Kanonkop Kadette Pinotage 2019 - Stellenbosh, South Africa

92/100 Tim Atkin MW (2018 vintage)
90/100 Decanter (2018 vintage)
4* Platter’s Guide (2018 vintage)

Silver - International Wine Challenge (2018 vintage)
Most Admired Wine Brand in Africa & the Middle East - Drink’s International 2020 (2018 vintage)
#32 on the 'Most Admired Wine Brands in the World (2018 vintage)
International Winemaker of the Year in 2008, 2015 and 2017 - International Wine and Spirit Competition (2018 vintage)

37% Pinotage, 33% Cabernet Sauvignon, 26% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc, 1% Petit Verdot

Decanter "A blockbuster red....Stewed plums and blackberries are the primary fruit notes, but more interesting are the tertiary coffee and roasted hazelnut characters which add complexity and body."

Tim Atkin “Abrie Beeslaar has a magic touch with Pinotage, whatever the price point. This 450,000 bottle example, most of it bought from local growers, is spicy, textured and very lightly wooded, with classic raspberry and red fruit and supple tannins.”

The Winemaker “Intense purple hues with lively aromas of fresh plums, mulberries and allspice, followed by a meaty undertone. The palate displays an inherent earthy touch, with flavours of crimson beetroot and maraschino cherries. Coherent balance between the fruit and the fresh acidity, with muscular support from the tightly woven tannin structure.”

Kanonkop Estate is one of the most recognisable names in South African wine, and Drink’s International 2020 Most Admired Wine Brand in Africa & the Middle East and listed at #32 on the 'Most Admired Wine Brands in the World'. The estate is located in the Stellenbosch region of South Africa and has been owned by the same family for four generations. Kanonkop wines are classically-styled, bold and hearty, emboding a traditional wine style that has been maintained by award-winning winemaker Abrie Beeslaar, who won the International Wine and Spirit Competition’s award for International Winemaker of the Year in 2008, 2015 and 2017. Kanonkop Estate is the only winery to have won the prestigious trophy for Best Blended Red at the International Wine & Spirits Competition four times. The winery is famous for being one of the first producers to grow and vinify Pinotage, South Africa's signature grape variety. Kanonkop Estate wines are often referred to as South Africa's 'First Growth'. The estate makes red wines from the classic Bordeaux varieties Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc.

Stellenbosch is perhaps the most famous wine-producing region in South Africa. The town, in Western Cape's Coastal Region, is steeped in history and is home to the country’s best-known wine estates. Cabernet Sauvignon is the region's most widely planted grape variety, and is often combined with Merlot to create Bordeaux Blend wines.

Pinotage is South Africa's signature grape variety. It is grown almost exclusively there, making everything from low-quality table wines to rich, concentrated wines with flavors of black and red fruits, spice, leather and chocolate. The variety, a crossing of Pinot Noir and Cinsaut, was first bred by scientist Abraham Perold in 1925. The name Pinotage is a portmanteau of its two parents, as Cinsaut was once known in South Africa as Hermitage.