Lettie Teague Re-evaluates Pinotage

Lettie Teague writes about wine for the Wall Street Journal. She is on record as saying that she ‘despises’ Pinotage. 

In her latest article she tastes 24 wines.  She mostly finds what she was expecting 

“Sure enough, there were aromatic clouds of rubber tire wafting from many of the wines. There were some wines marked by pleasingly smoky, earthy notes as well—altogether, seven didn't announce themselves as ‘Pinotage’ but simply as good wines made well.”

Those seven are:

Aaldering 2009

Beyerskloof Diesel 2009

Durbanville Hills  (no vintage given)

Fort Ross 2007 (California)

House of Mandela (no vintage given)

Kaapzicht Steytler 2008

Simonsig Red Hill 2009

She also gives thumbs up to Warwick’s Cape Blend she names as Three Ladies.

House of Mandela is a negocient label owned by Nelson Madela’s children. There’s no information on the website about who makes the Pinotage. 

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