WHO CAN remember when last The Mentors Perold from KWV of Paarl wasn't included among the finalists of South Africa's Perold Cape Blend Competition! A simple explanation is that having been among the winners for the umpteenth time in 2023, the 2020 vintage that they triumphed with then was still on sale in late-2024 and entry of the 2021 vintage was being stalled until after its release onto the local market. Over the years, The Mentors combo has been the most successful Pinotage-driven blend since the Pinotage Association devised the term ‘Cape Blend' in 2000 and the first Perold Cape Blend challenge was held in 2011 – Abraham Perold having been KWV's chief oenologist from 1928 to 1941 and the viticulturist/academic credited with crossing Pinot Noir and Hermitage (Cinsault) at Stellenbosch University's farm Welgevallen to come up with the first Pinotage vines in 1925.
At the 2024 Perold Absa Cape Blend awards, one of the Top 6 wines was fielded by Bellevue of Bottelary in Stellenbosch, one of the first farms to plant Pinotage. The 2022 vintage of their Atticus blend emulated the standard of their 2021, which was among the winners at the 2023 edition of the competition for blended red wines comprising 30% to 70% Pinotage, with Pinotage being the dominant variety. And of the 36 wines on the tasting bench in '24 to also get a nod from the judges were those from newcomers to this podium, namely Daschbosch of Rawsonville, Fuselage of Wellington, Koelenhof Winery and Warwick of Stellenbosch as well as Rooiberg of Robertson – details below.
Applauded at the same awards presentation were the winners of the 2024 Pinotage Rosé Competition, in which there were 22 entries, and among these laureates were Bon Courage of Robertson and Painted Wolf of Paarl, who have each placed among the judges' favourites on three previous occasions – see below for the names and vintages of the Top 6.
On the panel: Hermanuspietersfontein MD Wilhelm Pienaar (convener), Cape Wine Master Winnie Bowman, illimis Wines owner-winemaker Lucinda Heyns, De Grendel winemaker Morgan Steyn and Three Quarters Wines owner-winemaker Mahalia Kotjane.
WINNING BLENDS
Bellevue Atticus Cape Blend 2022
R150pb ex-cellar, Bottelary-Stellenbosch
Daschbosch Gift 2020
R120pb ex-cellar, Rawsonville-Breedekloof
Fuselage Pilot & Navigator 2021
R225pb ex-cellar, Wellington
Koelenbosch Nineteenfortyone 2022
R120pb ex Koelenhof Winery, Koelenhof-Stellenbosch
Rooiberg Reserve Cape Blend 2022
R160pb ex-cellar, Robertson
Warwick Three Cape Ladies 2021
R200pb ex-cellar, Simonsberg-Stellenbosch
ALSO FINALISTS
Agaat John David 2022
R144pb ex-Truter Family Vineyards, Wellington
Beyerskloof Faith 2021
R1000pb ex-cellar, Stellenbosch
Beyerskloof Traildust 2022
R220pb ex-cellar, Stellenbosch
L'Avenir Stellenbosch Classic 2020
R160pb ex-cellar, Simonsberg-Stellenbosch
WINNING ROSÉS
Aaldering Pinotage Rosé 2024
R220pb ex-cellar, Devon Valley-Stellenbosch
Bon Courage Lady of the House Pinotage Rosé 2024
R95pb ex-cellar, Robertson
De Grendel Rosé 2024
R100pb ex-cellar, Panorama-Durbanville
Deetlefs Stonecross Pinotage Rosé 2024
R95pb ex-cellar, Rawsonville-Breedekloof
L'Avenir Horizon Rosé de Pinotage 2024
R110pb ex-cellar, Simonsberg-Stellenbosch
Painted Wolf Den Pinotage Rosé 2024
R110pb ex-cellar, Paarl
