2025 Absa Vintage Pinotage Award of Excellence winners announced

The Pinotage Association, in partnership with Absa, has revealed the results of the 2025 Absa Vintage Pinotage Award of Excellence. The annual competition celebrates South African Pinotages aged ten years or older, providing a platform for mature vintages to be evaluated and recognised.

16 Sep 2025

Source: Supplied

This year, 37 wines were entered, with 27 wines from 16 producers achieving scores of 90 points or higher, earning the coveted Excellence Award. A judging panel of Cape Wine Masters Bennie Howard, Anton Swart, Christine Rudman, Sandy Harper, and Colin Frith assessed the entries through a rigorous blind tasting process.

Celebrating mature Pinotage

Beyers Truter, Chairman of the Pinotage Association, commented on the results: "These awards highlight the enduring quality and character of South African wines. To see so many wines achieving such high recognition after more than a decade in bottle is a testament to both the grape and the people behind it."

2025 Absa Award of Excellence Recipients

• Beeslaar Wines – Beeslaar Pinotage 2015 (Abrie Beeslaar)
• Bergsig Estate – Bergsig Pinotage 2008 (De Wet Lategan)
• Beyerskloof Wines – Beyerskloof Pinotage 2014; Diesel Pinotage 2015; Pinotage Reserve 2013, 2014, 2015 (Anri Truter)
• Fairview – Primo Pinotage 2010 (Anthony de Jager)
• Flagstone Winery – Writer’s Block Pinotage 2009 (Gerhard Swart)
• Grangehurst Winery – Pinotage 2013, 2005, 2003 (Jeremy Walker)
• Groot Constantia Wine Estate – Pinotage 2015 (Daniel Keulder)
• KWV – The Mentors Pinotage 2014, 2013, 2011 (Izele van Blerk)
• L’Avenir Wine Estate – Platinum Pinotage 2011; Pinotage 2003 (Dirk Coetzee)
• Neethlingshof Estate – Owl Post Pinotage 2014, 2012 (Mika Engelbrecht)
• Neil Ellis Wines – Bottelary Hills Pinotage 2015 (Warren Ellis)
• Simonsig Family Vineyards – Redhill Pinotage 2015 (Michael Malan)
• Vondeling Wines – Bowwood Pinotage 2015 (Emilie van der Merwe)
• Wellington Wines – La Cave Pinotage 2015 (Daniel Slabber)
• Wildekrans Wine Estate – Barrel Select Reserve Pinotage 2010; Pinotage 2009 (De Wet Viljoen)
• Windmeul Kelder – Reserve Pinotage 2015 (Abraham van Heerden)

The Absa Vintage Pinotage Award of Excellence underscores the depth and longevity of South Africa’s wine heritage, highlighting Pinotage’s ability to mature gracefully over time.