Prescient Fund Services Pinotage Report 2026: Top 10
By Christian Eedes, 23 June 2026
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Introduction
This year’s Pinotage Report sponsored by financial services company Prescient Fund Services is now out. There were 45 entries from 29 producers and these were tasted blind (labels out of sight) by a three-person panel, scoring done according to the 100-point quality scale.
Top 10
The 10 best wines overall are as follows:
95 – Best overall
Diemersdal 2025
Price: R165
Wine of Origin: Cape Town
Abv: 14.45%
Wins R10,000 in shipping from Aspiring Couriers.
95
Cape Discovery 2024 (Stellenview)
Price: R90
Wine of Origin: Western Cape
Abv: 13.85%
95
Hazendal 2025
Price: R409
Wine of Origin: Bottelary
Abv: 13.95%
94
Mellish Family Vineyards Klipmynpad 2024
Price: R240
Wine of Origin: Durbanville, Cape Town
Abv: 13.42%
93
Bellevue 2023
Price: R115
Wine of Origin: Stellenbosch
Abv: 14.14%
93
Zonnebloem 2024
Price: R149
Wine of Origin: Stellenbosch
Abv: 14.14%
92
Durbanville Hills Collectors Reserve The Promenade 2024
Price: R189
Wine of Origin: Durbanville, Cape Town
Abv: 14.29%
92
Du Toitskloof Granite 2024
Price: R165
Wine of Origin: Swartland
Abv: 14.5%
92
Illimis 2025
Price: R325
Wine of Origin: Polkadraai Hills
Abv: 13.8%
92
Koelenbosch 2023 (Koelenhof)
Price: R109
Wine of Origin: Stellenbosch
Abv: 14.15%
Shop online
Online wine shop Getwine is offering all of the top wines for sale – buy wine.
About the category
Pinotage, a cross between Pinot Noir and Cinsault (also called Hermitage, hence the contraction), was first engineered by Stellenbosch University’s Professor Abraham Perold in 1925. The first commercial bottling was released in 1961, namely the SFW’s 1959 Lanzerac Pinotage.
Pinotage is the sixth most widely planted variety in South Africa, making up 7.6% of the total area under vineyard at the end of 2025.
What does top Pinotage go for?
The average price of the 30 wines to rate 90-plus is R257 a bottle and of the Top 10 is R196.
In-depth analysis
To read the report in full, including key findings, tasting notes for the top wines, buying guide (wines ranked by quality relative to price) and scores on the 100-point quality scale for all wines entered, download the following: PFS Pinotage Report 2026
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Kwispedoor | 24 June 2026
Point 4 of the report, headed “A new stylistic language is emerging” notes the following:
“Across the Top 10, a clear stylistic profile repeats: bright red and black fruit, measured oak influence, powdery tannins, and fresh acidity. Techniques such as whole-bunch fermentation, older oak usage, and partial concrete maturation now appears across both affordable and premium wines. The implication is significant: highly ambitious, intervention-heavy winemaking – long a defining marker of premium Pinotage – is no longer guaranteed of being rewarded, at least by this panel.”
I can agree with most of that, but I did also notice that the top two wines were made with wood staves and at least two of the Top 10 wines were matured in American oak (the oak origin is mostly not stated, so it’s possible there may be more)…
So while new styles have become more prominent, it seems like many winemakers still feel that they want to influence their wines with all sorts of wooding regimes and vessels. As I always say with these things, I don’t think any particular style should be trumpeted or awarded. That may lead to missing out on great wines made in other styles. I mostly prefer the lighter to medium style of Pinotage that’s less manipulated by oak, but great wine comes in all shapes & sizes.