No cultivar is more quintessentially South African and arguably more deserving of celebration than pinotage. Pinotage grapes were first nurtured in 1925 by a South African scientist named Abraham Izak Perold, who was Stellenbosch University’s first viticulture professor.

His cross-pollination of pinot noir and cinsault only produced four seeds, which he planted and carefully tended to a mere two kilometres from Lanzerac (then known locally as Hermitage, giving pinotage the latter half of its name).
During harvest in 1959, the Stellenbosch Farmers’ Winery cooperative realised the potential of that year’s vintage, and in 1961, created the world’s first bottled pinotage, using the Lanzerac label.

Therefore, it should come as no surprise that celebrating International Pinotage Day is a highlight on the Lanzerac calendar every year.
With the arrival of spring, comes Lanzerac’s Pinotage Festival – a celebration in honour of this proudly South African grape. The Tasting Room and Deli will be transformed into a wine connoisseur’s dream.
Outdoor seating and live entertainment performed by Llevado and other local artists will form a relaxed backdrop to what promises to be a wonderful winelands day out for friends and family. An array of delicious foods, your favourite Lanzerac wines and pinotage cocktails will be on offer.
And in addition to the normal Deli menu, guests can look forward to a variety of gastro-loaded fries, and luxe roosterkoek and burgers from the braai station.

Inspired by pinotage, a private tasting experience will be hosted by Cellar Master Wynand Lategan. Today, Pinotage is the third-most-planted red grape in the South African Winelands and one of Wynand’s greatest passions, a passion that has recently seen three of Lanzerac’s pinotages awarded 90+ in the latest Tim Atkin SA Special Report.

The cellar master will provide guests with an in-depth knowledge of the estate’s range of pinotage wines, including the Lanzerac Pionier Pinotage, which is a tribute to the world’s first bottled pinotage, as well as the intricacies that go into making these wines, from vineyard to barrel.
The tasting will commence at 11am on 14 October and tickets can be booked by emailing [email protected].
Best of all? Entrance to the Pinotage Festival is absolutely free, on a first-come, first-served basis, which means you can splash out on a case or two of Lanzerac Pinotage Rosé, Lanzerac Pinotage or Kurktrekker, from the Keldermeester Versameling, to take home with you so that you can continue to make special memories abound.
Details:
- Date: Saturday, 14 October to Sunday, 15 October
- Time: 9am to 6pm
- Location: Lanzerac Wine Estate, Lanzerac Rd, Jonkershoek Rd, Stellenbosch
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Picture: Supplied