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ABSA Top Ten Pinotage
Competition 2006
Leading the Pinotage pack - ten years on
by Cassie du Plessis
The whole idea behind this annual competition, in the first place, was to raise the profile of South Africa's home-grown varietal and to define in the longer term who the top producers are - for a sort of first growth status. And when tasting the finalists and experiencing the sense of occasion at this year's milestone results function, one really felt that the profile is there ... and the men have been sort from the boys. CASSIE DU PLESSIS reports.
Front: Gerda Willers (Allée Bleue), Mark van Buuren (Môrewag), IP Smit (Clos Malverne); second row: Piet Kleinhans (Pulpit Rock), Guy Webber (Stellenzicht), Adian Fry (Tukulu); third row Gert Boersen (Wellington), Abrie Beeslaar (Kanonkop); back: Bernard Smuts (Boland), Johnny Nel (Camberley).
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Well, two of the main manne were IP Smit of Clos Malverne and Abrie Beeslaar of Kanonkop whose wineries repeated history in that both of them had winning wines this year as well as at the very first Top Ten in 1997.
The past decade has seen the number of entries grow from 48 to 130, the latter figure including 22 first-time entries this year.
Of course, if you include the two listings for Beyerskloof to date, you would find "Mr Pinotage" Beyers Truter neck and neck with Francois Naudé, formerly of L'Avenir, as the Cape's top Pinotage craftsmen, with seven Top Tens each. This, while the impressive performance of the Pinotage Association and its annual competitions are inexorably linked to the character and drive of this passionate Pinotage patriot. And, as they say, the proof of the pudding ... Beyers was the creator of five Kanonkop Top Ten wines and, of course, the two already under the belt for his Beyerskloof brand.
Said Beyers during the stylish awards Function at Kelvin Grove, Cape Town: "There's plenty of talk about icons these days, but an icon wine is defined by quality over time, and not selling price ..." So the Association is halfway down the line, bearing in mind Beyers' 20-year time frame for the Top Ten to come into its own as the ultimate Pinotage quality denominator.
With regards to the next decade for Pinotage, Beyers said that, stylistically speaking, the aim would be "classic balance" and lower alcohol levels. "Pinotage can produce excellent wines at 13.5% to 14.5% alcohol," he said, obviously reacting to the market backlash about ever higher alcohol wines in South Africa.
On that score, it is interesting to note that only five of the 20 finalists would have made the current Gauteng retail limit of below 14% alcohol, namely Bellevue, Morgenhof, Boland, Morewag and Tukulu - the latter three, of course the only ones below 14% in the Top Ten. One wine, Camberley, which made the top echelon, actually weighed in at 15,73% and four other Top 20s were above 15%.
Talking about the "final 20" it is a fascinating exercise, year after year, to be able to taste the final array just before the awards luncheon, to compare one's own preferences with those of the judges.
Perhaps one had to keep in mind what Belgian judge and sommelier Guido Francque said, namely that that European diners are rejecting big flavours in favour of subtlety and restraint in both food and wine. Has there been a swing to more market ready wines? My own selection of ten favourites included only three of those selected by the judges; and this seemed very much to echo the sentiments around our table during the dinner. Yes, one should not mention names, but I believe the Spier and Longridge Pinotages must have been very unlucky not to have made it in the final reckoning ... Too showy and intense?
Philip Costandius, who originally came up with the Top Ten concept, Beyers Truter, Chairman of the Pinotage Association, Eloise Wiehman, marketing consultant: Absa Western Cape, and Kevin Grant, member of organising committee since day one.
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John Gainsford, honorary member of the Pinotage Association, Sandra Nel, manager of the Stellenbosch Agricultural Society, Robert Emslie, executive director of Absa and Duimpie Bayly, convenor of the Top Ten Pinotage panel.
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But, one supposes that with a line-up of this calibre, there's very little to choose between them and on any other day, under different circumstances, quite a few decisions - both by the judges and guests - could have swung in another direction.
As it stood, Stellenbosch with four Top Tens once again proved its status as the heartland of Pinotage (seven originally in 1997), with Paarl catching up and bringing in three, while Swartland and Darling districts each yielded a winning wine.
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For more information on Pinotage and the South African Pinotage Association, visit the website www.pinotage.co.za.
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Incidentally, the Pinotage entered by Allée Bleue was made from grapes sourced in the Western Cape region. And although we referred to the Pinotage manne, this winery's Gerda Willers carried on the trend of more women working magic with the Cape's masculine (formerly?) red.
Interestingly, one of this year's first-time winners is linked to the earliest history of Pinotage. It is assumed that the first experimental Pinotage vineyard was established at the Elsenburg Agricultural College and the first Pinotage wine was made in small casks there in 1941.
Môrewag wine farm (Redvanton Property Investments) near Klapmuts and Elsenburg Agricultural College, in 2002 asked Elsenburg College students - with Mark van Buuren in the leading role - in their practical year to make Môrewag's maiden Pinotage wine. This very same wine, Môrewag Pinotage 2002, this year was selected as one of the Absa Top Ten Pinotage winners.
The other first-time winners of the Absa Top Ten Pinotage Trophy were the Boland Cellar Winemakers Selection Pinotage 2004, Camberley Pinotage 2005, Pulpit Rock Pinotage 2004 and Wellington Cellar Pinotage Reserve 2003.
The bottom line, as stated by Steve Booysen of the sponsors, "The Competition has contributed to raise the profile of Pinotage both locally and abroad, and encouraged our winemakers to strive for excellence. The success of the partnership in the last 10 years gives me confidence in the future of our association and in the ability of South Africans to compete with the best."
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Presentation packages of the 2006 Absa Top 10 Pinotage wines will soon be available for sale at the Wine-of-the-Month-Club. Tel (021) 657 8100. E-mail: wineclub@wineofthemonth.co.za.
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Judging the record 120 entries took place in September at Devon Valley Hotel and, according to the convener of the panel and Cape Wine Master, Duimpie Bayly, the overall quality of entries was exceptionally high this year. Very few wines did not impress the judges. It was difficult to select the 20 finalist wines and very difficult to exclude some of those wines from the final Top Ten winners. The golden thread of the style of wines is beautiful fruit with a sophisticated balance of concentrated flavours and body.
The other judges were Guido Francque (food and wine expert from Belgium and honorary member of the Pinotage Association), Janâke Johansson (Swedish wine consultant and trader), Charles Hopkins (cellarmaster and vice-chairman of the Pinotage Association), Neil Pendock (wine writer), Sue van Wyk (Cape Wine Master from Australia) and Dave Hughes (international wine expert from South Africa).
The 2006 Top 10 Pinotage wines, with the judges' description:
Allée Bleue Pinotage 2005
Winemaker: Gerda Willers
WO Western Cape
Soft, round and ripe flavours, prominent oak.
Alcohol 15.19% * Total acidity 5.7 g/l * Residual sugar 3.5 g/l * pH 3.54
Boland Cellar Winemaker's Selection Pinotage 2004
Winemaker: Bernard Smuts
WO Paarl
Excellent colour, prune flavours; full-bodied, good wood tannins.
Alcohol 13.49% * Total acidity 6.5 g/l * Residual sugar 2.4 g/l * pH 3.48
Camberley Pinotage 2005
Winemaker: John Nel
WO Stellenbosch
Bold and beautiful. A lovely wine with loads of Pinotage character.
Alcohol 15.73% * Total acidity 5.9 g/l * Residual sugar 3.0 g/l * pH 3.47
Clos Malverne Pinotage Reserve 2003
Winemaker: IP Smit
WO Stellenbosch
Spicy sweet and lively fruit; an obvious Pinotage.
Alcohol 14.47% * Total acidity 5.9 g/l * Residual sugar 3.3 g/l * pH 3.52
Kanonkop Pinotage 2004
Winemaker: Abrie Beeslaar
WO Simonsberg Stellenbosch
Velvety soft, almost black; well crafted; excellent fruit. Big and beautiful.
Alcohol 14.83% * Total acidity 5.3 g/l * Residual sugar 2.3 g/l * pH 3.54
Môrewag Pinotage 2002
Winemaker: Mark van Buuren
WO Paarl
Smooth and easy on the palate, excellent wood combination.
Vintage 2002 * Alcohol 13.69% * Total acidity 5.8 g/l * Residual sugar 2.3 g/l * pH 3.57
Pulpit Rock Pinotage 2004
Winemaker: Piet Kleynhans
WO Swartland
Mocca, coffee and nuts; pleasant flavour; modern wood-fermented wine.
Alcohol 15.46% * Total acidity 6.1 g/l * Residual sugar 2.4 g/l * pH 3.46
Stellenzicht Golden Triangle 2005
Winemaker: Guy Webber
WO Stellenbosch
Good full purple red colour, really good fruit on palate, with plums and blackcurrant. Big, well-structured and bold.
Alcohol 14.92% * Total acidity 5.9 g/l * Residual sugar 2.3 g/l * pH 3.45
Tukulu Papkuilsfontein Pinotage 2004
Winemaker: Adian Fry
WO Darling
Fragrant nose, loads of blackberry flavours, fine, delicate flavours, strong tannin structure.
Alcohol 13.58% * Total acidity 6.1 g/l * Residual sugar 3.2 g/l * pH 3.54
Wellington Cellar Pinotage Reserve 2003
Winemaker: Koos Carstens/Gert Boerssen
WO: Paarl
Dark colour, excellent Pinotage character, with red currant and plums. clean on palate.
Alcohol 14.38% * Total acidity 5.2 g/l * Residual sugar 1.8 g/l * pH 3.66
Runners-up:
- Bellevue PK Morkel Pinotage 2003 (Stellenbosch)
- Cloof Pinotage 2003 (Darling)
- Dornier Pinotage 2004 (Stellenbosch)
- Fantail (Morgenhof) Pinotage 2005 (Stellenbosch)
- Groot Eiland Pinotage 2005 (Goudini)
- Kleine Parys Pinotage 2005 (Paarl)
- Longridge Pinotage 2004 (Stellenbosch)
- Neethlingshof Pinotage 2002 (Stellenbosch)
- Slanghoek Private Collection 2004 (Slanghoek)
- Spier Private Collection Pinotage 2004 (Stellenbosch)
The most successful winemakers to date are:
Francois Naudé (7)
All L'Avenir
Beyers Truter (7)
Kanonkop (5) and Beyerskloof (2)
Daniël de Waal (5)
Uiterwyk (3) and DeWaal (2)
Charles Hopkins (4)
Bellingham (2) and Graham Beck (2)
Danie Steytler (4)
All Kaapzicht
Jeremy Walker (4)
Grangehurst (1) and Hidden Valley (3)
Philip Costandius (3)
Delheim (2) and Lord Neethling (1)
Kobie Viljoen (3)
Bayview (1), Longridge (1) and Spier (1)
Guy Webber (3)
Hidden Valley (1) and Stellenzicht (2)
Pierre Wahl (3)
Môreson (1) and Rijk's Private Cellar (2)
Bennie Wannenburg (3)
All Wamakersvallei La Cave
Top brands in the past ten years with number of wins
Kanonop 7 (97,98,99,00,01,05,06)
L'Avenir 7 (97,98,00,01,02,03,04)
Uiterwyk 5 (98,99,01,02,03)
Kaapzicht 4 (97,98,99,00)
Tukulu 4 (00,01,02,06)
Wamakersvallei 4 (02,03,04,05)
Hidden Valley 3 (98,99,00)
Clos Malverne 3 (97,99,06)
Delheim 3 (99,00,01)
Neethlingshof 3 (00,01,02)
Rijk's 3 (01,03,04)
Bellevue 2 (02,03)
Bellingham 2 (97,98)
Beyerskloof 2 (97,03)
Graham Beck 2 (99,03)
Jacobsdal 2 (97,98)
Laibach 2 (02,04)
Môreson 2 (01,04)
Rooiberg 2 (97,03)
Vlottenburg 2 (98,02)
Diemersfontein 2 (01,05)
Simonsig 2 (01,05)
Stellenzicht 3 (03,05,06)
The Pinotage song ...
Trust Beyers Truter always to pack a Pinotage surprise when it comes to public speaking. And choosing the excitement of the ten year Top Ten luncheon to recite some lyrics from his Pinotage song ... well, his, with well-known Afrikaans musician Koos Kombuis.
As he explained to the amused audience, he composed this ode to his favourite wine while driving back from the Klein Karoo Nasionale Kunstefees in Oudtshoorn. He later sang it to his buddy, Koos, who trancribed it. And please note, the chorus with the words "jou ma ook", is his response to those who frown upon Pinotage, particularly those British Masters of Wine who described it as tasting of rusty nails back in the 80s.
Explaining to the audience that it is a "deep song", it goes as follows:
Pinotage se ma is Afrikaans - nie wit nie - wit, swart en bruin.
Jy wat praat van rusty nails en isoamiel asetaat -
jou ma ook. Jy wat op hom trap vir 'n plekkie in die wynson - jou ma ook.
Sy is nie wit nie - nee Afrikaans - wit, swart en bruin.
Hulle drink hom van Soweto tot Gugeletu
van London tot in Parys met of sonder ys
Jou snob word los - sy ma is nie wit nie
Sy's Afrikaans - wit, swart en bruin.
Hy smaak so van sy ma af -
eg Afrikaans met unieke klassieke balans so effe Frans
Vol speserye hy maak die Rhône amper ons eie.
Hy gaan nie weer omkyk nie, want sy ma is Afrikaans
Nie wit nie - wit, swart en bruin.
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