The 2022 Absa Top 10 Pinotage winners and top vintage class wines were celebrated at a special event held at Nooitgedacht on Tuesday 30 August. Among the winners were six wines from Stellenbosch.
Industry stakeholders and producers gathered to celebrate some of the finest pinotage wines. Absa Bank is a proud sponsor of the Pinotage Association and the parties have enjoyed a solid collaboration over the past 25 years. The bank remains the proud sponsor of the annual awards and is committed to the relationship with the association.
“Our collaborative, longstanding relationship with Absa Bank, and their 25-year investment in the Pinotage Association is testament to the bank’s understanding that agriculture is a generational and relational business,” said association chairperson Beyers Truter.
Faisal Mkhize, chief executive for relationship banking at Absa Group, said: “Pinotage is a national asset and has truly become a symbol of excellence and growth in South African agriculture. We believe our support for this signature South African varietal is a tangible demonstration of our African heartbeat.”
This year 130 entries were received, and after a rigorous judging process the following pinotage wines were selected winners of the coveted pinotage accolade.
Four wines from the Stellenbosch region were named in the top 10: Beeslaar Pinotage 2020 by Abrie Beeslaar, Beyerskloof Winemakers Reserve 2018 by Anri Truter, Kanonkop Pinotage 2019 by Abrie Beeslaar and Simonsig Redhill Pintotage 2019 by Michael Malan.
The Top Vintage Pinotage Wines of 2022 included two locally-made wines: Beyerskloof Diesel Pinotage 2011 and Lanzerac Pinotage 2001.
The Pinotage Association issued a special “thank you” to this year’s judging panel: Etienne Louw, Fred Viljoen, Samarie Smith (panel convener), Jacques Steyn and Solly Monyamane, who “contributed to the success of presenting the 2022 Absa Top 10 Pinotage finalists.”
