RUSTY nails, acetone, paint and burnt rubber.
These are all terms which have in the past been used in describing South Africa’s signature grape variety, Pinotage.
But judging by commentary revealed during last week’s Absa Top 10 Pinotage Competition, as well as evidence during tastings, Pinotage has now truly come of age. The international judge at this year’s competition, David Molyneux-Berry, said, “The Pinotage wines I have tasted have shown a huge improvement and a much higher standard has been set.”
The results of the 2010 competition show that the tireless efforts by winemakers have paid off and some exciting new “kids on the block” are emerging.
Judges all agreed that it was an extremely difficult task to choose the top 10 wines out of 133 entries tasted.
Amongst the Top 10 Pinotages are three locally bred wines, Welbedacht Estate Pinotage 2008, Anura Reserve Pinotage 2008 and Fairvew Pinotage 2009.
Windmeul Reserve Pinotage 2009 was a runner-up, with a top 20 position.
Amongst the Absa Top 10 winners, Rijk’s Private Cellar has now entered their fifth annual Pinotage winner.
Six other wineries have achieved their second Absa Top 10 rating and there are three first-time winners, including Welbedacht owned by Schalk Burger and Sons.
The other Top 10 winners are Altydgedacht Pinotage 2009 (Durbanville), Flagstone Writer’s Block Pinotage 2008 (Worcester vineyards), Kaapzicht Steytler Pinotage 2007 (Stellenbosch), Lyngrove Platinum Pinotage 2008 (Stellenbosch), and Die Laan Pinotage 2008 (Stellenbosch) from the Welgevallen Kelder (Stellenbosch University) and Wildekrans Barrel Selection 2008 (Botrivier).
Of this year’s winners the oldest vintage is from Rijk’s Private Cellar (2006), followed by Kaapzicht Estate (2007). Six of the wines are from the 2008 vintage and two from 2009. Five of this year’s ten runners-up are also from the 2009 vintage. This proves that Pinotage can show absolute top quality after only one or two years in the bottle, while it can also mature further and reach its peak after three or four years. Fairview and Anura were in the Top 10 in 2008 and were runners-up last year.
This year only three of the winning wines are from the Stellenbosch area, usually the major supplier of winning wines. This is an indication that quality Pinotage is also being produced in other parts of the Western Cape.
