The most expensive Pinotage in the world has just been launched – from South African estate Kanonkop.
The renowned Stellenbosch farm’s Black Label 2006 is priced at R1000 (£83) a bottle excluding delivery costs, with 600 bottles already sold out and the remaining 400 coming onto the market in March at a price yet to be set.
Kanonkop owner Johann Krige said the 2007 will be released in September this year and the 2008 in March next year.
By 2012 the Kanonkop Black Label Pinotage 2012 will be sold in November of the same year, prior to release while still in barrel.
‘En primeur, Bordeaux style,’ Krige said, adding he was confident a secondary market can be developed.
According to Krige, the Black Label has ‘more body, more structure’ than the property’s industry benchmark, a Pinotage that has grown into an 80,000-bottle brand.
From 57-year-old vines, it’s ‘a big wine’ but ‘less typical Pinotage’ than the 2007 vintage of the established, somewhat sweeter version that will sell for R190 a bottle from March.
R1000 a bottle puts it among the highest price tags for South African wines on release.
The highest price for a current-release South African red at source is R1200 per bottle of the 2006 Rust en Vrede ‘1694’ blend – around £100 a bottle before shipping.
The next priciest Pinotage is the Ashbourne 2005 from Hamilton Russell Vineyards, retailing in Cape Town for R424 a bottle.
Kanonkop Black Label 2006 is available from www.cybercellar.com and www.wadebales.com.
Written by Mike Froud in Cape Town
