tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-356100302024-03-13T00:07:30.253+00:00The Pinotage ClubThe Pinotage Club is a fan club for wines made from the Pinotage variety. www.pinotage.org
Peter F May http://www.blogger.com/profile/09879434167757517648noreply@blogger.comBlogger978125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35610030.post-19503765473756450052024-02-29T06:56:00.001+00:002024-02-29T06:56:00.130+00:00WoTM - DeWaal 'Top of the Hill' 2015 My Wine of The Month for February is DeWaal 'Top of the Hill' Pinotage 2015. This is from the world's oldest Pinotage vineyard, literally at the crown of a hill. The vines were planted in 1950, so they were 65 years old when this wine was made.I've stored it since buying in 2018 and at nine years of age the wine has thrown off the fruits of youth and developed a fine Claret-like Peter F May http://www.blogger.com/profile/09879434167757517648noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35610030.post-51285470659310545922023-12-31T16:10:00.001+00:002023-12-31T16:13:58.894+00:00WoTM – The Wine Society Pinotage-Syrah 2023
My Wine of The Month for December is The Society’s
South African Pinotage-Syrah 2023. This is made, labelled and bottled for UK’s
The Wine Society by Ben Radford and Alex Dale at The Winery of Good Hope.
I remember, many years ago, Guy Webber at
Stellenzicht Winery making an equal blend of Pinotage and Syrah he thought was
the best wine he’d produced, and I agreed the twoPeter F May http://www.blogger.com/profile/09879434167757517648noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35610030.post-23042303264181506742023-12-22T15:18:00.018+00:002024-01-04T12:44:34.185+00:00RIP Pierre Loubser Pierre in 2019I was deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Pierre Loubser, retired Manager of The Pinotage Association. He had a bad fall in his home and died in hospital on 22 December 2023.As Manager of newly formed Pinotage Association he was very good to The Pinotage Club, gaining entry to otherwise closed wineries and arranging meetings with winemakers.&Peter F May http://www.blogger.com/profile/09879434167757517648noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35610030.post-69959518782698934562023-12-21T15:56:00.002+00:002023-12-31T16:10:32.197+00:00Platter 2024Platter's South African Wine Guide 2024 Pinotage of the year is L'Avenir Single Block 2020 and its Cape Blend is Beyerskloof Faith 2020.The following Pinotages got the top 5 Star ratingFairview Primo 2021Francois van Niekerk 2021Kanonkop Black Label 2021Kanonkop 2021Lanzerac Commemorative 2019L'Avenir Single Block 2020Survivor Reserve 2021The following Cape Blends got the topPeter F May http://www.blogger.com/profile/09879434167757517648noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35610030.post-7952033857518412422023-12-01T16:29:00.004+00:002023-12-01T16:29:39.168+00:00WoTM - Cloof 'Winemakers Reserve' Pinotage 2020My Wine of The Month for November is Cloof 'Winemakers Reserve' Pinotage 2020.On removing the cork the room was filled with a bouquet of plums, and red fruits. Unfortunately that initial generosity wasn't followed through on the tongue; the wine was enjoyable but seemed a bit closed. Does it need keeping longer or was the cork to blame?Peter F May http://www.blogger.com/profile/09879434167757517648noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35610030.post-38530910894458192092023-10-31T11:53:00.004+00:002023-11-02T14:24:30.951+00:00WoTM - Laibach Pinotage 2018My Wine of The Month of October is Laibach 2018.The previous vintage was my wine of the month in July 2022 and at that time I noted that the owners had sold the winery in April 2022 and retired to Germany. Near neighbours Kanonkop Estate are the new owners and they immediately renamed the place Ladybird VineyardsI thought that 2017 vintage would be the last Laibach I would have and I was a Peter F May http://www.blogger.com/profile/09879434167757517648noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35610030.post-19834883293652608242023-09-30T07:02:00.001+01:002023-09-30T07:02:00.132+01:00WoTM - Niel Joubert 'Patrysbult' Pinotage 2018 My Wine of The Month of September is Niel Joubert 'Patrysbult' Pinotage 2018.Pale red, bright fruit flavours, but overbalanced by alcohol.This wine doesn't appear in Platter or Niel Joubert's web site which has an 2018 Estate Pinotage, but that is unwooded and only 13.03% abv while this is wooded . Maybe it's an export label, but it's not the most enjoyable Niel Joubert Pinotage Peter F May http://www.blogger.com/profile/09879434167757517648noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35610030.post-67611791674935252272023-09-01T11:30:00.001+01:002023-09-01T11:30:29.999+01:00WoTM - Rijk's Pinotage Reserve 2016My Wine of The Month of August is Rijk's Pinotage Reserve 2016It is a mature wine recently released; I bought it at Wine Village in Hermanus in March 2023. It spent 22 months in 60% new French oak barrels and was made by the skilled Pierre Wahl. The Reserve is taken from the 20 best barrels.While capable of great aging, this wine is drinking beautifully now, with intense black plum Peter F May http://www.blogger.com/profile/09879434167757517648noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35610030.post-37075872266643182252023-07-31T12:05:00.000+01:002023-07-31T12:05:33.468+01:00WoTM - Grangehurst Pinotage 2009My Wine of The Month for July is Grangehurst Pinotage 2009. One might reasonably think I had aged this 14 year old wine in my cellar, but it's the current release and I bought it only this March, in Wine Village, Hermanus.Jeremy Walker, winemaker and co-owner of Grangehurst doesn't like to market his wines until they are ready. And ready this was. A delicious mature wine, ripe with deep Peter F May http://www.blogger.com/profile/09879434167757517648noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35610030.post-45954732760999279142023-06-30T16:46:00.003+01:002023-06-30T16:47:02.785+01:00WoTM - Kaapzicht Estate Rooiland Pinotage 2020My Wine of The Month for June is Kaapzicht Estate Rooiland Pinotage 2020.The retro label says it is 'a homage to classic Pinotage' which might put some people off. Their loss. This is a thoroughly modern wine, silky sleek and bursting with black fruit flavours. I am not sure I'd identify it as Pinotage in a blind tasting. It's full bodied, has a great depth of flavour, and - yes- there is Peter F May http://www.blogger.com/profile/09879434167757517648noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35610030.post-74418266055756233432023-05-31T16:21:00.000+01:002023-05-31T16:21:06.455+01:00WoTM - Beaumont 'Jackals River' 2018 My Wine of The Month for May is Beaumont 'Jackals River' 2018.It is light in colour, smelling of raspberries. It is also unusually light for Pinotage at 13.5% abv. (The 2021 vintage is 13% abv.)One of the things that first excited me about Pinotage was that it was made in many different styles. This is a light manifestation, red berries - raspberries and redcurrants - but I found an Peter F May http://www.blogger.com/profile/09879434167757517648noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35610030.post-62214328734038999532023-04-30T18:06:00.001+01:002023-04-30T18:06:00.135+01:00WoTM - Beyerskloof Kriekbult Pinotage 2020 My Wine of The Month for April is Beyerskloof Kriekbult Pinotage 2020. Taking its name from the farm the vineyard is planted on, it comes from their 27 year old bush vines. I had this with lunch at the winery in March and bought a bottle to have with dinner the following week. Then I went back to buy two more bottles to bring home, and I opened the first this month, shared with a Peter F May http://www.blogger.com/profile/09879434167757517648noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35610030.post-83963319795142839142023-04-23T16:33:00.002+01:002023-04-23T16:34:38.944+01:00Pinotage Food and Wine Festival - 13 May 2023 The Pinotage Food and Wine Festival this year on 13 May 2023 is a celebration of the 2023 harvest. Tickets are now available from Quicket.co.za - https://qkt.io/QsV6OgThe festival will be held at Markötter Sports Grounds, in the heart of the Stellenbosch wine region. Festival goers can expect to sample a wide range of Pinotage wines from some of the most recognised South African Peter F May http://www.blogger.com/profile/09879434167757517648noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35610030.post-28832200269040778592023-02-28T07:00:00.006+00:002023-02-28T07:00:00.149+00:00WoTM - KWV Cathedral Cellar Pinotage 2019 My Wine of the Month for February 2023 is KWV Cathedral Cellar Pinotage 2019.It's a very drinkable clean bright fruity wine with a bit more seriousness about it than the basic KWV. It's savoury with berry fruits, and could be kept - but why when it's so good now?Cathedral Cellar is the huge KWV cellar in Paarl lined with large 12,000 litre barrels with carved ends. At the end of Peter F May http://www.blogger.com/profile/09879434167757517648noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35610030.post-46042632336596556072023-02-14T14:24:00.004+00:002023-02-14T14:25:14.123+00:00Mountain Discovery Inspired Bruce Jacks Winning PinotageBruce Jack tells how an overheard conversation about a red variety called Bobal inspired him to make prizewinning Pinotage He was in the Spanish wine region of Utiel-Requena in Valencia home of Bobal.He writes:'Ed Adams (my partner in our Spanish project, La Báscula) had just ordered some lamb cutlets cooked over the open flame (the house speciality), when his ears pricked up at the Peter F May http://www.blogger.com/profile/09879434167757517648noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35610030.post-2746341708690128552023-01-01T16:33:00.003+00:002023-02-14T14:29:21.712+00:00WoTM - L'Avenir Single Block 02 Pinotage 2015My Wine of the Month for December 2022 is L’Avenir Estate Single Block 02 Pinotage 2015. It is a registered Single Vineyard Estate Wine of Origin Stellenbosch, and Block 02 is pictured in gold on the label on an image taken from a satellite photo. The block was planted by the then viticulturist and winemaker François Naudé in 1985 as bush vines, but subsequently changed to low Peter F May http://www.blogger.com/profile/09879434167757517648noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35610030.post-80424124223916079922022-11-30T06:30:00.002+00:002023-02-14T14:28:41.115+00:00WoTM - Sutter Ridge 1996 PinotageMy Wine of The Month for November is Sutter Ridge 1996. When I visited this winery in Amador County long ago it was growing 25 acres of Pinotage, the largest in the USA. I brought this bottle home but kept it too long.But no, this 26-year-old wine was delicious. Showing the brownness of age, of course, but plenty of sweet fruit. No tannin, and surprisingly little sediment. A Peter F May http://www.blogger.com/profile/09879434167757517648noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35610030.post-67159089677569813562022-11-27T15:33:00.001+00:002022-11-27T15:33:49.817+00:00Platter 5 Star Wines for 2023 Platter's South African Wine Guide has announced its 5 Star wine for the 2023 Guide. Pinoate 5Stars are:Beeslaar 2020De Grendel Amandelboord 2020Diemersdal Prospect 2020Francois van Niekerk 2020illimis 2021Kaapzicht Steytler 2020Kanonkop Black Label 2020*Survivor Reserve 2020Red Blends, with PinotageBeyerskloof Faith 2018** = Category WinnerPeter F May http://www.blogger.com/profile/09879434167757517648noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35610030.post-13215594368109502022-11-08T17:03:00.007+00:002022-11-08T17:05:15.507+00:00RIP Pat Del-GattoPat Del-GattoVery sad news from Ontario. Pat Del-Gatto winemaker/owner of Del-Gatto Estates passed away on 15 Sept 2022 from complications following a stem cell transplant.His widow, Heidi, tells meWe had wonderful 2020 and 2021 Pinotage vintages - both quickly sold out. He was able to finish his 2021 vintages (as I always helped him with the work) and our kids completed all the bottling Peter F May http://www.blogger.com/profile/09879434167757517648noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35610030.post-36377583871099363392022-10-31T06:08:00.001+00:002022-10-31T06:08:00.171+00:00WoTM - De Grendel 'Amandelboord' Pinotage, Durbanville 2019 My Wine of The Month for October is De Grendel Amandelboord Pinotage 2019 (Estate Wine of Origin Durbanville).This is a most enjoyable new style Pinotage. Its dark red with bright clear ed highlights where it catches the light. Surprisingly the label states it's 15% abv because it doesn't show the alcohol.Subdued tannins, no leather tones, but fruit of the forest on the palate and Peter F May http://www.blogger.com/profile/09879434167757517648noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35610030.post-69845650974199729352022-10-08T06:33:00.001+01:002022-10-08T06:33:00.151+01:00Pinotage Day is Today Which Pinotage shall I open? Which Pinotage will you open?Peter F May http://www.blogger.com/profile/09879434167757517648noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35610030.post-36075540171735082772022-10-07T11:32:00.001+01:002022-10-07T11:32:25.349+01:00It was never the grape’s fault says Beyerskloof winemaker Anri Truter“It was never the grape’s fault,” Beyerskloof winemaker Anri Truter says of the historical perception of Pinotage in the UK. This is the first sentence in Drinks Retailer, a UK off- trade magazine, on Pinotage titled Can South African Pinotage make a comeback? – an analysis by Lucy Britner.Read the article herePeter F May http://www.blogger.com/profile/09879434167757517648noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35610030.post-20983499482109338922022-09-30T15:28:00.005+01:002022-09-30T15:33:44.440+01:00WoTM - 2020 False Bay Pinotage The Last of the FirstMy Wine of The Month for September is 2020 False Bay Pinotage The Last of the First Schapenberg Single Vineyard (W.O. Stellenbosch)This was light bodied with a pale colour, maybe trying to channel its Pinot parentage - or perhaps Cinsaut. We were split on this, one of liked it but not me… I found it had the same strange taste that I got in other False Bay Pinotages, Peter F May http://www.blogger.com/profile/09879434167757517648noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35610030.post-75972681153153661452022-09-30T11:21:00.005+01:002022-09-30T16:40:22.925+01:002022 Winners - Top 10, Vintage, Blend and Rose
2022 Absa Top 10 Pinotage Winners(130 entries)Beeslaar Pinotage 2020 Stellenbosch Abrie BeeslaarBeyerskloof Winemakers Reserve Pinotage 2018 Stellenbosch Anri TruterFlagstone Writer’s Block Pinotage 2020 Breedekloof Gerhard SwartKanonkop Estate Pinotage 2019 Simonsberg-Stellenbosch Abrie BeeslaarNeil Ellis Bottelary Hills Pinotage 2018 Bottelary Warren EllisPulpit Rock Brink Family Vineyards Peter F May http://www.blogger.com/profile/09879434167757517648noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35610030.post-16672416682347350482022-07-31T11:30:00.004+01:002022-08-01T11:42:42.599+01:00WoTM - 2017 Laibach My Wine of the Month for July 2022 is 2017 Laibach Pinotage Every time, and there weren’t many, that I’ve had Laibach before it’s been bought in the Cape because most of the output exported from this fine organic estate goes to Germany, where the owner comes from. But this year Mr Laibach sold the winery in April and retired to Germany. Near neighbours Kanonkop Estate are the new Peter F May http://www.blogger.com/profile/09879434167757517648noreply@blogger.com0