NO SURPRISES among the 2024 Absa Top 10 Pinotage trophy winners. They all have good pedigrees, so to speak, with those having top track records over the past 10 years in terms of the SA Wine Classification including Beeslaar, Diemersdal Reserve, Flagstone Writer's Block, Francois van Niekerk, Kanonkop and La Cave from Wellington Winery. Also of note: two of the vintages had already been in the spotlight during the previous 12 months, namely the 2022 Diemersdal Reserve, a double gold medallist at the Global Fine Wine Challenge in Australia, and the 2021 Flagstone Writer's Block, a gold medallist scored 95/100 at the International Wine & Spirit Competition in the UK.
In the words of the Pinotage Association: “The aim of the annual competition is to identify 10 Pinotage wines which will serve as benchmarks for the development of distinctive South African Pinotage, and illustrate the uniqueness of Pinotage in the local and international wine world.” In 2024 there were 112 entries from 65 producers spanning 29 different areas of the Cape winelands. The panel of judges: wine writer Samarie Smith (convener), winery proprietor Neil Ellis, Cape Wine Master Karin Visser, viticulture lecturer and researcher at Stellenbosch University Dr Erna Bonequeert, and winemaker Etienne Louw (Nitida, Orpheus & The Raven).
TOP 10 WINNERS
Beeslaar Pinotage 2022
R660pb ex-producer, Stellenbosch
Beyerskloof Winemakers Reserve 2022
R350pb ex-cellar, Stellenbosch
Diemersdal Pinotage Reserve 2022
R210pb ex-cellar, Durbanville
Flagstone Writer's Block Pinotage 2021
R412pb ex-cellar, Somerset West / Strand
Francois van Niekerk Pinotage 2022
R746pb ex-producer, Wellington
Kanonkop Pinotage 2018
Museum Class, Simonsberg-Stellenbosch Cellar
La Cave Pinotage 2022 (Wellington Winery)
R240pb ex-cellar, Wellington
Rijk's Private Cellar Pinotage 2020
R350pb ex-cellar, Tulbagh
Stellenbosch ‘1679' Old Vine Pinotage 2022 (Koelenhof)
R390pb ex-cellar, Koelenhof-Stellenbosch
Windmeul Legend Pinotage 2022
R350pb ex-cellar, Paarl
ALSO FINALISTS
Beeslaar Pinotage 2021
R690pb ex-producer, Stellenbosch
Bellingham Bernard Series Bush Vine Pinotage 2021
R280pb ex-producer, Franschhoek
Beyerskloof Diesel Pinotage 2021
R1100pb ex-cellar, Stellenbosch
Diemersdal Pinotage Reserve 2023
R210pb ex-cellar, Durbanville
Durbanville Hills Collectors Reserve Pinotage 2022
R155pb ex-cellar, Durbanville
Flagstone Truth Tree Pinotage 2021
R165pb ex-cellar, Somerset West / Strand
Glen Carlou Collection Pinotage 2022
R390pb ex-cellar, Simonsberg-Paarl
KWV Mentors Pinotage 2020
R349pb ex-cellar, Paarl
Raka Pinotage 2022
R125pb ex-cellar, Klein River-Overberg
Windmeul Reserve Pinotage 2021
R150pb ex-cellar, Paarl
