Pinotage Day: 10 award-winning wines to try

In 1925, Professor Abraham Perold planted four seeds in his Stellenbosch garden. The chemist-turned-viticulturist could hardly have imagined they would grow into South Africa’s signature red grape.

Pinotage now covers more than 6,000 hectares of the Cape, and it has put down roots further afield too, from Brazil and California to New Zealand and Zimbabwe. However, its ascent has been far from smooth, as the grape endured decades of neglect and criticism before finally earning respect on the international stage.

Today, the grape even has its own global celebration: International Pinotage Day, held on the second Saturday of October.

Why is Pinotage Day on the second Saturday of October?

The second Saturday of October falls in mid-spring in South Africa, when the weather warms up and the beloved braai season moves through the gears. A smoky glass of Pinotage beside an open fire is a quintessential South African ritual. In the Northern Hemisphere, it’s just as enjoyable as the nights turn cooler and heartier dishes return to the table.

The first International Pinotage Day took place on 11 October 2014. Its biggest champion is the Pinotage Association, which producers founded in 1995 to raise the grape's profile and defend its reputation.

A narrow escape

Perold crossed Pinot Noir with Cinsault, which South Africans then called Hermitage. He is thought to have wanted a grape that combined the finesse of Pinot Noir with the robust, reliable nature of Cinsault – one that could thrive in the Cape's warm climate.

The experiment was a success, but it was almost lost. In 1928, Perold left Stellenbosch for a post at the KWV cooperative in Paarl and left the seedlings behind. As the story goes, a clean-up crew was about to clear the overgrown garden when a young lecturer named Charlie Niehaus passed by, recognised the plants and rescued them.

Perold’s successor, CJ Theron, grafted the young vines onto rootstock, and the pair later settled on a name: Pinot plus Hermitage equals Pinotage. CT de Waal made the first Pinotage wine at Elsenburg Agricultural College in 1941, and growers planted the first commercial vineyard at Myrtle Grove, near Sir Lowry’s Pass, two years later.

From ugly duckling to national treasure

Pinotage made its commercial debut in 1961, when the first bottles bearing its name appeared under the Lanzerac label. Early success sparked a wave of plantings across the Cape, but the grape soon fell out of fashion. Plantings slumped in the 1970s and 1980s, while South Africa’s isolation during the apartheid era kept its wines off most international shelves.

When export markets reopened in the 1990s, many overseas critics were unimpressed. Poorly made examples gave Pinotage a reputation for harsh, volatile flavours, with tasting notes likening it to burnt rubber and paint.

However, South Africa’s winemakers refused to give up. Kanonkop’s Beyers Truter became the grape's most passionate champion, and a new generation of producers followed his lead, taming its rougher edges with gentler extraction and more careful oak ageing. Many now draw on the Cape’s old bush vines to craft wines of remarkable depth and finesse, while the mocha-scented 'coffee Pinotage' style has also won over a new audience.

The results speak for themselves. Top Pinotages now earn glowing reviews and high scores, and examples from Swartland and Walker Bay have claimed Platinum medals at the Decanter World Wine Awards in recent years. The grape is also a key component of the Cape Blend, which pairs Pinotage with Bordeaux varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.

Scroll down to discover 10 award-winning Pinotage dominant wines from DWWA 2026

Beyond the Cape

Pinotage remains a South African success story – it’s among the country’s most planted red grapes, thriving in Stellenbosch, Swartland and Paarl – but its passport has been filling up. New Zealand was an early adopter, and small plantings can now be found in California, Oregon and Virginia in the US, as well as Brazil, Israel and Zimbabwe.

Wherever it grows, Pinotage keeps its calling cards: dark fruit, a whisper of smoke and a generous, full-flavoured character. International Pinotage Day is the perfect excuse to fire up the barbecue and celebrate the grape that refused to fade away.

South Africa

Du Toitskloof, Granite Pinotage Swartland 2024
Platinum, 97 points
Authentic and honest, capturing the personality of the grape flawlessly. Primary characters of wild berry, cherry and spice flow over the sandalwood structure and fine tannins. Supple and approachable with a herbal top note to end. Alcohol 14.5%

Survivor, Reserve Pinotage, Swartland 2023
Silver, 94 points
Dark berry, black plum and mocha aromas with smoked liquorice lift over juicy fruit, expressive spice and layered length. Alc 14%

Spier, Seaward Pinotage, Coastal Region 2023
Silver, 93 points
Pencil lead, potpourri and dark berry aromas with gentle spice, revealing restrained fruit, fine tannins and elegant acidity. Alc 14.6%

Groot Phesantekraal, Pinotage, Cape Town 2024
Silver, 92 points
Savoury braai spice, purple fruit and sage aromas unfold into juicy tangy fruit, luxurious depth and opulent concentration. Alc 14.3%

Diemersdal, The Journal Pinotage, Durbanville, Cape Town 2023
Silver, 92 points
Top-notes of blackberry, bay leaf and vanilla spice flow into sweet fruit, dark chocolate richness and velvet texture. Alc 14.5%

Bellingham, The Bernard Series Bush Vine Pinotage, Coastal Region 2023
Silver, 91 points
Cherries and strawberries burst through vanilla spice and scented oak, leading to dense fruit, driven by focused, linear minerality. Alc 14%

Cape Five, Reserve Pinotage, Coastal Region 2023
Silver, 91 points
Brooding violet, mulberry and blueberry aromas wrapped in smoky oak lead into juicy fruit, poised acidity and seductive depth. Alc 14.5%

Durbanville Hills, Collectors Reserve The Promenade Pinotage, Durbanville, Cape Town 2024
Silver, 91 points
Cocoa, coffee and dark fruit aromas with lemon-thyme lift, opening to concentrated fruit, juicy freshness, ripened tannins and elegant texture. Alc 14.2%

Simonsig, Redhill Pinotage, Stellenbosch 2021
Silver, 91 points
Delicate raspberry, blackcurrant and cigarbox tones with vanilla spice perfume over supple texture, poised fruit and refined structure. Alc 14%

Marks & Spencer, Peacock Tail Pinotage, Swartland 2025
Silver, 90 points
Pretty hibiscus and creamy oak frame ripe dark fruit, while mulberry freshness and dusty tannins shape an opulent palate. Alc 13.5%

Search all DWWA 2026 results

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