31 October 2015

WoTM - Spier 21 Gables Pinotage 2010



Frans Smit and his team are producing some excellent wines at Spier. Premium range ’21 Gables’ is the bees’ knees where Pinotage is concerned.

This beauty from the 2010 vintage is my Wine of The Month for October 2015. It is lusciously silky and mouth filling with a rich intensity of fruit and soft supple tannins. 

It was a Pinotage Top 10 winner in 2012. Hand sorted, aged 18 months and a barrel selection.



30 October 2015

5 Platter Stars for 4 Pinotages

Just four varietal Pinotage's gained 5 Stars in Platter's 2016 South African Wine Guide. They are

Beeslaar Wines Pinotage 2013


Rijk’s Reserve Pinotage 2011

Spier 21 Gables Pinotage 2013


Windmeul Cellar Pinotage 2014


And I spotted only one Cape Blend, Kaapzicht Wine Estate Vision 2012 

There are  83 5 Star winners. 

See the full list at https://outofthepress.wordpress.com/2015/10/29/platter-2016-revealed-2/


Congrats to all..

28 October 2015

Free e-Book from Kanonkop Estate

Kanonkop Estate have released a free eBook about the estate and its vine growing and wine making.

Especially interesting are the photographs showing Pinotage's growth cycle and maps and aerial photographs mapping the location of the Estate and location of where different varieties grow.

The 68 page book, photographed and writtten by Kevin Crause can be read and downloaded as a PDF from  http://kanonkop.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Kanonkop_eBook.pdf 

23 October 2015

Cape Blend is 'dynamic and exciting'

"Today the Cape Blend is a dynamic and exciting wine category, yielding bold, vibrant wines, truly representative of South Africa," writes Wanda Augustyn at Moneyweb.co.za .

In her  article she interviews Beyers Truter, chairman of the SA Pinotage Association, organisers of the Perold Absa Cape Blend competition, De Wet Viljoen, winemaker at Neethlingshof and chairman of the Perold Absa Cape Blend competition, Johnnie Calitz, winemaker at Anura and Oliver Cattermole, executive chef, Leeu Collection.


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10 October 2015

Six Decades of Pinotage



Lebbie Musavaya from Zimbabwe attended ‘Six Decades of Pinotage’ seminar at Cape Wine 2015. She saysWith a handful of Pinotage wines available in Zimbabwe, but a limited amount of knowledge and meaning to back-up this variety, I felt I was in the right place at the right time to explore this varietal, unique to South Africa.”


The oldest at the tasting was a 1967 Lanzerac Pinotage and the youngest 2013 Spionkoep. 

Lebbie says “The movement of one era to another gave me a deeper understanding and meaning of Pinotage. It was a clear journey that unmistakably heralded Pinotage, yesterday, today and tomorrow.”


Read her full report and review of the wines for Zimbabwe’s ‘The Standard’ here.

 

06 October 2015

Kanonkop 2012 Wins IWSC Trophy

The International Wine and Spirit Competition 2015 Perold Trophy for best Pinotage has been awarded to Kanonkop Estate for their 2012 Pinotage.

Kanonkop also had the 2010 and the 2012 'Black Label' wiining Gold Outstanding medals.

The Perold Trophy is sponsored by the Pinotage Association.

Congratulations to all at Kanonkop.