In Praise of Pinotage
Posted October 2 2008
By Daenna Van Mulligen

The wines of South Africa are good – good to fantastic. The much maligned Pinotage has come a long way from the tarry, rubbery and bitter inky juice most of us have sampled. This South African developed cross of Cinsault x Pinot Noir has a youthful history yet it is wholly South African. Invented by Professor Abraham Izak Perold in the 1925 the first Pinotage wine was made in 1941. Although Perold spent much of his career at (the well recognized) KWV, it was the wineries of Kanonkop and Bellevue who were the first to produce it (they still do) but it wasn’t until 1959 when the first commercial Pinotage was bottled and sold by Lanzerac.
 

In the decades since, any winemaker worth their salt, has learned that Pinotage needs special care. Although it’s not terribly picky about terroir – but favours clay soils - it is an early ripening grape that many believe prefers slower, cooler fermentation. Harvesting Pinotage ripe is important to prevent the stemmy flavours that can occur in any under ripe red variety and the careful usage of oak depends upon the strength of the juice. Pinotage can be light to medium-bodied and paler in colour with low alcohol or (perhaps more consumer friendly) full-bodied, dense and extracted with alcohol levels of 13-14.5%. The aromas are fruit forward – primarily berries - black and red, often with the surprising tones of banana, floral and loads of spiced chocolate and coffee beans on the palate. I found most of the Pinotage wines I tasted showed nice acidity which makes them pair so well with food. South African’s say that it pairs well with everything from Asian curries, pasta with cream sauces and roast beef to local Springbok (an antlered deer-like animal).
 
And finally, the diversity in Pinotage styles, from the powerful, intense bush-vine ones to the lighter-bodied, fresher Pinotage and Pinotage rosé was an interesting and eye-opening tasting experience.

I am converted.


A line-up of Pinotage spanning 1959 - 1998

Pinotage, the proof is in the pedigree…

During the fantastically well organized bi-annual Cape Wine Festival in CapeTown I sat in on an Pinotage tasting from the first commercially produced Lanzac Pinotage from 1959 to the modern-styled Kanonkop 1998 – all are 100% Pinotage and all from Stellenbosch except the Meerendal.

Kanonkop CWG Pinotage, 1998 – Bright ruby in colour with bright bing cherry, fresh dark earth and smoky aromas with savoury notes. Silky on the entry, fresh and clean with sweet/tart red fruit moving toward a dusty mid-palate that grows more powerful on the finish with lots of spice, cedar and fine tannins.

Vriesenhof CWG Pinotage, 1997 – dark ruby in color with the slightest tinting of burgundy/brown. Sweet berry/cherry on the nose, hints of band-aid/iodine, forest floor, spices and leathery farmyard aromas. Green- savoury flavours with a silky entry, leather, cedar dust and tobacco, spice and drying tannins.

Beyerskloof Pinotage, 1997 – has a very appealing elegance and is paler in colour than the Vriesenhof. The aromas are mulberry and strawberry, sweet grass, with blueberry on the tail end. The palate is smooth and fresh, the texture is a bit chewy compared to the previous three with flavours of spiced tea, spice, cedar and the blueberry returns- the finish turns silky and the tannins are fine and integrated nicely.

Meerendal Pinotgae, 1996 – Hailing from the cooler region of Durbanville the Meerendal has lovely intensity in its colour, ruby with brownish hints. The Meerendal showed initial aromas reminiscent of Barolo with red cherry fruit, fragrant dark floral and orange peel notes followed by leather and a hint of vanilla and obvious clove and cinnamon spice. The palate was red fruit, cedar and spice, oak flavours bordering on imbalance and a powerful finish. Very good though.

Simonsig Pinotage,1995 – Bright ruby with brownish tints and a load of granular sediment. Dried fruits and reductive aromas – some balsamic perhaps? - sweet liqueur-like intensity of strawberries, cherries and Ribena (blackcurrent). On the palate it enters smooth, silky and is flavoured with more Ribena and cedar box spice. The tannins are still holding strong.
 

Simonsig Pinotage, 1993 – Reductive aromas, loads of dried fruit and forest floor notes. Shy palate showing tobacco, cedar and spices, the tannins are fine and the texture quite silky.

Kanonkop Pinotage, 1989 – browning ruby in colour with toffee, caramel notes, farmyard hints dried cherries and indecipherable muted aromas. Good acidity on the palate with dried cherry, cedar box spice and fine drying tannins.

Zonnenblum Pinotage, 1982 – Lactic, cork-taint aromas with sour cream and onion funkiness.
Despite that, the palate has a light, silky freshness on the entry followed by aged dried cherries.

Zonnenblum Pinotage, 1974 – Toffee coloured with aromas of allspice (cola) spices, tart red fruit and fresh on the nose. Good acidity with a slight sweetness to the tongue, smooth and silky, almost oily on the palate with spiced cedar and old cellar flavours. Very interesting!

Lanzerac Pinotage, 1968 – Reductive aromas – sweet cherry, sweet allspice, vanilla and caramel notes with dried red fruits. Funky, unique aged aromas and flavours, cedar-y and liqueur-like flavours and fruitcake spice on the palate. Lovely!

Lanzerac Pinotage, 1959 – Ruby-toffee in colour with bright strawberry and cherry aromas, some aged Barolo-type similarities with orange peel and spiced cedar. Bright acidity, still fine tannins with lingering cedar box and tobacco flavours.
 

Available Pinotage - some for you to try

KWV Cafe Culture Pinotage, Western Cape, South Africa, 2008 - this is what consumers need to make the transition to Pinotage - easy drinking and affordable, it will make you a Pinotage convert and have you clamoring for more. Coffee, dark chocolate and mocha, sweet black cherries, warm spice and underlying herbal notes. Ripe rich berries and gobs more choco-mocha on the palate followed by leather and smoky spices.
Ontario 2007 $13.95. Look for it coming soon to BC

Tukulu, Pinotage, Darling South Africa, 2006 - Sweet upfront berry fruit, cedar, spices and dill aromas earth and smoky dark chocolate notes - intense layered, full-bodied with a silky entry, smoked spices and coffee. The tannins are youthful and grippy. Spent 12 months in 300L French oak barrels. Organic wine - the Tukulu Brand has several organic wines and some in transition.
Ontario 2005 $21.95
And keep your eyes open for the Tukulu Sangiovese - rich and ripe with blueberry and raspberry, vanilla, cedar and warm spices. Delicious and its organic too.


Bellingham 'Fusion' Pinotage~Petit Verdot, Paarl SA, 2006 - This is a trend I noticed at Cape Wine Pinotage blended with interesting varietals. In this case, the Pinotage benefits greatly from the small amount of plush Petit Verdot. Briary berries, vanilla and coffee beans with juicy blueberry and raspberry tones. Sweet spices, an opulent texture and ripe tannins. Delish.
Bellingham is available across Canada but I'm not aware of
where this label is sold.




Beyerskloof Pinotage, Stellenbosch South Africa, 2007 - Spicy red fruit and mulberry, smoky, rich and earthy with meaty tones. Bright fruit, coffee, and smoked spices on the palate.
$14.99 BC
To read my review on the 2006 vintage of this wine click here

The Beyerskloof Synergy, 2006 is a Cape Blend (there must be at least 30% Pinotage in a Cape Blend) with 43% Pinotage, 25% Merlot, 25% Shiraz and 7% Merlot. Its powerful and layered with berry fruit, chocolate and leather with pepper lingering spices and solid tannin structure.
Look for it in limited quantities in specialty BCLDB stores.



Fairview Pinotage~Viognier, Paarl South Africa, 2007
Another one of those interesting blends I saw at Cape Wine 2008 in September. Four percent Viognier adds a bit of brightness but the Pinotage takes precedence with toasty, smoky aromas, dark fruit a hint of purple flowers, loads of spice, cedar and tobacco with undertones of iodine.
Fairview wines are available across Canada.

Kleine Zalze Pinotage, Stellenbosch SA, 2007 - Is a fresh, easy-drinking Pinotage that will win over new-world Shiraz drinkers. Sweet cherries and ripe flavours/aromas - chocolate, cedar box spices and coffee beans. Rounded and juicy with soft, integrated tannins.
Some Kleine Zalze wines are available in Ontario. They are currently looking for agents in BC and Quebec.






Nederburg WineMaster's Reserve Pinotage, Paarl SA, 2006 - has smoked cherry and dark floral aromas, char hints and spice with undertones of sweet red berries. On the palate - earth and char, spice, some herbal notes, bright red fruit and earthy flavours with firm tannins on the finish.
$14.99 BC Nederburg wines are available across Canada

 

To read my thoughts on a recent trip to South Africa  click here...

To read about Cape Wine Festival and more reviews click here

To read WineDiva reviews on SA wines available in Canada click here