Top 10 2010 Entries Invited

If you make Pinotage then enter now for the 2010 Top 10 Competition sponsored bt ABSA and organised by the Pinotage Association. Deadline for entries is 15 July 2010 and winners will be announced on 9 September 2010.

While Pinotage is made in many styles this competition is restricted to dry red Pinotages and international entries are welcome. In previous years wineries in California and New Zealand have participated.

The competition is unusual in that there are 10 equal winners in order to be able to reflect the many different interpretations of this intriguing variety.

The competition rules are available here and the entry form is here

No Pinotage at Vinexpo

There is no South African Pinotage on show at this years Vinexpo in Bordeaux, France. That is because there is no South African wine at the international wine trade show which started on 17 June and is due to run till Thursday.

French customs impounded the South African consignment. And although they released it yesterday (Monday) instead of going to Bordeaux, its being trucked to Antwerp across the border in Belgium to get fresh paperwork.

Trade paper Harpers reports a WOSA representative telling France 24 “This is a disaster. The cost of attending the show this year was almost US$300,000 (£151,139) , taking into account the cost of the stand, accommodation for 45 people, flights, and the cost of sending the wine samples. What is not possible however is to estimate the lost business."

The reasons for the wines being impounded are still unclear.

Cullinan Award for Welbedacht 'Barrel Select' 2005

I am beginning to wonder just how well I know Pinotage. Another competition result is announced and the best Pinotage award goes to a wine that I've never heard of.

The Juliet Cullinan Wine Connoisseur's Awards is judged by the Cape Wine Masters "who understand the nuances and the local consumers' preferences better than any panel in South Africa".

Welbedacht 'Barrel Select' 2005 won the Pinotage award. Runners up were Mooiplas 2003 and Groot Constantia Pinotage 2005.

According to wine.co.za , the 2005 was Welbedacht's maiden vintage of Pinotage, which, its says, "displays a seductive elegance more reminiscent of New World Pinot Noir than old-school Pinotage. Powerful red berry fruit, rather than droopy plums and banana, are interlaced with subtle hints of tomato puree and floral undertones. Although a dry wine our wood selection supplies a palatable sweetness with wafts of coconut and vanilla, followed by a delightful lingering sensation of mocca, cinnamon and pepper. Intense but elegant, with a superbly long finish. The balance of this wine allows us to enjoy its current flirtatious liveliness, but will soften pleasurably for the next three to five years."

Congratulations to Welbedacht, Mooiplas and Groot Constantia (who are on a roll with their 2005 Pinotage.)

But I'm not the only one to be unaware of this wine. Welbedacht's own web-site doesn't list Pinotage among the wines they make.

Hartenberg win Best Pinotage Trophy

In Cape Town yesterday, Hartenberg 2004 was awarded the best Pinotage Trophy at the Old Mutual Trophy Wine Show 2007. The competition, sponsored by the Old Mutual finance company, is a national competition that seeks to identify the top wines in South Africa.

The same wine also won the Old Mutual Trophy for Discovery of the Show (Best Value).

Other winning Pinotages were:

Silver Medal

• Hidden Valley 2004
• Diemersfontein Carpe Diem 2005

Bronze Medal

• Lindhorst 2005
• Laibach 2005
• Longridge 2004
• Perdeberg 2006
• PK Morkel 2004
• Meerendal 1995 – Museum Class

Judge Neil Beckett (editor of the World of Fine Wine and member of the Grand Jury European) said of the Pinotage entries “ An interesting class, we had a higher proportion of faults - brettanomyces (brett) or reduction or VA. On the other hand, there were a great number of wines, especially those on the Pinot side of the parentage, where real elegance and finesse is more evident.”

Fellow judge Cathy van Zyl MW said “A fair number of faults but also a fair number of decent, smart wines. We didn't see much evidence of the tutti frutti style and not too much of a strongly acetone style.”

So that’s another wine to add to the list that I have yet to encounter. I did taste their 2003 at the winery earlier this year and enjoyed it (medium bodied, sweet rush of fruits of the forest flavours), but I must admit that Hartenberg has been below my Pinotage radar.

Winemaker Jaco van der Merwe told me that Hartenberg had planted Pinotage quite recently and that 2001 was their first vintage.

Well done Hartenberg!

For all results see www.winemag.co.za/content/online/trophywineshow/2007/review.asp

It is interesting to note that of the 50 entries in thePinotage category, 18% won an award while the Shiraz category had 151 entries but only gained 11.26% awards

Deetlefs Pinotage wins at Swiss International Air Lines Wine Awards

Deetlefs Oak Matured Pinotage 2005 won a Gold Medal and the Top Pinotage Award at the 2007 Swiss International Air Lines Wine Awards, announced on 5 May. Stellenzicht Golden Triangle Pinotage 2005 was the other Gold Medal winning Pinotage.

The Swiss International Air Lines Wine Awards competition focusses on exposing South African wines and winemakers to major local and international retail chains, with food and wine pairing being an important component of the judging criteria.

President of the Swiss International Air Lines Wine Awards is Robert Joseph, founder of the UK International Wine Challenge. Judges include wine buyers from international retail chains and Swiss International Air Lines considers entries for serving on their flights.

The full list of winning wines can be seen at http://www.gourmetsa.com/gourmet_events/wine_awards.html

Congratulations to Deetlefs and Stellenzicht.