Wednesday, October 07, 2026

The 2026 ABSA Cape Blend and Pinotage Rosé Awards

The event was held at Simonsvlei Winery in Paarl,
which also houses the offices of Veritas and the Pinotage Association

Tasting the competition wines in Bennie's Bistro
For us it was a very fast speed tasting
The temperature that day had risen - a Spring heatwave at 37ºC
and getting out of Cape Town early afternoon to get there by 4 pm took us more than an hour and a half
Lynne reckoned everyone was headed for the first dip of the year in their home pools...

First to taste were the 2026 Absa Pinotage Rosé Finalists
While many of these wines have gentle fruit on the palate, none was sweet
All make perfect matches with many different foods on a menu if one, or some are having meat
and the others fish or seafood; they pair easily with both
The residual sugars ranged between 1.8 gm/l for the Deetlefs Stonecross Pinotage Rosé 2026
to 8.2 for the 2026 Rooiberg Winery Pinotage Rosé
They are all certainly a great introduction to modern Pinotage Rosés 

Then Lynne tasted all the 2026 Perold Absa Cape Blend Finalists (more about them later)
then we were ushered into the main building to the Tuga Portuguesa Restaurant for the awards and speeches

A new venue for us but definitely a find, and we will return

The programme and the menu



De Wet Viljoen, Master of Ceremonies, welcomed us
The Pinotage Association received 56 entries:
37 Cape Blends from 28 producers and 19 Pinotage Rosés from 19 producers
The Cape Blends represented 13 production areas and the Rosés 12,
giving the judging panel a view of wines made across a broad range of origins

The welcoming toast was the Simonsig Brut Rosé Kaapse Vonkel Cap Classique, always a favourite
All the competition wines were available for tasting with our meal

Elsabé Ferreira is the fantastic background organiser
who is responsible for logistics, venues and getting us to this and all the other arrangements
She organises other large functions so well too,
including the Terroir, Pinotage and this week's Veritas Awards competitions and presentations

These are the two lists of the finalists

The Pinotage Rosé finalists

The 2026 Perold Absa Cape Blend Finalists

There were two vintages of the KWV The Mentors Perold 2021 - Pinotage, Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Malbec
and 2023 to which 7% Petit Sirah was added. Both are superb examples of modern Pinotage blends

We were able to taste all of them with our food and they added so much to it

The quality is very high and the different blends all show something different
with the blended components playing quite a big part in enhancing the main component, Pinotage,
which is what a good blend is all about

Chairman of the Pinotage Association, Beyers Truter, in a pensive moment
This was the 15th Perold Cape Blend Competition

Cape Wine Masters
Current CWM Chair Mark Philp and Bennie Howard, who was one of the first three CWM graduates

The first three Cape Wine Masters (FC “Duimpie” Bayly, Bennie Howard and Tony Mossop)
wrote and passed their examinations in 1983, but were only awarded their diplomas on the 19th of July 1984

Beyers Truter, the "Pinotage King" amused us with his informative speech about the history of Pinotage

The idea of making a blend was first discussed by the Pinotage Association pre 2000, when research began
Duimpie Bayly drank pinotage for two hours, just tasting, then blending
He called it a Cape Blend
"The next step is to encourage wider participation and help more wine drinkers discover the awarded wines"

“We must keep growing these competitions,” said Truter
“More entries bring more producers into the conversation
and give us a stronger view of the quality being made across our wine regions
The awards also give people a practical starting point:
Twelve wines to seek out, taste and talk about. That is how recognition can lead to a wider audience for Pinotage”

Winemaker Guy Webber, a member of the judging panel

The judging panel included Charles Hopkins, Guy and Estelle Lourens
With Cape Blends and Rosés asking different things of Pinotage,
the awards provide an opportunity to recognise quality across both styles.
“The quality of these wines shows how versatile Pinotage can be.
In a Cape Blend, it can contribute fruit, structure and depth while working with the other varieties
As a Rosé, it can offer freshness, delicate fruit and balance
The styles are different, but the same care is needed: sound fruit, thoughtful winemaking
and a clear idea of the wine the producer wants to make” - Charles Hopkins – 2026 panel convener

Restaurant manager Luca
Tuga Portuguesa is owned and run by the family legacy of Naldo Gonçalves,
continuing through his son Ryan and grandson Luca
The family has over 45 years of experience in restaurant kitchens
including historical roots with the original Longhorn Steakhouse, O Galito, Vilamoura, NV-80 and Pigalle

Jolene Grobler, ABSA Business Banking. We really enjoyed meeting her and talking banking! 

The Pinotage Rosé trophy
awarded to the winners who were, in order:
1. Bon Courage for their very elegant 2026 Lady of the House Pinotage Rosé
2. Jakkalsvlei 2026 Pinotage Rosé
3. Deetlefs Stonecross Pinotage Rosé
4. Merwida 2026 Papenkuils Vlei Vygie Pinotage Rosé
5. Pulpit Rock 2026 Stories Pinotage Rosé
6. Rooiberg Winery 2026 Pinotage Rosé

and one of the trophies for the 2026 winning Cape Blends which were:
Flagstone Winery - Flagstone Dragon Tree Cape Blend, 2023, WO Cape Coast
Jakkalsvlei Private Cellar - Jakkalsvlei Mount Cuvée Cape Blend, 2024, WO Western Cape
KWV - KWV The Mentors Perold 2023, WO Coastal Region
Neethlingshof Estate - Neethlingshof Tors, 2024, WO Stellenbosch
Perdeberg Group - Perdeberg Endura Winemaker’s Selection Cape Blend, 2024, WO Coastal Region
Stellenbosch Hills - Stellenbosch Hills Suikerboschrand, 2022, WO Stellenbosch

A hug for the winner

Beyers Truter and Jolene Grobler awarding the Winner's trophy to Izelle van Blerk, Senior Winemaker, KWV The Mentors

She won the Duimpie Bayly Veritas Vertex trophy for the 2022 vintage at Veritas 2025

The Pinotage Rosé winners

Back row, Left to Right: Beyers Truter (Chairman), Hennie Kotze (Jakkalsvlei), Jolene Grobler (Absa),
Irvi Geduld (Bon Courage), Philip Deetlefs (Deetlefs), Dirk Rust (Rooiberg)
Front row: Jean Aubrey (Merwida), Dewald Huisamen (Pulpit Rock)

ABSA Pinotage Association 2026 Cape Blend trophy winners

Back, Left to Right: Beyers Truter (Chairman), Hennie Kotze (Jakkalsvlei), Andri le Roux (Perdeberg),
Luan Steyn (Neethlingshof), Charl Myburgh (Stellenbosch Hills), Jolene Grobler (Absa)
Front: Gerhard Swart (Flagstone), Izéle van Blerk (KWV)

The six winners of the 2026 Perold Absa Cape Blend Competition
will each receive a tuna-fishing expedition sponsored by TN Coopers

The Zimbabwean gentlemen who looked after us so well
L to R Hugh, KoJo and Niger

The food was spectacularly good
We started with perfectly cooked baby squid and spicy chicken livers
This was followed by huge tender spiced prawns
The steak Trinchado was tender in a well-spiced sauce

John's plated main course is below
Deep fried crunchy squares of herbed polenta, battered green beans, a dish of rich pork stew with beans and spice,
two prawns, Peri Peri chicken, chips and a dish of Bacalhau

 We must return soon


 All the stories we have produced since 2012
can be opened from the archive list near the top of the column on the right of this page

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Monday, October 05, 2026

The Grace Conservatory Launch at The Homestead

Elaine Rousseau invited us to her launch of The Homestead's spectacular new glass Conservatory,
named The Grace after Elaine's mother who died in 2025

It can be used for functions in all weathers. It is glass, floor to ceiling on three sides

 For ten years, The Homestead has catered for many functions, small and large in Wynberg, Cape Town

Chene from Vinimark and Johan, their in-house bartender,
were there to greet us with a glass of very good wine when we arrived
We were able to taste from a very good selection of Cape wines
We began with a glass of Samantha O'Keefe's Lismore Viognier
and then a taste of Green Dragon Colombard bubbly from Silverthorn wine farm in Bonnievale
Also served were Adi Badenhorst's Secateurs Chenin Blanc from the Swartland and Rustenberg Sauvignon blanc

The Homestead is surrounded by spectacular gardens, a glorious mix of flowers, fruit and vegetables
They also have a Community Garden for locals to share 

Donné – the elegant and talented Violinist on her electric violin
We have seen her perform elsewhere with her group

Amber Vermeulen & Matthew, the in-house bartenders, at the permanent outdoor bar
They also had a very good selection of wines like Glenelly Merlot, 
which shows flavours of rich cherry with coffee and milk chocolate; delicious
Many people were also drinking Aperol and other cocktails, mocktails and juices

The small table we occupied where we were joined by other very entertaining and friendly guests
Those huge green olives are the best we have ever eaten and we'd love to know where they can be sourced!

Many guests are in the hospitality industry and are function and wedding arrangers and organisers
so they came to admire and check out the new layout and showed immediate interest in booking the Grace Conservatory
The capacity of this new space will allow for 80 in a formal seated event, or 120 pax for cocktail events

The courtyard and doors into the other function rooms and the kitchens

Oh those huge and delicious King prawns in a crispy batter and a sweet Asian dipping sauce
They were, understandably, very popular

Tiny Tuna Tacos on a bed of sea and Himalayan salt granules

Mini mushroom bites in very crisp layered pastry cups. Just one bite

Trays full of canapés were circulating. Elaine does know how to tempt her guests
Their catering company is Food Fanatics

Charlene Pieterse, Venue and Event Coordinator

Owner and chef Elaine Rousseau welcomed us all
People booking The Grace venue for events like weddings, birthdays, special occasions etc.
can also have access the the garden and other areas of the Homestead,
including the outdoor bar and the grass lawn area
Elaine is not only a superb chef, but a true professional and has been in the hospitality/function industry since the 1990s 

A large audience was enjoying the venue

and having their photograph taken

Tiny meat balls covered in crisp crumbs

Superb lamb ribs, well seasoned and falling off the bone

Crisp and flaky spinach and feta Spanakopita

Tender mini chicken hamburgers in a great sauce

and fish and chips, all these canapés and snacks show what the kitchen is capable of

Another delicious dish, Melanzane Parmigiano with Parmesan cream and fried basil

Violinist Donné and Elaine with Tracy from Trunk Events dancing the night away
Girls just want to have fun!



All the stories we have produced since 2012

can be opened from the archive list near the top of the column on the right of this page

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