31 January 2020

WoTM – House of Dreams Pinotage 2019


My Wine of the Month for December is Marks and Spencer House of Dreams 2019. 


This image from M&S doesn't show a vintage



House of Dreams is made for them from Swartland fruit by Ben Jordaan (Kumala Wines) and M&S’s own winemaker Sue Daniels, and bottled at Journey’s End winery.


This is a lighter ‘beaujolais’ style wine with violets and bubblegum on the nose. It’s soft and fruity, tasting of raspberries and seems quite sweet. With alcohol at 13.5% I imagine there’s a goodly amount of residual sugar.


I didn’t find much body or depth in this wine and, although I can see its appeal, I much prefer the M&S Bellevue Estate Houdamond Pinotage albeit costing £13.50 against House of Dreams’ £8.



06 January 2020

Pinotage Lights My Fire: The Herald


Pete Stewart, in Scotland's  The Herald writes that cold is gripping Glasgow and thus:

"We clearly need to source a big, spicy red to warm the cockles.

Pinotage always lights my fire, but it’s definitely a ‘marmite’ wine in that it’s not for everyone. I love its brash character and the sheer depth of unusual flavours in the glass. These flavours can include smoky bacon, balloons and blue cheese. It’s a bit like drinking the juice of spicy plums and dark berries…from a wellington boot."

He recommends: 

Swartland Private Collection Pinotage 2017 "such good value that you can talk yourself into buying two bottles." 

Kanonkop Estate Pinotage 2017  "manages to perfection the difficult balance between elegance and full-on dark, spicy fruit."