About
Top Five Trust organises the annual Mosaic Top 5 Pinot Noir Wine Awards. The awards identify five South African Pinot Noir red wines to serve as a benchmark for the development of distinctive South African Pinot Noir red wines and to illustrate the quality of South African Pinot Noir red wines to the world.
Pinot Noir is a demanding variety to cultivate and transform into wine, with a temperament that has earned the grape its ‘heartbreak grape’ moniker. The Top Five Trust, together with our generous sponsor, Mosaic Family Office, is proud to recognise and support the climate, people, soil and the multitude of other factors that go into making the best Pinot Noir red wines in South Africa.
Top Five Trust is a registered public benefit organisation, reference number 930068246.
Mosaic Family Office
Mosaic Family Office is proud to sponsor the annual Top 5 Pinot Noir Wine Awards.
Mosaic Family Office provides innovative solutions to solve the complex financial problems of its clients. The firm specialises in the establishment and maintenance of local and offshore multigenerational financial inheritance structures that allow families to manage, protect and grow their wealth for current and future generations. Core competencies include administration, fiduciary, philanthropy, portfolio management, structuring and taxation services.
Mosaic Family Office (Pty) Ltd is a registered Financial Sector Conduct Authority financial services provider (#46319) in terms of the Financial Advisory and Intermediary Services Act of 2002.
For more information, visit the Mosaic Family Office website.
Pinot Noir
Oenology
Pinot Noir produces light to medium bodied wines with fine tannins and a lighter colour than other red wines, due to the thinner grape skins with lower tannin content compared to other black grape varieties.
Wine made from Pinot Noir tend to have aromas reminiscent of cherry, cranberry, pomegranate, raspberry, strawberry and many other small red berry fruits. These fruit aromas are often accompanied by a flowery perfume consisting of the scents of violets and roses. Maturation in oak barrels adds caramel, clove, spice and vanilla aromas and assists with the transformation of softer tannins. Some styles of Pinot Noir can also develop farmyard, forest floor, mushroom and other savoury aromas that contribute to the complexity of the wine.
Pinot Noir red wine is perfect for many food pairings due to its delicate nature and red berry profile. The wine matches well with most chicken, duck, fish, pork, sushi and vegetarian dishes.
Viticulture
Pinot Noir is one of the oldest wine grape varieties with a history dating back to the first century. The name ‘Pinot Noir’ is derived from the French words for ‘pine’ and ‘black’. The reference to a pine tree alludes to the pinecone-like shape of the grape bunches. The reference to the colour black is an acknowledgment that the Pinot family also has white and grey variants called Pinot Blanc and Pinot Gris. The existence of these variants is a result of the relative genetic instability of Pinot Noir, which makes it susceptible to mutation.
Pinot Noir is cultivated around the world, mainly in cooler climates, and is closely associated with the Burgundy region in eastern France.
Winners
2020
The Mosaic Top 5 Pinot Noir Wine Award winners are:
Creation Wines Art of Pinot Noir 2018
Elgin Vintners Pinot Noir 2019
La Vierge Wines Apogee Pinot Noir 2016
Richard Kershaw Wines Elgin Clonal Selection Pinot Noir 2017
The Brew Cru Pinot Noir 2019
90+ award medals were awarded to:
Botanica Wines Mary Delany Collection Pinot Noir 2018
Creation Wines Pinot Noir 2019
Domaine Des Dieux Josephine Pinot Noir 2015
Flagstone Wines Fiona Pinot Noir 2016
Kat Se Snor Wines Pinot Noir 2017
Leopards Leap Family Vineyards Culinaria Pinot Noir 2017
Oak Valley Estate Groenlandberg Pinot Noir 2019
Richard Kershaw Wines Smugglers Boot Pinot Noir 2016
Whalehaven Winery Conservation Coast Upper Hemel-en-Aarde Pinot Noir 2016
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