Cape Blend

Pinotage, a crossing of Pinot noir and Cinsaut, has seen its plantings rise and fall due to the current fashion of the South African wine industry.

Today it is the second most widely planted red grape variety in South Africa.There are supporters who want to make the grape South Africa's signature variety.

In the early 1990s, as Apartheid ended and the world's wine market was opening up, winemakers in South Africa ignored Pinotage in favour of more internationally recognised varieties like Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon. Towards the end of the 20th century, the grape's fortunes began to turn, and by 1997 it commanded higher prices than any other South African grape. Pinotage  is a required component (30–70%) in "Cape blends".