WOtM - Bellingham Bernard Series Bush Vine Pinotage 2013

My Wine of the Month for March 2016 is Bellingham ‘The Bernard Series’ Bush Vine Pinotage 2013.

The Bernard Series is named after Bellingham’s original winemaker, Bernard Podlashuk, who was one of the innovating pioneers of South African wine.

This vintage was a Pinotage Top 10 winner in 2014, but the only time I’d  previously tasted this vintage was when I presented it at the American Wine Society National Conference  2014.

This is a very modern wine, clean, fresh, harmonious  and full of fruits. It’s been aged 18 months in oak that supports without intruding. A most drinkable wine that slips down very easily.

There are no factsheets for this vintage either on the Bellingham website or the Bernard Series website at www.theBernardSeries.com which doesn’t appear to have been updated since 2013, though there is a nice short video that says the grapes come from two vineyards, one in Darling and the other in the Bottelary Hills of Stellenbosch

Also drunk this month

2013 Radford Dale Pinotage Frankenstein (South Africa, Stellenbosch) 

2007 Lovingston Pinotage (USA, Virginia,  Monticello)

2013 Kanonkop Pinotage Kadette ( Stellenbosch)

2015 Morrisons Pinotage Signature (Swartland)  [

2005 Kanonkop Pinotage Estate (Simonsberg-Stellenbosch)

2006 Kanonkop Pinotage Estate (Simonsberg-Stellenbosch)

KLM have selected Aaldering Pinotage 2012 for serving in KLM World Business Class from April 1st.

Aaldering’s Pinotage vineyard in Stellenbosch’s Devon Valleywas planted in 1998. After malolactic fermentation in stainless steel the wine spent 24 months in  225L French oak barrels before bottling.  

Congratulations to all at Aaldering.

WOtM - Rhebokskloof 'Vineyard Selection' 2014 Pinotage

My Wine of the Month for February is Rhebokskloof ‘Vineyard Selection’ 2014 Pinotage.
 

It is, I think, the first bottle I’ve had from this winery which is north-west of Paarl on a road linking the R44 and R44 shortly before they cross.

The property is large, in its own shallow valley with decomposed granite soils similar to those found at Kanonkop and L'Avenir in Stellenbosch, and thus eminently suitable for Pinotage.

And they have now the inimitable Chenin and Pinotage maestro François Naudé (ex L’Avenir) on board as Wine Manager.

Rhebokskloof (referring to the wild reebok deer that used to be common in the valley) has impressive grounds and a maturation cellar that makes a feature from  huge rounded sandstone rocks that tower out of the ground by its entrance. The area in front is transformed with shelters and lights to a magical place for weddings and functions.

But back to the wine. I was knocked out when tasting Rhebokskloof ‘Vineyard Selection’ 2014 Pinotage at the winery's tasting counter and had to buy a bottle.

It has a bold nose which asserts itself with perfumes of black cherries and plums as it’s poured and then showing a rich garnet colour in the glass. 

This is a statement wine, big rich and powerful, full of black berries, cherries and plums and an underlying it all, very dark chocolate. Very impressive, very drinkable.