THE SWARTLAND Survivor Pinotage had impressed for quite a while before the appointment of Pierre Wahl as cellarmaster in January 2022. So much to look forward to in due course with ‘The Pope of Pinotage’ now in charge. After four years at the Friedman family’s Môreson cellar in Franschhoek, followed by 20 years at Neville Dorrington’s Rijk’s wine estate in Tulbagh, Wahl is one of the Top 10 Pinotage winemakers in South Africa – some would go further to say one of the Top 4 or 5 in the world.

From Swartland grapes and the Overhex winery of Gerhard van der Wath in Worcester, Survivor Pinotage has placed among the winners in the Pinotage Association’s Top 10 Competition on two occasions, with vintages 2014 and 2017, and has earned gold medals at Mundus Vini in Germany with four vintages, 2017 to 2020. The 2017 Reserve came top of its class at the Trophy Wine Show (SA), the 2019 won gold at Mundus Vini, and the 2020 vintage of Survivor Pinotage Reserve was among the Top 10 Pinotage Competition finalists before being awarded 5 Stars in Platter’s SA Wine Guide.

However, Wahl is also a savvy winemaker when it comes to various other grape varieties. For some time already the Survivor winemaking team has been expanding their source of fruit beyond the Swartland to areas including Elgin (for Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc) as well as Stellenbosch (for Cabernet Sauvignon), and the first wine to be introduced to the range by the new man at the helm is from the vineyards of Joubert-Tradauw on route R62 outside Barrydale in the Klein Karoo. It’s not a Pinotage, but rather a 2019 blend of Cabernet Franc (85%) and Merlot (15%). And at R450pb, it’s positioned above the 2020 Pinotage Reserve.

There were only 2300 bottles of the first Cellar Master Series Pendulum produced, swinging between an ‘Old World’ style and its ‘New World’ youth and vibrancy. The Cab Franc and Merlot made by Meyer Joubert were aged separately for three years in used 550L and 300L French oak barrels before Wahl did the fine-tuning and blending. The 2022 vintage combines 75% Cab Franc with 25% Merlot, and the Pendulum will be joined towards the end of 2023 by the first white wine in the Cellar Master Series, a 2022 Chardonnay at R350, also WO Tradouw.

SURVIVOR PINOTAGE RESERVE 2020
WO Swartland. 100% Pinotage from bushvines 10 to 20 years old in deep red soils, harvested in February at optimal ripeness (25-26° Balling). Fermentation at 22-25°C; malolaction fermenation in 300L medium-toasted French oak barrels (20% new). Barrel maturation lasted 18 months. Best barrels selected (2300 bottles), with the balance contributing to the larger-volume Survivor Pinotage at half the price.
Alc 14 | RS 4.4 | TA 5.5 | pH 3.6
From Producer’s Tasting Notes: Inky mulberry in colour with taut, rich black berry fruit, dusty slate and quince jelly and strawberry confit on aromatic nose. Elegant expression with firm ripe tannin structure. Wisps of smoke and roasted berries add to the complexity. Dry, graphite mineral finish.
Food Pairing Suggestions: Sweet barbeque ribs, roast chicken, boerewors and steak, or Gouda cheese.
R400pb ex-cellar.