Visiting Mellasat, Home of White Pinotage

To Paarl and Mellasat Vineyards, home of the White Pinotage.

Vineyards alongside Mellasat's dirt access road are exotically dotted with clumps of tall bamboo canes.

Stephen Richardson in his cellar. Note airlock on barrel front right

indicates wine is fermenting

Stephen Richardson, a farmer from Norfolk, England, bought the property in 1996, started planting vines and produced his first vintage in 1999.

Gizelle Coetzee

With fellow winemaker Gizelle Coetzee and two assistants, Mellasat's cellar has a maximum capacity to deal with 50 tonnes, which is roughly 45,000 bottles “although wines like the White Pinotage have a much lower yield per tonne due to the whole bunch pressing and the need to avoid any colour emanating from the last few squeezes of the press,” says Stephen.

And white Pinotage, which I feature in my tastings, is the reason I'm here. Mellasat were the first to commercially produce white Pinotage. A few others producers now offer a white Pinotage though, says Stephen, “none are like ours, which are 100% Pinotage that's been barrel fermented and lees aged.”

We go to the barrel cellar where this years vintage is fermenting. “The first year, 2007, we made one barrel,” says Stephen. “Then four barrels and this year we've made 20 barrels, though two are reserved for a new MCC (Methode Cap Classique) methode champenoise sparkling wine, the first in South Africa.

White Pinotage in Mellasat's Barrel Cellar

“We pick for white wines by PH levels, rather than Balling as PH is a measure of health in a grape,” says Stephen. “We usually pick in three batches but this year for the Pinotage we picked four times over the period of four weeks. We get lower sugar but better delicacy. The first batch had a Balling (B)of 16.5B which is ideal for MCC. The second batch had 18.5B, the third 20.5B and the last 24B. We get good acidity and freshness, and as the skins are not phenolically ripe they have no colour.”

Stephen used a wine thief to extract a sample from each of the four batches in barrel. The differences in these works in progress were noticeable: the first was sharp and acidic, the second and third quite floral and the fourth more full and creamy. The first three were in old oak, the last in first fill. “We're using Romanian oak barrels as they give a spiciness,” says Stephen.

After fermentation is complete the wines mature in barrel on the lees for up to eleven months. “We roll the barrels once a month for six months,” says Stephen, “to mix the lees. It's better than just stirring with a stick. The lees acts as a preservative and reduces the need for sulphur. But too much battonage (stirring the lees) makes wine flabby so we keep tasting.”

After maturation the batches are blended together to make the final White Pinotage.

As well as White Pinotage, Mellasat grow and make Chardonnay, Viognier, Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon (released after 18 months in barrel and 3½ years in bottle), Tempranillo and an intriguing Cab-Shiraz-Tempranillo blend.

Mellasat are one of just a handful of wineries growing Tempranillo. It was planted in 2007 with the first vintage in 2011. Stephen says “I think more South African wineries should plant Tempranillo. Most goes into blends. We currently make a 100% varietal. It's a variety that suits our climate.” Stephen says he is intending to plant Graciano, a variety often blended with Tempranillo to make Spain's famous Rioja.

All the Mellasat wines are now estate grown and made. “We are now thinking of registering as an Estate,” says Stephen.

In the tasting room Stephen opens his range of wines. The White Pinotage 2016 tastes fresh and inviting with great texture and subtle oak in the background. “2015 was sharper but this vintage has more fruit and mouthfeel,” says Stephen. “Lower alcohol, too, just 12½%,” adds Gizelle.

Some of the Forgotten Wines

Before I go I ask to see Stephen's 'Cemetery of Forgotten Wines' and he takes me down to a cellar below the tasting room where wines for sale are aged, and the library wines are stored. On shelves around the walls are old, mostly Cape, bottles some with their original price stickers. Brands that no longer exist and historic labels abound with prices we'll never see again. It's interesting to see how much some wineries have changed their branding, while Chateau Libertas' label has hardly altered. Most bottles have been donated by friends who forgot about them and kept them too long.

Stephen with a bottle of each of the first 10 vintages of White Pinotage

Also on show is one bottle of each on the White Pinotage. Originally named Enigma, because it was an enigma, a trademark issue changed the name to Sigma.

Mellasat's Pinotage Vineyard

Before I left Stephen explained about the bamboo canes. “When we were planning our vineyard we stuck canes in the ground to show where rows should go. During planting the canes were discarded around the edges. Not all were cleared away and they took root and spread.”

As there is no grape variety named 'white pinotage'

the legal name for this wine is 'blanc de noir' meaning

white (wine) from black (grapes).

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Visiting Beyerskloof

To Stellenbosch and Beyerskloof for lunch at their Red Leaf Restaurant with dear friend Pierre Loubser, retired Chairman of the Pinotage Association.

The menu has had a few tweaks and Jo was delighted with her Bobotie filled Spring Rolls with a large Chef's Salad, but I'd travelled many thousands of miles to the Cape intending to have the famed Pinotage Burger again and Pierre is also a fan, and we were not to be deterred.

Burger with Pinotage onion reduction.

We started with a complimentary bread from their pizza oven, a very moreish disc of the lightest crispest pizza dough generously topped with garlic and herbs. Afterwards we enjoyed coffee as there was no room left for dessert.

What to drink? Because Beyerskloof's popular white Chenin/Pinotage had sold out they listed the excellent Simonsig Chenin from the neighbouring estate for those preferring a white wine.

But I plumped for the delicious top of the range Diesel Pinotage 2013 at the cellar price of R625. This is a work of a winemaker at his peak, and even though the combination of inflation and the drastic fall in the value of sterling meant is worked out almost twice as expensive as last year, it was savoured to the very last drop, which seems to come sooner with each bottle. Poured by the knowledgeable Reggie, it was gorgeous stuff (to use a technical term :).

View from Beyerskloof Restaurant

From the restaurant one looks out over the valley to a line of mountains on the horizon. There are such wonderful views all across the Cape, and even better with a Pinotage Burger and glass or two of Pinotage.

Beyers Truter in cellar

Owner Cellar Master Beyers Truter gave me a quick cellar tour. He's always bubbling over with ideas to promote his favourite cultivar: one is to do something very special by showing some non-South African Pinotages at this year's Pinotage Day, the other is to add a Pinotage Grappa to Beyerskloof's portfolio.

Tasting Room

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Visiting Southern Right

To Hemel-en-Aarde Valley and Southern Right which specialises in just two wines, Sauvignon blanc and Pinotage.

Southern Right Entrance

 Southern Right is named after the whales that come every year to calve in the shallow warm waters of Walker Bay; every bottle sold makes a contribution to their conservation.

Southern Right Winery and Tasting Room

There's a small vineyard running alongside the stony track leading to the tasting room, but one trellis next to the road had large yellow fruits. “Lemons,” says Jo, but I say they are apricots or maybe peaches.

Inside the Tasting Room

Inside the tasting room the remnants of a log fire is burning. In front of it is a huge block of stone and in front of that snakes a pipe from the fermenting tanks to the right into the barrel cellar to the left.

We sit outside and are served the 2016 Savvie and 2016 Pinotage.

Southern Right make a cracking good Sauvignon blanc, with grassy intense flavours and a wonderfully lingering finish.

The 2016 Pinotage, which with 9½ months aging in 228 litre & 10% 400 litre French Oak Barrels surely must have just been released, is served from a decanter and is purple in the glass. It looks and tastes very young and a tad disjointed with a grapey finish.

Old Brick Factory

Pinotage grows on the clay rich soils on the neighbouring Hamilton-Russell estate, owners of Southern Right. Evidence of how rich the ground is in clay is the building spouting several tall chimneys in front of the winery. This was used to make bricks here until 70 years ago.

Tasting outside on the stoep

The charming and efficient lady running the tasting room tells me they have stocks of Pinotage from the 2000 vintage to date which each cost just 25R more then the current 2016.

We leave with three bottles of 2016 Sauvignon blanc and one 2015 Pinotage: this has a glowing review in Platter 2017 which gave it 4.5 stars and I'd like to see what it's like.

Southern Right Pinotage in Barrel Cellar

And we learn that the fruit growing along side the vineyard is quince, planted as a cunning ruse to confuse baboons, expecting the baboons will eat the quinces and be deterred from plundering grapes. “And does it work?” I ask. “No,” she laughs. “The baboons don't like the quince and they go straight for the grapes.”

View from Southern Right Tasting Room

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Visiting Stanford Hills Winery, Stanford

I'd enjoyed Stanford Hills' Jacksons Pinotage in the past and, according to their website, their restaurant was open daily from 08:30-17:00 so while in Stanford we headed up hill a short way from the main road to have lunch.

Somehow I'd visualised a modern commercial winery and maybe a grand Cape Dutch house but what we found at the end of the dirt road was a collection of – historic is the polite word – collection of single story farm buildings and hand painted signs.

Tasting Room & Restaurant

We parked under a tree next to a vineyard and walked down towards a cottage with a covered area outside with seating and several people eating. This was the Tasting Room and restaurant.

We were greeted with a great big smile and warm friendly welcome to 'sit anywhere our heart desired'. The table was decorated with a pot of protea flowers. We heard they were grown on the farm and Veldfire Protea was one of the most popular and had been discovered on the property.

A chalkboard on a wall listed hot dishes of the day, there were also platters of tapas and meats and cheeses with breads and chutneys.

Springbok venison Burger

Jo had a salmon tart with a delicious looking salad and glass of Sauvignon blanc 2016 while I had a glass of Jacksons Pinotage 2014 and a Springbok Burger which came with a salad garnish and a tin cup filled with thin chips. Both meals were delicious, the venison tender, lean, sweet and flavoursome.

View from Restaurant

The views from the eating area are breath taking, with vineyards up to the foothills of mountains behind, and over a valley with, apart from a couple of dirt tracks, barely a sign of human habitation.

Pinotage Vineyard as seen from the Restaurant

The tasting counter is at the entrance to the restaurant, but the cheerful lady in charge brought a glass of their second label Veldfire Pinotage 2014 and Veldfire Cape Blend (65% Shiraz/ 35% Pinotage) 2014 to our table for tasting after our meal.

Pinotage Vineyard

The Veldfire is made in stainless steel with oak stave wood treatment and closed with screwcaps. The Pinotage was pleasant but I thought the Shiraz overbalanced the Cape Blend. I bought a bottle of the super Stanford Hills Jacksons Pinotage 2014.

Jacksons Pinotage 2014 spent 11 months in French and Hungarian oak barrels and came from the 4ha vineyard next to the restaurant, planted by Jackson, a previous owner. Altogether Stanford Hills have 12ha of vines planted on their 120ha property.

StanfordHills also make a Methode Cap Classique Pinotage/ Chardonny sparkling wine and a Pinotage Grappa (neither tasted)

It was a delightful place to lunch, pleasantly casual, very friendly with delicious food cooked to order, great views and lovely wines. We hope to return.

Peter and Jo at Stanford Hills

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Visiting Springfontein Estate, Stanford

To Stanford. Low clouds made a seamless join with sea mists so when driving south from Hermanus to Stanford nothing could be seen of the sea or mountains, we were just enveloped in grey.

Through the attractive old town of Stanford, lined with restaurants and antique shops, past an impressive church and then 5 kilometres along a dirt road to Springfontein Estate.

I'd bought several vintages of Springfontein's Jonathan's Ridge Single Vineyard Pinotage over the years, and the 2010 was my Wine of theMonth for September 2015, so I wanted to visit the winery.

Platter's 2017 Guide says to look at their website for opening hours and info on cellar tours, but I couldn't see any mention of them so we arrived at around 11:30.

Outside the winery they were taking Merlot bunches in red boxes

out of cold storage to the destemmer

The tasting room was closed, but a helpful lady in the office told us it was supposed to open at 11:00 and did her best to rustle up the staff. No cellar tours because they were processing the harvest.

In the end her admin colleague opened some bottles for us, apologising she didn't work in the tasting room and wasn't an expert. I thought she did a very good job.

Inside the tasting room

The 2012 vintage of Jonathan's Ridge Pinotage had sold out as soon as it was listed as a finalist in 2016's ABSA Pinotage Top 10 Competition, so we tasted the 2011. I was disappointed with it, lacking fruit it had an unpleasant raisin - sherry like flavour. An off bottle, or was the vintage past it?

The 2012 Terroir Selection was everything I was hoping for with delicious fresh ripe fruits. Terroir Selection is a vineyard blend, whereas Jonathan's Ridge is from a single block.

Springfontein Estate focuses on Pinotage, as well as varietals they make Pinotage blends with both red and white grapes and a couple of 'blanc de noir' white Pinotages.

Instead of buying Jonathan's Ridge as I had intended, I took away the Terroir Selection 2012, the Limestone Rocks series 'Gadda da Vida' 2012, (92% Pinotage /8% Petit Verdot) named after the Iron Butterfly's 1968 album In a Gadda da Vida.

Other blends in the Limestone Rocks (geddit?) series are Dark Side of the Moon (Chenin/ Pinotage/Chardonnay), Child in Time (Petite Verdot/ Pinotage) and Whole Lotta Love Pinotage/ Petit Verdot/ Shiraz).

Tasting Room at the left, restaurant ahead at the end of the path

In the evening we opened 'Gadda da Vida' 2012, (92% Pinotage /8% Petit Verdot). It was very dark, intense and closed. Balanced and opening in the glass to offer black cherry and cedar wood flavours. I'd recommend decanting an hour before consuming,.

Vin de Francois 2015 Launched

The 2015 vintage of François Naudé's Vin de François was launched and sold by auction yesterday, Saturday 4 March.

Two very athletic acrobats

I was one of the attendees, collected at midday and taken by a Range Rovers to a secret destination, so secret that the satellite navigation system couldn't find it and after ending up in farmyards after miles of dirt tracks the driver had to phone for directions. Eventually we drove into La Paris estate, some eight kilometres from Franschhoek.

Champagne topper up

There we enjoyed generous pours of Soutiran Champagne Brut Premiere Cru Alexandre (50/50 Pinot Noir/Chardonnay) and 'The Wingnut' Methode Cap Classic Brut Rosé 2010 (50/50 Pinotage/Chardonnay), oysters and hot and cold canapes. For entertainment there were exotic acrobats, African face painting and music.

Canapes also served in the wood on the walk from the car park

The facepainters

Then, in a first for the auction, the cars took us to a second location – Ex Nihilo, Paarl, for dinner and the auction.

François' 'Nuts About' Chenin Blanc 2011, 'The Wingnut' MCC rosé and Vin de François 2015 (from decanters) were served. I'd not had 'The Wingnut' before, and I found it delightful, with a crisp streak of acidity balanced by  typical Pinotage sweetness.  

François Naude

François said that this, the ninth vintage of Vin de François had, for the first time, exactly the same contributions as the previous vintage, namely:

Beyerskloof – one barrel from 19 year old Bottelary bush vines and one barrel that had been selected for the 'Diesel' bottling.

Delheim - one barrel from 20 year old bush vine block in the Vera Cruz estate vineyard

Kanonkop – from the oldest 60+ year old bush vines used for the premium 'Black Label'.

Lanzerac – one barrel from their oldest block

L'Avenir – one barrel from a 24 year old block planted by François and one barrel earmarked for their 'Single Block' and 'Provenance' labels.

Rhebokskloof – one barrel from the great decomposed granite block. This is the winery where François is currently working. 

Simonsig – one barrel from the famous 20 year old 'Redhill' vineyard

Wildekrans- one barrel containing a blend of their two oldest bush vine blocks.

“Vin de François 2015,” said François, “has intense colour and flavour, with red plums and ripe bananas and a spicy oak characteristics. The palate is ripe and complex with sweet integrated wood character. It is drinkable now and will age beautifully for 5-10 years.

“2015 was a magic vintage offering long maturation.”

The menu

Of course, I couldn't see what they'd painted on my face until I got someone to photo me

It shouldn't need saying, but although  Vin de François has never named a cultivar on its labels, it is always 100% Pinotage. This vintage is gorgeous young, after decanting, and it's only going to get better in a few years. If I can keep my purchases that long!!

Auction Catalogue and Bidding Paddle

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WoTM Beyerskloof 2015

My Wine of the Month for February 2017 is Beyerskloof's Pinotage 2015. It's their basic large volume 'white label', and this one was  bulk-shipped and bottled in the UK.
 

The empty bottle next day

And it was most welcome, served with a take-away pizza on our hotel balcony overlooking the Caribbean. We spent most of this month in Barbados. No restaurant had Pinotage and I didn't se any in the shops. But I had packed this emergency bottle in my suitcase before leaving home with some plastic wine  'glasses' from Poundland.

After a couple of weeks I could resist no longer. The juicy black fruit Pinotage flavours from this most typical Pinotage brought a big smile to my face. The bottle came chilled from the fridge into the 30C warmth of a Barbados evening where it soon reached ideal drinking temperature.  

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Beach by Hotel

Pinotage is Changing - Roger Jones

'Bananas, chocolate box, rubber, fruit bombs, nail polish …. forget these descriptions, Pinotage is changing and there is a shining light coming from some Cape winemakers presenting a wine that is altogether more attractive, pure, precise and perfectly balanced.'

Michelin-starred chef Roger Jones travelled to South Africa to find top quality Pinotage  that would sit happily on wine lists in the UK.

Roger Jones

In his article for premium on-trade magazine The Buyer he reviews wines from Rijks, Spienkop, Spier, Simonsig, Flagstone, Beeslaar, Kanonkop, Southern Right and Groot Constantia and tastes a 1969 Lanzerac.

The article is here.

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Lodi, California, Pinotage

Lodi Winegrape Commission have a couple of stories on Lodi Pinotage.

One features Loma Prieta in Santa Cruz, America's largest producer of Pinotage wines who use  fruit sourced from Lodi -- see here.

And the other is about the Mettler Family who farm 4 acres of Pinotage that makes its way to Loma Prieta, as well as making some under their own label. See here.

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Pinotage Vinegar

I am indebted to Jon Clements over at PinotageUS.com for the news that a specialist company in Pennsylvania are now producing a Pinotage vinegar.

Image courtesy of

pinotageus.com

Supreme Vinegar LLC in Bensalem, PA  makes niche vinegars  without added sugar, chemicals, or additives  combining old techniques and modern chemistry in order to ensure the quality of the final product.

Reginald Smith, President and founder of Supreme Vinegar LLC told me:

"Right now I use only South African Pinotage wines, buying retail/wholesale by the case until I can see if the market justifies importing bulk amounts.

One case of 750 mL bottles can get me almost 6 cases of 250mL bottles of wine vinegar. I primarily use Nederburg, the most common available here in Pennsylvania, but there are some others I might add to the mix."

He'd be interested to hear of any boxed/bulk Pinotage available in the US.

Jon Clements says

"After contrasting the Pinotage Red Wine Vinegar with the regular Red Wine Vinegar the Pinotage flavors really stood out."

Read Jon's full review in his article here.




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