My Wine of the Month for November is De Waal Pinotage 2018. DeWaal have the world's oldest Pinotage vineyard from which they bottle 'The Top of the Hill'. This is their entry level Pinotage. Although I bring home a couple of bottles Top of the Hill rom my trips to the Cape I don't drink much De Waal otherwise solely because I don't see it for sale.
So I was pleasantly surprised to see this bottle on a small section of wines in a garden centre near Edinburgh during a recent Scottish holiday, and I took it to have on a holiday to Devon.
Sealed with a sensible screwcap, so there were no worries about a faulty cork. The maturation chart on the back label showed it had reach its optimum drinking window. I think it would last well and develop for a further five years, but I've learned that it is better to drink wines too young than too old.
This was just right. A bit of maturity but perky in its youth, deeply coloured and full fruited with damsons and mulberries to the fore. Long finish, very satisfying.
De Waal's website says this wine, which comes from 30 year old vines, had three months aging in older barrels and a further 14 months in bottle.
Read about my Top of the Hill walk here.
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