As Pinotage celebrates its 100th birthday in 2025, this uniquely South African grape variety stands as a testament to innovation, resilience, and a distinct national wine identity. Created through an experimental crossing that almost disappeared into obscurity, Pinotage has evolved from a scientific curiosity to a global ambassador for South African viticulture. As South Africa's signature red wine grape, it embodies the country's winemaking heritage.
In this article, we will make a journey through the different aspects that make this wine so unique, from its history to its profile, the dishes that pair best with Pinotage and the regions where Pinotage thrives.
Pinotage is the viticultural equivalent of a happy accident that turned into a cultural icon. On November 17, 1924, Professor Abraham Izak Perold, Stellenbosch University’s first professor of viticulture, performed what would become a historic bit of botanical matchmaking. Through open-air hybridization in his garden at Welgevallen Experimental Farm, he crossed delicate, finicky Pinot Noir with hardy, heat-tolerant Cinsaut (locally known as Hermitage). His goal was ambitious yet practical: create a grape with Pinot Noir’s elegance but with Cinsaut’s robust growing capabilities. Pinotage was officially cultivated in South Africa in 1925 as a result of this cross.
But the story nearly ended before it began. When Perold left Stellenbosch in 1927 for a position at KWV, the four seeds from his experiment were nearly forgotten and almost destroyed during a garden cleanup. Fortunately, a young lecturer named Charlie Niehaus recognized their importance and rescued the Pinotage grape seedlings, replanting them at Elsenburg Agricultural College. This fortuitous intervention saved what would become South Africa’s signature grape variety.
It wasn’t until 1941 that CT de Waal produced the first-ever Pinotage wine, and the first wine made from this grape variety marked a significant milestone in South African wine history.
The first commercially labelled Pinotage was the 1959 Lanzerac, released in 1961. After decades of quality fluctuations, today’s Pinotage has matured into a respected variety that tells a uniquely South African story in every glass. It is now South Africa's third most planted red grape variety, reflecting its regained popularity. Pinotage accounts for approximately 6% of the total vineyard area in South Africa, with 6,979 hectares reported by the South African Wine Industry Information & Systems.
Pinotage winemaking requires finesse to showcase the grape’s distinctive character while avoiding its potential pitfalls. Modern Pinotage winemaking follows this general process:
The winemaker’s hand is particularly important with Pinotage, as its volatile nature requires careful attention to avoid undesirable characteristics like acetone aromas (from acetic acid) or burnt tar notes (from over-extraction).
Pinotage is the vinous equivalent of a character actor - immediately recognizable, sometimes polarizing, but never, ever boring. Its sensory profile covers a remarkably broad spectrum, varying significantly based on production method, terroir, and age. Pinotage has a history of polarizing opinions among wine critics, with some praising its unique character while others find its bold flavours challenging.
Pinotage's bold profile and structural versatility make it a surprisingly adaptable companion at the table:
For consistently successful pairings, match Pinotage's weight with equally robust dishes, and don't shy away from leveraging its affinity for smoky, spiced, or grilled elements.
Pinotage is more than just South Africa’s signature grape. It’s a symbol of resilience and adaptability in an era of climate uncertainty. With an early ripening cycle and robust genetic lineage, it thrives across a broad range of environmental conditions, making it a vital asset for both innovation and sustainability in viticulture.
One of the defining advantages of Pinotage is its early ripening profile, which allows the grape to complete maturation before the most extreme summer heat or autumn rainfall sets in. This natural timing shields it from common weather-related risks such as sunburn, shrivel, or rot—factors that increasingly challenge growers in a warming world.
As Jacques Bruwer of Bon Courage Wine Estate puts it, “Pinotage is currently one of the most adaptable varieties available, and I won’t think twice about planting more of it.” His confidence reflects a growing consensus among South African winemakers: Pinotage is well-equipped to meet the demands of a changing climate.
Pinotage’s performance across varied terroirs is rooted in its genetic heritage. A cross between Pinot Noir, known for finesse and sensitivity, and Cinsaut, valued for its hardiness and productivity, Pinotage inherits the best of both parents. This duality makes it highly responsive to local conditions:
The grape is particularly well-suited to decomposed granite soils, especially in Stellenbosch, where drainage and mineral content help concentrate flavour and structure. However, it also adapts well to shale, sandstone, and alluvial soils, demonstrating impressive site flexibility.
Pinotage isn’t just flexible in the vineyard—it also offers a wide spectrum of stylistic possibilities in the cellar. Its firm tannins and bold fruit can be channelled into different expressions:
This adaptability empowers winemakers to craft Pinotage that appeal to diverse markets, from casual drinkers to collectors.
While Pinotage is intrinsically tied to South Africa, its adaptability to different terroirs is one of its most compelling traits, giving rise to a surprising range of styles and expressions.
Pinotage thrives almost exclusively in South Africa, particularly within the Western Cape, the country’s premier wine-producing region. At the heart of this lies Stellenbosch, widely regarded as the spiritual home of Pinotage. Here, the decomposed granite soils and varied microclimates offer ideal conditions for producing structured, age-worthy wines with depth and elegance.
Beyond Stellenbosch, Swartland, Paarl, and the Breedekloof Valley also play vital roles in shaping Pinotage’s identity. Swartland's dryland bush vines often yield concentrated, rustic expressions, while Paarl provides softer, rounder wines due to its warmer climate. The higher altitude sites of the Breedekloof Valley, in contrast, bring freshness and a cooler climate edge.
Yields vary dramatically, from over 120 hl/ha in younger or more vigorous vines to under 50 hl/ha in old-vine sites, where concentration and complexity increase as vine vigour declines.
Outside of South Africa, small plantings exist in New Zealand, California, Israel, and Brazil, but none yet rival the South African sites in expressing Pinotage’s full personality. The grape’s success depends not only on climate and soil but also on the accumulated experience and nuanced winemaking approach cultivated over generations in the Cape.
Pinotage is uniquely malleable in the cellar, lending itself to a broad spectrum of styles:
Ultimately, Pinotage is as much a mirror of its terroir as it is a canvas for the winemaker’s hand. Poorly handled, it can become rustic and harsh. But in the right hands, it yields wines that are deeply expressive, uniquely South African, and often misunderstood until tasted.
Proper service elevates Pinotage from enjoyable to exceptional, highlighting its virtues while minimizing potential limitations.
Though both are bold red varieties, Pinotage and Syrah (Shiraz) offer distinctly different experiences in the glass.
Origin
Pinotage: South African cross of Pinot Noir and Cinsaut
Syrah/Shiraz: Ancient variety from the Rhône Valley, France
Body
Pinotage: Full-bodied but can vary in weight
Syrah/Shiraz: Consistently full-bodied
Tannins
Pinotage: Moderate, smoother mouthfeel
Syrah/Shiraz: Higher, more structured tannins
Primary Flavors
Pinotage: Black cherry, blackberry, fig, banana, coffee, and smoke
Syrah/Shiraz: Blackberry, plum, black pepper, smoked meat, violet
Distinctive Traits
Pinotage: Unique smoky/meaty notes with potential sweet finish
Syrah/Shiraz: Peppery character and floral elements
Aging Potential
Pinotage: 5-15 years for quality examples
Syrah/Shiraz: 10-20+ years for premium examples
When to Choose
Pinotage: For dishes with smoky components, spicy foods, or when seeking a distinctively South African expression
Syrah/Shiraz: For classically structured meals, game, or when more peppery notes are desired
While Syrah delivers reliable power with peppery elegance, Pinotage offers a more unpredictable but potentially more interesting experience, with its unique combination of fruit, earth, and smoke.
In addition, Pinotage is also compared with wines like Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon.
As Pinotage celebrates its centennial in 2025, sustainability has become central to its future. Climate change poses particular challenges for South African viticulture, with rising temperatures, unpredictable rainfall, and extreme weather events becoming increasingly common.
Pinotage’s durability also aligns with the growing push toward sustainable viticulture. The variety demonstrates:
This inherent resilience makes it particularly valuable as climate patterns become less predictable. The cultivation of Pinotage plants, especially the use of older vines, plays a crucial role in this adaptability. Older bush vines yield better quality grapes, producing more concentrated and complex wines, which are essential for maintaining balance and achieving lower yields through maturity and cultivation techniques.
Pinotage producers are responding with innovative approaches:
After a century of existence, Pinotage stands at a fascinating inflection point. Once nearly forgotten, then mass-produced to its detriment, and now increasingly celebrated, this uniquely South African variety has weathered the volatility of changing wine trends to emerge stronger than ever. Competitions like the Absa Top 10 Pinotage Awards have helped establish the reputation of Pinotage globally, showcasing its potential to wine enthusiasts and critics alike.
What makes Pinotage compelling isn't just its uniqueness but its ability to express South Africa's terroir in a way no other grape can. In a wine world increasingly dominated by international varieties that can seem interchangeable across continents, Pinotage offers something genuinely distinctive - a viticultural fingerprint that is unmistakably South African.
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