would have thought that it would have inherited the best of both parents. But as is so often the case this is not so. Pinotage is completely its own creation, delicious, deeply interesting, it is made in a variety of styles all over the country.
Pinotage on the vine
Single Pinotages are either wooded or not, but can never be accused of being shy. Alcohol is quite high, at times reaching 15%. Excellent food wines, like all of our reds it should be served at European room temperature (about 16%) and benefits from decanting to release all those fabulous aromas. What does it taste like? Well a lot more like Shiraz than Pinot Noir, fruity, intense and delicious, with a maverick edge—very South African. Flavours of chocolate and coffee are sometimes apparent in some examples, but I say if you want chocolate, get some— and the same goes for coffee.
Pinotage and food –a match made in heaven
The ABSA Top 10 Pinotage Competition is THE benchmark for all Pinotage wines. At the recent edition the following wines were voted tops by the judges.So nice to see some newcomers like Survivor and Fairview
Perfection has a name
This year’s esteemed winners represent a range of vintages, from the robust richness of 2017 to the youthful vibrancy of 2021. The competition’s breadth is reflected in the diverse origins of these exceptional wines. From the picturesque Stellenbosch to the pristine Paarl, the captivating Coastal Region to the historic Simonsberg-Stellenbosch, the windswept Swartland to the charming Wellington, each bottle embodies the essence of its unique
Iconic brands
The ten exceptional wine producers that have triumphed in this year’s competition are:
Beeslaar Wines
Beyerskloof Wines
Fairview Wines
Francois van Niekerk Wines
Kanonkop Wine Estate
Koelenhof Cellar
L’Avenir Wine Estate
Overhex Wines International
Spier Wines
Wellington Wines
Brilliance in a bottle
Top 10 Winning Wines
Beeslaar Pinotage 2019, Stellenbosch – Winemaker Abrie Beeslaar
Beyerskloof Diesel Pinotage 2020, Stellenbosch – Winemaker Anri Truter
Fairview Primo Pinotage 2020, Paarl – Winemaker Anthony de Jager
Francois van Niekerk Pinotage 2021, Coastal Region – Winemaker Francois van Niekerk
Kanonkop Pinotage 2017, Simonsberg-Stellenbosch – Winemaker Abrie Beeslaar
Stellenbosch 1679 Old Vine Pinotage 2021, Stellenbosch – Winemaker Nicholas Husselman
L’Avenir Single Block Pinotage 2020, Stellenbosch – Winemaker Dirk Coetzee
Survivor Pinotage Reserve 2021, Swartland – Winemaker Ben Snyman
Spier 21 Gables Pinotage 2018 , Stellenbosch – Winemaker Johan Jordaan
Wellington Wines La Cave Pinotage 2021, Wellington – Francois van Niekerk
The Champions
About the Absa Top 10 Pinotage Awards:
The Absa Top 10 Pinotage Awards celebrate the finest expressions of the uniquely South African Pinotage varietal. With decades-long tradition of excellence, these awards honour the dedication and innovation of winemakers who craft wines that captivate palates and showcase the diverse terroirs of South Africa.