Pinotage Top 20 Finalists

The 20 finalists for 2018 Absa Pinotage Top 10 Competition are:

Absa Top 10 Pinotage Finalists

Allée Bleue Black Series Old Vine Pinotage 2016WO Piekenierskloof (Franschhoek cellar), Winemaker Van Zyl du Toit

Alvi’s Drift Reserve Verreaux Pinotage 2015WO Worcester, Winemaker Alvi van der Merwe

Badsberg Pinotage 2017WO Breedekloof, Winemaker Henri Swiegers

Beyerskloof Diesel Pinotage 2015WO Stellenbosch, Winemaker Anri Truter

Diemersdal Pinotage Reserve 2017WO Durbanville, Winemaker Thys Louw

Diemersdal Pinotage 2015WO Durbanville, Winemaker Thys Louw

Fairview Primo Pinotage 2016WO Paarl, Winemaker Anthony de Jager

Flagstone Writer’s Block Pinotage 2016WO Breedekloof (Somerset West cellar), Winemaker Gerhard Swart

Kaapzicht Steytler Pinotage 2015WO Bottelary-Stellenbosch, Winemaker Danie Steytler

Kaapzicht Pinotage 2016WO Bottelary-Stellenbosch, Winemaker Danie Steytler

Kanonkop Pinotage 2013WO Simonsberg-Stellenbosch, Winemaker Abrie Beeslaar

Kanonkop Pinotage 2015WO Simonsberg-Stellenbosch, Winemaker Abrie Beeslaar

KWV The Mentors Pinotage 2016WO Darling (Paarl cellar), Winemaker Izele van Blerk

Lanzerac Pionier Pinotage 2015WO Stellenbosch, Winemaker Wynand Lategan

Lyngrove Platinum Pinotage 2016WO Stellenbosch, Winemaker Danie van Tonder

Meerendal Heritage Block Single Vineyard Pinotage 2016WO Durbanville, Winemaker Liza Goodwin

Môreson The Widow Maker Pinotage 2015WO Stellenbosch (Franschhoek cellar), Winemaker Clayton Reabow

Môreson The Widow Maker Pinotage 2016WO Stellenbosch (Franschhoek cellar), Winemaker Clayton Reabow

Rijk’s Reserve Pinotage 2014WO Tulbagh, Winemaker Pierre Wahl

Wellington Wines Duke of Wellington Pinotage 2017WO Wellington, Winemaker Francois van Niekerk

From these will be chosen the Top 10 winners.

2018 saw a record number of 161 entries for the 22nd annual competition.  

The judges were 

• Neil Ellis (proprietor of Neil Ellis Wines) chair
• Nomonde Kubheka, wine educator 
• Francois Haasbrook, wine maker 
• Samarie Smith, wine writer  
• Francois Rautenbach, wine buyer for Singita Premier Wine Direct.

Seven wines in the Top 20 are from Stellenbosch cellars, with two of the others made in Franschhoek using grapes from Stellenbosch. Four  wineries each have  two wines in the 20: Diemersdal (Durbanville), Kaapzicht (Stellenbosch) Kanonkop (Stellenbosch) and Môreson (Franschhoek). 

The Top 10 winners will be announced on 15 August.

Also announced were the finalists for the Museum Class.

Museum Class Finalists

Grangehurst Pinotage 2008WO Stellenbosch, Winemaker Jeremy Walker

Kanonkop Pinotage 2006WO Simonsberg-Stellenbosch, Winemaker Abrie Beeslaar

Lord Neethling Pinotage 2003Neethlingshof, WO Stellenbosch, Winemaker De Wet Viljoen

Neil Ellis Vineyard Selection Pinotage 2008WO Stellenbosch, Winemaker Warren Ellis

Rijk’s Private Cellar Pinotage 2008WO Tulbagh, Winemaker Pierre Wahl