.: The 2019 Top 10 Pinotage Awards at The Olive Press, Boschendal Estate

The Top 10 Pinotage Awards lunch was held in the recently inaugurated Olive Press venue at Boschendal last week. Canapés were served on the stoep where all the 20 best rated wines were on the tables for tasting and the winemakers, who were distinguished by white Panama hats, were there to discuss them

Fleur du Cap Cellarmaster Pieter Badenhorst and Duimpie Bayly

Black bread topped with salami and bressaola and accompanied by a tapenade

KWV winemaker Izelle van Blerk gets a taste of the bressaola

Journalist Johan of Wynland magazine takes one of the booklets with details of the top 20 wines

Another crisp and changeable winter’s day looking over at the Franschhoek mountains

Amanda Harlow and Braam Gericke, Wildekrans

Tables set for lunch and the awards ceremony

The Podium

The top 10 trophies are hand blown glasses; behind are the decanters which go to the rest of the top 20 wines

Our MC for the day was Radio Sonder Grense presenter Martelize Brink

Stellenbosch NG Kerk Dominee who said Grace

Mr Pinotage, Beyers Truter

Tina Playne, ABSA’s Managing Executive of sectors and segments relationship banking

The Winning Wines

The ABSA Top 10 Pinotage wines are from 6 different wine regions,

with the Stellenbosch and Paarl regions boasting the highest number
of winning wines with three and two wines respectively

First prize for the best socks, Adri Truter of Beyerskloof (John is getting some for his birthday). Nice Vellies too Adri

Wearing matching Vellies, father and son Beyers and Adri Truter, receive the award for Beyerskloof Winemaker's Reserve Pinotage 2107 from Tina Playne of ABSA. Beyerskloof claimed their 9th trophy in the competition with their Beyerskloof Winemaker's Reserve Pinotage 2017, WO Stellenbosch (Beyerskloof Wyne), winemaker Anri Truter

The two 2018 vintage wines in this year’s winning line-up, the Diemersdal Pinotage Reserve 2018 and the Badsberg Pinotage 2018, are the only wines from the Durbanville and Breedekloof regions respectively

Diemersdal Pinotage Reserve 2018

WO Durbanville (Diemersdal Landgoed), winemaker Thys Louw with Juandre Bruwer and Mari Branders

Badsberg Pinotage 2018, WO Breedekloof (Badsberg Wynkelder), winemakers Henri Swiegers and Jaco Booysen

Kanonkop made history by making the ABSA Top 10 Pinotage for the 14th year
Not only is their Pinotage the oldest winning wine this year, but also the only winner from vintage 2015
Kanonkop Pinotage 2015, WO Simonsberg-Stellenbosch (Kanonkop Wine Estate), winemakers Abrie Beeslaar and Alet de Wet

Simonsig rounds off Stellenbosch’s winning wine tally in this year’s ABSA Top 10 Pinotage winning line-up, with their Simonsig Redhill Pinotage 2017, WO Stellenbosch (Simonsig Landgoed), winemakers Debbie Thompson and Michael Malan

Vondeling Wines, making its debut as an ABSA Top 10 Pinotage winner with the Vondeling Bowwood Pinotage 2016,
WO Voor Paardeberg (Vondeling Wines), winemaker Emile van der Merwe and cellarmaster Matthew Copeland

The Vondeling Bowwood is joined by another 2016 wine from the Paarl region, namely the Anura Pinotage Reserve 2016,

WO Simonsberg-Paarl (Anura), received by winemaker Stander Maass and Lance Bouma

The Fleur du Cap Series Privée Pinotage 2016 and the Wildekrans Pinotage Barrel Select Reserve 2016 are the two other 2016 vintage wines that emerged victorious. The 2016 vintage is the most represented vintage with four winning wines
Fleur du Cap Series Privée Pinotage 2016, WO Coastal Region (Distell – Fleur du Cap Wines), winemaker Pieter Badenhorst

Wildekrans Pinotage Barrel Select Reserve 2016

WO Botrivier (Wildekrans Wine Estate), (Amanda) Mandy Harlow and GM/winemaker Braam Gericke

And last of the Top 10, but not least, we have the Survivor Pinotage 2017 as sole representative from the Swartland region,
(Overhex Wines International), winemaker Ben Snyman. The award was received by Gert van Wyk and Gerhard van der Wath of Overhex Wines International

The Museum Class Trophy winners:

Fairview Primo Pinotage 2007, WO Coastal origin (Fairview), winemaker Anthony de Jager

Hill & Dale Pinotage 2007, WO Stellenbosch (Hill & Dale), winemaker Guy Webber

Rijk’s Private Cellar Pinotage 2009, WO Tulbagh (Rijk’s Cellars), winemaker Pierre Wahl

2019 ABSA Top 10 The runners-up:

Lutzville Francois le Vaillant Pinotage 2016, WO Lutzville Valley (Cape Diamond Wines), winemaker Christoff de Wet

Diemersdal MM Louw Pinotage 2017, WO Durbanville (Diemersdal Landgoed), winemaker Thys Louw

Kanonkop Pinotage 2017, WO Simonsberg-Stellenbosch (Kanonkop Wine Estate), winemaker Abrie Beeslaar

KWV The Mentors Pinotage (Coastal) 2017

WO Coastal origin (KWV), winemaker Izéle van Blerk

Môreson Widow Maker Pinotage 2016

WO Stellenbosch (Môreson), winemaker Clayton Reabow

Simonsig Redhill Pinotage 2016, WO Stellenbosch (Simonsig Landgoed), winemaker Debbie Thompson

Viljoensdrift River Grandeur Single Vineyard Pinotage 2017, WO Robertson (Viljoensdrift Associated Wineries cc), winemaker Fred Viljoen

Wildekrans Pinotage Barrel Select Reserve 2015, WO Botrivier (Wildekrans Wine Estate), winemaker Braam Gericke

Windmeul The Legend Collection Pinotage 2017, WO Coastal origin (Windmeul Kelder), winemaker Abraham van Heerden

Windmeul Pinotage Reserve 2016, WO Paarl (Windmeul Kelder), winemaker Abraham van Heerden

The menu

The main course of a Kudu Pie in good flaky pastry served with rainbow carrots, Jerusalem artichokes, green beans,
artichoke chips, baby potatoes and a very good thick gravy