Pinotage Top 10 Winners - 2026

 The 2026 Absa Top 10 winners are:

Diemersdal – Diemersdal The Journal Pinotage 2024, WO Durbanville

Survivor Wines – Survivor Pinotage Reserve 2023, WO Swartland

Beyerskloof Wines – Beyerskloof Diesel Pinotage 2022, WO Stellenbosch

Du Toitskloof Wines – Du Toitskloof Granite Pinotage 2025, WO Malmesbury

Koelenhof Wynkelder – Koelenbosch Director’s Reserve Pinotage 2023, WO Stellenbosch

Wellington Wines – Wellington Wines La Cave Pinotage 2024, WO Wellington

Stellenrust Wines – Stellenrust ArtiSons The Professor’s Perfect Crime Pinotage 2024, WO Stellenbosch

Langdam FrostLine – Frostline Pinotage 2024, WO Koo Plateau

Groot Phesantekraal – Groot Phesantekraal Pinotage 2024, WO Durbanville

Le Grand Domaine  – Le Grand Domaine Grand Vin de Stellenbosch Pinotage 2024, WO Stellenbosch

The judges were Etienne Louw, panel convener; Wynand Lategan; Lucinda Heyns; Kiara Scott; and Moses Magwaza.

There were 112 entries submitted by 59 producers.  The 10 winners came from 6  Wine of Origin areas  —  4 Stellenbosch, 2 Durbanville, and one from each of Swartland, Malmesbury, Wellington and the Koo Plateau and from 4 vintages : 2022, 2023, 2024 and 2025. 

What I find so exciting about this competition, which started in 1997 is the mix of previous winners from well known wineries and first time winners from wineries that I have never encountered.

Congratulations to all.