WoTM - Horton Pinotage 2014 and Rose 2018

My Wines of The Month for November are from Horton Vineyards. Founder Dennis Horton was the Pinotage pioneers on east coast USA.

Horton Vineyards 2014 Orange County is the standard red Pinotage which they've been producing from the variety they first planted in 1993. They have recently introduced a rosé Pinotage.

The 2014 red Pinotage is already showing brown tinges and is lighter in colour than many others. It needs time to open up as it's closed on first pour and so would benefit from decanting.

Then it shows coffee on the nose. This is a thoroughly enjoyable wine with a reasonable 13.7% abv. It has cherry and berry fruits, with some coffee and chocolate flavours. There's enough acidity to encourage another glass.

At the American Wine Society National Conference in the warmth of St Pete Beach, Florida, I opened Horton's newly launched rosé Pinotage with an eye catching label called Gears and Lace from their Steam Punk line of wines. 

Horton Gears and Lace  Rosé Pinotage 2018 was a lovely bright dark pink, darker it seemed, than some Burgundies. On the nose was smoked Gouda, in the mouth we tasted a tang of watermelon. The wine was smooth, refreshing and quite lovely.