Winners - 2021 Pinotage Top 10

The ten winners of the 2021 ABSA Pinotage Top 10 Competition was announced today at a ceremony live streamed. They are:

Beeslaar Pinotage 2018

Stellenbosch

Abrie Beeslaar

Beyerskloof Diesel Pinotage 2018

Stellenbosch

Anri Truter

Diemersdal The Journal Pinotage 2019

Durbanville

Thys Louw

Flagstone Writer's Block Pinotage 2018

Breedekloof

Gerhard Swart

Francois van Niekerk Pinotage 2019

Coastal

Francois van Niekerk

La Cave Pinotage 2018

Wellington

Francois van Niekerk

Môreson Widow Maker 2018

Stellenbosch

Clayton Reabow

Neethlingshof Estate Pinotage 2020

Stellenbosch

De Wet Viljoen

Stellenbosch 1679 Pinotage 2019

Stellenbosch

Nicolas Husselman/Handré Visagie

Stellenrust Cornerstone Pinotage 2019

Stellenbosch

Tertius Boshoff

The ceremony can be viewed here  awards start 29 minutes in.

 

WoTM - Durbanville Hills Pinotage 2017

 My Wine of The Month for August is Durbanville Hills Pinotage 2017. I had this in The Park Hotel, Montrose, Scotland. We were on the trail of ancestors. Montrose is on the coast and is the site of the Britain's first military operational airbase opened in February 1913 for the Royal Flying Corps (RFC), later renamed Royal Air Force ( RAF). It finally closed in 1952 having seen aeroplanes from the first canvas and string bi-planes to jets.

After visiting the museum on the site we walked along Montrose's beautiful beaches backed by sand dunes but bitter winds and drizzle kept sunbathers away.

In The Parks dining room it was a real delight to see an excellent Pinotage on a wine list - the only Pinotage in our almost two weeks in Scotland and Northern England, and we had to have it.

It was a double pleasure, when the wine was delivered to our table, to see it had some age being some five years old. And it was drinking beautifully. Sleek and sophisticated, with dark plums to the fore and a long aftertaste. And finished all too soon. 

Pinotage Top 10 2021 - Finalists

The 20 finalists in this year's Absa Top 10 Pinotage are:

Beeslaar Pinotage 2018

Stellenbosch

Abrie Beeslaar

Beeslaar Pinotage 2019

Stellenbosch

Abrie Beeslaar

Beyerskloof Diesel Pinotage 2018

Stellenbosch

Anri Truter

Beyerskloof Winemakers Reserve Pinotage 2018

Stellenbosch

Anri Truter

Bowwood Pinotage 2017

Voor-Paardeberg

Matthew Copeland

Diemersdal Pinotage Reserve 2020

Durbanville

Thys Louw

Diemersdal The Journal Pinotage 2019

Durbanville

Thys Louw

Flagstone Writer's Block Pinotage 2018

Breedekloof

Gerhard Swart

Francois van Niekerk Pinotage 2019

Coastal

Francois van Niekerk

Kanonkop Pinotage 2019

Simonsberg-Stellenbosch

Abrie Beeslaar

La Cave Pinotage 2018

Wellington

Francois van Niekerk

Môreson Widow Maker 2018

Stellenbosch

Clayton Reabow

Neethlingshof Estate Pinotage 2020

Stellenbosch

De Wet Viljoen

Neil Ellis Bottelary Hills Pinotage 2019

Stellenbosch

Warren Ellis

Piekenierskloof Johan van Zyl Pinotage 2019

Piekenierskloof

Jaco van Niekerk

Rijk's Reserve Pinotage 2015

Tulbagh

Pierre Wahl

Rijk's Reserve Pinotage 2016

Tulbagh

Pierre Wahl

Simonsig Pinotage Redhill 2018

Stellenbosch

Michael Malan

Stellenbosch 1679 Pinotage 2019

Stellenbosch

Nicolas Husselman/Handré Visagie

Stellenrust Cornerstone Pinotage 2019

Stellenbosch

Tertius Boshoff

With over 133 entries received in the 2021 Pinotage Top 10, Pinotage Association chair Beyers Truter is not only delighted with the quality of the wines but also that they represent the vast Cape winelands.

The Museum class received over 10 entries.  The association encourages producers to enter this category, which truly showcases the aging potential of Pinotage wines.

The 2021 Judging panel is: Winnie Bowman, Carl Schultz, Frans Smit, Solly Monyamane, Johann Fourie and Elmarie Botes.  

The awards ceremony on 31 August will be steamed live on Facebook at midday.