Pinotage in the City - Tasting

 

Tower of London and Tower Bridge from 23rd Floor

To the City to present a Pinotage tasting for Central London Wine Society held on the 23^rd floor of the ‘Walkie Talkie’ building with  fantastic views over London.

The wines were

1 Mellasat White Pinotage 2015 (WO Paarl)         

2 David & Nadia Pinotage 2014 (WO Sartland     

3 FRAM Pinotage 2012  (WO Citrusdel Mountain)        

4 Loma Prieta Karma Vineyard Pinotage 2012 (AVA Lodi, California)       

5 Beeslaar Pinotage 2013 (WO Stellenbosch)                 

6 L’Avenir Estate Single Block 02 Pinotage  2014  (WO Stellenbosch)

7 Le Vin de Francois 2015  (WO 80% Stellenbosch, 10% Paarl 10% Bot River)

8 Kanonkop Estate Pinotage 2005 (WO Simonsberg Stellenbosch)

 

The tasting showed some of the many faces of Pinotage, from the  light bodies 12.5% abv David & Nadia to the almost 15% Vin de Francis.  

 

There are interesting connections between the last four wines. Beeslaar is owned and made by Abrie Beeslaar who is the winemaker at Kanonkop, which provided  one barrel to Francois Naudé for his Le Vin de Francois. Francois Naudé planted L’Avenir’s  Block 02 when he worked there as winemaker-viticulturist. That wine is dedicated to him and the vineyard supplied two barrels for Vin de Francois.

The practise at CLWS is for attendees to score each wine at the end before  prices are revealed.

There was no great difference in the average scores, but Le Vin de Francois was the clear winner, followed by Kanonkop and then L’Avenir.

I enjoyed them all, and was especially delighted by the fresh spiciness of L’Avenir’s Single Block 02 and the rich ripe body of Vin de Francois. 

My next scheduled Pinotage tastings are  

2 Jun 2017 7pm -  Pinotage: Soul of South Africa - North Ealing Wine Tasting Society (NEWTS), London, UK 

24 Oct 2017 -  Pinotage - South African Wine Society - Toronto, Canada.

HMS Belfast, warship launched 1936 now a museum, seen from the tasting room

 

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