Top ten Pinotage wines announced

Announced last week by the South African Pinotage Association, are the best selling and best drinking wines for 2009, as judged by Duimpie Bayley, Francois Naude, Allan Cheesman, Wendy Burridge, Chris Roux,  Gert Boerssen and Neil Pendock.

Interestingly enough, the competition attracted 139 entries, reflecting a growth of 190% in the number of entries received since the first competition in 1997 and including three entries from New Zealand.

King Pinotage producers, Kanonkop and Beyerskloof retained their places on the role of honour along with five first-time winners; Altydgedacht, Flagstone, Lyngrove, Onyx and Viljoensdrift.

Diemersfontein Pinotage wine

2009 Absa Top Ten Pinotage wines -

• Altydgedacht Pinotage 2008 (Durbanville)
• Beyerskloof Diesel Pinotage 2007 (Stellenbosch)
• Cathedral Cellar Pinotage 2006 (Coastal)
• Flagstone Writer’s Block Pinotage 2007 (Worcester)
• Kanonkop Pinotage 2005 (Simonsberg-Stellenbosch)
• Longridge Pinotage 2007 (Stellenbosch)
• Lyngrove Platinum Pinotage 2007 (Stellenbosch)
• Onyx Pinotage 2006 (Darling)
• Viljoensdrift River Grandeur 2008 (Robertson)
• Windmeul Reserve Pinotage 2008 (Paarl)

2009 Absa Top 10 Pinotage Competition judges

Ten Runners-Up

• Cathedral Cellar Pinotage 2007
• De Waal Top of the Hill Pinotage 2007
• Diemersfontein Carpe Diem Pinotage 2007
• Fort Simon Pinotage 2006
• Kanonkop Pinotage 2006
• Lesebo Pinotage 2007
• Simonsig Redhill Pinotage 2007
• Stellenzicht Cellarmaster’s Release Pinotage 2007
• The Bernard Series Bush Vine Pinotage 2007
• Wildekrans Barrel Selection Pinotage 2007

In summing up, James Slabbert, Managing Executive of Absa Coprorate and Business Bank, had this to say:

We have seen the standards and quality of Pinotage raise dramatically in the last few years. Our involvement in the Absa Top 10 Pinotage Competition was initially intended to help wine-makers improve the quality of the wine and to create benchmarks to which to aspire to. Today, wines that make it into the top ten have gone on to become benchmarks in the industry. The quality of the wine has improved to such an extent that being part of the Top 20 is now also being considered a significant achievement.

Definately wines to look out for when planning the next venison braai.

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