Pinotage Association
Management System in Stellenbosch

The Pinotage Association is dedicated to the promotion and development of a uniquely South African cultivar.

There is so much to talk about when the topic of Pinotage comes to the fore. The story always ends where it is enjoyed with friends, food or maybe somewhere alone with a bottle of Pinotage as your company. In his first year at the university his interest in wine drastically increased and the first thoughts came to change his career. After completing his degree in chemical engineering he worked in South Africa and California for two years, but then in 2003 he returned to the same university to study viticulture and oenology. He was appointed as winemaker at Altydgedacht in 2006 and in 2009 also harvested in New Zealand. In his free time hy plays nylon-string guitar for several bands. Etienne is a member of the Management Committee of the Pinotage Association. Gives recognition to wines of exceptional quality and the distinctive Veritas symbol of excellence serves as an authoritative quality guideline for wine connoisseurs. Pinotage is an internationally successful and uniquely South African grape varietal. Regular workshops are held to share the knowledge acquired by grape producers and winemakers. Winemakers share techniques developed to capitalise on the product of the vineyard. Association workshops are also used to convey the results of Pinotage-related research. The Management Committee is made up of the top echelon in the wine industry globally and locally. The Management Committee members are a selection of co-opted members, members elected at the annual general meeting of the Pinotage Association, and the Executive Committee is elected by the Management Committee. The association is very serious about communicating knowledge its members have gained. To this end, it holds regular workshops on the growing of Pinotage grapes and the making of Pinotage wines. Twin messages are constantly reinforced: grape producers have a responsibility to deliver premium grapes without which premium wines cannot be made; and winemakers should freely share knowledge of the techniques they have developed to capitalise on what the vineyard has delivered to them. Association workshops are also used to convey the results of Pinotage-related research to members.