What makes a First Growth? Whether one of the so-named official five in the Bordeaux classification or soi-disant wines such as Australia’s Grange, track record is one of the most telling factors.

When it comes to South Africa, track record is a relative issue. While Grange can claim an illustrious past back to its beginning in the early 1950s and the Bordeaux First Growths  were recognised even before the 1855 classification which gave them the title (at that stage minus Mouton Rothschild), we think in terms of decades rather than half-centuries or centuries .

While there are a handful of South African properties which have shown admirable consistency over a short period, there is surely general consensus that one stands out above all the others.

Kanonkop Estate was established in 1910 but started bottling under its own label only in 1973; even then, it was highly regarded by the wholesale merchants who purchased the farm’s grapes. The story goes that when the Krige family believed the quality of their fruit deserved a higher price and that wasn’t forthcoming, the decision was rapidly made to vinify and bottle under the Kanonkop label (to put it politely).

It was a wise and happy decision; the farm and its wines haven’t looked back since. If the wines themselves have shown steady consistency, this has been helped by having only three winemakers over these past 37 years: Jan Boland Coetzee in charge until 1980; Beyers Truter until 2002 but lending a guiding hand to his successor, Abrie Beeslaar until 2004.

But steadiness has never precluded improvement, new directions and ideas. The latest, a pinotage with a R1000 price tag, is something only a property with Kanonkop’s reputation could successfully undertake. As you might imagine, this is no ordinary pinotage, but then it comes from no ordinary vines.

There are two original pinotage vineyards still extant in the Cape, both planted in 1953; one is on Kanonkop (the other is on Bellevue). As you can see from the photos, the stars of the new Kanonkop Black Label Pinotage 2006, have their own idea of how to cope with 57 years of age – some are still upstanding, others prefer bearing their tiny load lying down!

A tiny load it is – a mere 2.2 tons per hectare, which yielded a total of 1000 bottles of this maiden wine. A lot of head scratching went on before the Krige’s decided what they wanted to do with this unique and miniscule quantity and how to do it. Previously it was blended away in the standard Pinotage.

As Johann Krige explained at the launch, `We want this pinotage to make an international statement through a uniquely South African wine and prove we are capable of competing with the best in the world.’ The idea is also to create a secondary market, a concept that doesn’t exist in South Africa as it does in Bordeaux, mainly because of limited track record.

Rather than sell the wine from the farm, it will be available initially only through Cybercellar and The Wine Society – I say `will’, but in fact `was’ is more correct, as the first tranche of 600 bottles were sold out by launch day lunchtime! Both negotiants will be able to buy back bottles from original purchasers and sell on to other buyers, presumably at an increased price. Future vintages will be sold en primeur whilst the wine is still in barrel.

My only doubt about the whole system was the timing, given the economic conditions, but the speed with which those first 600 bottles sold would suggest there is no problem with such limited quantities.

To the delight of those of us regularly invited to Kanonkop functions, the Kriges never oblige their guests to take their word for it that the wines age well. On this occasion, not only was a ten vintage pinotage vertical available for our illumination, we were also given the opportunity of tasting vintages from each of the three winemakers (both Jan Boland and Beyers were also there – another nice touch to show one never entirely leaves the Kanonkop fold): Boland’s 1976 – fragrant and fine but fading; 1991, incredibly youthful for its age, 1994 and 1999 CWGs, with a generosity of new oak, a fresh, pinot like 1997 and richer 1999 from Beyers, before ending with Abrie’s standard 2006, juicy and beautifully structured 2007 with the 2006 Black label a concluding high note.

It is as concentrated as one might hope from such venerable vines but the aromatic and flavour intensity is deep and refined rather than showy. The family likeness of spice (some cinnamon), a mix of red fruits (redcurrants, plums and raspberries) melded with a subtle savouriness and lifted by great freshness lend a clear Kanonkop signature, if on a different level from the standard and CWG wines. It is a fabulous wine, regardless of variety.

But the feature which best pleases me is the packaging. There’s no fancy, heavyweight bottle, just the usual Bordeaux shape used for the rest of the range. The label, apart from its black background is as the others; this all shows absolute confidence in the brand and emphasises this venture is all about the wine itself.

As we mused Kanonkop’s First Growth status over the usual Krige hospitality – a snoek braai – we knew we’d never be treated as royally at Bordeaux First Growth Chateau Lafite - if we could get an invitation at all!