Not only is Beyers chairman of the Pinotage Association, but his achievements in wine making, committed promotion of the Pinotage cultivar and ambassador for all that is good about the South African wine industry have made him one of our real wine legends.
Presenting Beyers with an award for his contribution to the world of Pinotage, Doug Walker, Absa’s Provincial Managing Executive in the Western Cape, said that it was almost impossible to thank someone for his or her passion.
“However, it is my task to express Absa’s sincere gratitude towards Beyers for helping the Absa Top 10 Pinotage Competition and this red wine cultivar reach an important milestone,” said Walker.
“Like everybody else I enjoyed watching the recent Olympic Games. I saw how Wayde van Niekerk was put into the outside lane number eight. Never before has any athlete won the Olympics 400m from the outside lane, never mind setting a world record.”
Walker said that this was the position where Pinotage found itself 20 years ago – in the outside lane of grape cultivars.
“And just see where Pinotage is now,” he enthused. “A wine of South Africa, a wine from Africa and a wine winning international medals and garnering critical acclaim the world over. Some of these Pinotage speak Afrikaans, some speak English and some speak other languages while the grapes and the wine are being worked in the cellar.”
But there is one voice commanding attention over all others.
“Beyers, thank you so very much that you have been the coach of Team Pinotage,” said Walker. “Thank you for getting our starting blocks right, for overseeing the guidance of our producers to ensure that the consumer has such as vast choice of winning Pinotage wines.
“For this and on behalf of Absa, I thank you and all the country’s Pinotage producers.”
An iconic award for a true legend.
Photo Caption:
From left: David Hodnett, Chief Executive and Financial Director for Barclays Africa, Beyers Truter and Doug Walker, Absa’s Provincial Managing Executive in the Western Cape.