NEWS
PINOTAGE FESTIVAL HELD IN SINGAPORE TO MARK THE S. AFRICAN GRAPE’S 100th YEAR
By Staff Reporter
6-11-2025
Source: South African High Commission in Singapore
Read full report: https://www.thewinechronicle.com/2025/Nov/6-Pinotage-Festival-held-in-Singapore-to-mark-the-SAfrican-grapes-100th-year.html
PINOTAGE FESTIVAL HELD IN SINGAPORE TO MARK THE S. AFRICAN GRAPE’S 100th YEAR
News
6-11-2025
By Staff Reporter
The inaugural Pinotage Festival was held in Singapore recently to commemorate the 100th year of South Africa’s iconic grape.
Organised by the South African High Commission in Singapore in association with wine PR company Message in a Bottle, the event showcased over 60 wines and featured a virtual masterclass led by three generations of South African winemakers.
Created in 1925 by Professor Abraham Izak Perold, Pinotage was the result of crossing Pinot Noir and Cinsault (then known as Hermitage).
Although initially dismissed and used for lower-quality wines, the grape experienced a renaissance in the late 20th century as winemakers refined their techniques to unlock its full potential.
Pinotage gained international attention in 1987 when Beyers Truter from Kanonkop won the Diner’s Club Wine of the Year Award for his Pinotage.
This milestone inspired more winemakers to embrace the variety, highlighting its fruit-forward character, finesse, and balance.
The virtual masterclass held during the event was led by three generations of acclaimed South African winemakers: Beyers Truter, the “Prince of Pinotage” who pioneered its global recognition; Abrie Beeslaar, celebrated for fusing tradition with innovation; and Gavin Bruwer Slabbert, a visionary next-generation winemaker reimagining Pinotage for a new era.
Today, Pinotage is a symbol of South African ingenuity and excellence, recognised across the global wine industry.
(the writer can be contacted at: info@thewinechronicle.com)
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