WoTM - Anura Pinotage Reserve 2011

My Wine of the Month for November 2015 is Anura Pinotage Reserve 2011, a very satisfying classic Pinotage with a fine sturdy core, sweet berry fruit edge and just a trace of mocha.

Anura is a bit off my radar, they don’t seem to be available in the UK so they’re not the first producer that comes to mind when I think Pinotage, but I’ve enjoyed the few I’ve encountered and they have always impressed. I’ll get some more when I’m  in the Cape in a couple of months time.

I wasn’t the only one to be impressed with this vintage, as it was a worthy Top 10 winner in 2013.   

Kanonkop Sweeps IWSC Trophies

Kanonkop Estate was the toast of the IWSC Awards Banquet held on Thursday evening 26 November 2015 in the splendour of London's Guildhall.

Kanonkop won three Trophys

• Abraham Perold Pinotage Trophy for the 2012 Pinotage, sponsored by The Pinotage Association
• Abrie Beeslaar won Winemaker of the Year Trophy 2015. This is the second time Abrie has won.
  
• Kanonkop Estate won South African Wine Producer of the Year Trophy

IWSC says 

The prestigious, Winemaker of the Year 2015 is Abrie Beeslaar, who has been recognised for his work at Kanonkop Wine Estate, South Africa. Having received the award previously in 2008, Abrie is taking his favourite grape, Pinotage, to new realms of quality - striving for balance structure and elegance. 

Black Label Pinotage 2010, Pinotage 2012 and Black Label Pinotage 2012 all received Gold Outstanding medals, but the judges selected the Pinotage 2012 for the Pinotage Trophy.

I tasted all three at the event and the Trophy winner was immediately beguilingly attractive and I think that gave it the edge. The two Black Labels were tighter and more closed, presumably having been made for longer keeping with a higher proportion of new oak.

The 2012 Black Label had 18 months in 100% new oak barrels, and the 2010 16 months in 100% new oak barrels, the 2102 Pinotage had 16 months in 75% new and 25% second fill barrels.

Citation for Kanonkop Pinotage 2012

Abrie Beeslaar accepts the Abraham Perold Pinotage Trophy from Peter May representing the Pinotage Association

Deidre Taylor, Kanonkop Brand Manager, accepts the Abraham Perold Pinotage Trophy from Peter May representing the Pinotage Association

Grinder Pinotage wins

Sommelier Mark Cochrane held a tasting for The Millstone, Ontario, newspaper comparing "the traditional wines made with 'South African signature grapes' against the new style of wines being planted in South Africa."

Chenin blanc and Pinotage in Team Tradition competed against Team Newbies'  Sauvignon blanc and 60/40 Shiraz/Cabernet Sauvignon blend.

Result? "The overwhelming preference was for the older style wines like Pinotage and Chenin Blanc which demonstrates that some wines can stand the test of time."

But not too old style for the red as the Pinotage was The Grinder, one of the new fashioned  'coffee/chocolate' wines.

Mark bought the wines from Ontario's  monopoly LCBO and it seems someone there really likes that style as they form half the 8 varietals available!

Read the full report in The Millstone from Mississippi Mills Ontario, Canada.

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WoTM - Spier 21 Gables Pinotage 2010

Frans Smit and his team are producing some excellent wines at Spier. Premium range ’21 Gables’ is the bees’ knees where Pinotage is concerned.

This beauty from the 2010 vintage is my Wine of The Month for October 2015. It is lusciously silky and mouth filling with a rich intensity of fruit and soft supple tannins. 

It was a Pinotage Top 10 winner in 2012. Hand sorted, aged 18 months and a barrel selection.

5 Platter Stars for 4 Pinotages

Just four varietal Pinotage's gained 5 Stars in Platter's 2016 South African Wine Guide. They are

Beeslaar Wines Pinotage 2013


Rijk’s Reserve Pinotage 2011

Spier 21 Gables Pinotage 2013

Windmeul Cellar Pinotage 2014


And I spotted only one Cape Blend, Kaapzicht Wine Estate Vision 2012 

There are  83 5 Star winners. 

See the full list at https://outofthepress.wordpress.com/2015/10/29/platter-2016-revealed-2/


Congrats to all..

Free e-Book from Kanonkop Estate

Kanonkop Estate have released a free eBook about the estate and its vine growing and wine making.

Especially interesting are the photographs showing Pinotage's growth cycle and maps and aerial photographs mapping the location of the Estate and location of where different varieties grow.

The 68 page book, photographed and writtten by Kevin Crause can be read and downloaded as a PDF from  http://kanonkop.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Kanonkop_eBook.pdf 

Cape Blend is 'dynamic and exciting'

"Today the Cape Blend is a dynamic and exciting wine category, yielding bold, vibrant wines, truly representative of South Africa," writes Wanda Augustyn at Moneyweb.co.za .

In her  article she interviews Beyers Truter, chairman of the SA Pinotage Association, organisers of the Perold Absa Cape Blend competition, De Wet Viljoen, winemaker at Neethlingshof and chairman of the Perold Absa Cape Blend competition, Johnnie Calitz, winemaker at Anura and Oliver Cattermole, executive chef, Leeu Collection.


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Six Decades of Pinotage

Lebbie Musavaya from Zimbabwe attended ‘Six Decades of Pinotage’ seminar at Cape Wine 2015. She says “With a handful of Pinotage wines available in Zimbabwe, but a limited amount of knowledge and meaning to back-up this variety, I felt I was in the right place at the right time to explore this varietal, unique to South Africa.”

The oldest at the tasting was a 1967 Lanzerac Pinotage and the youngest 2013 Spionkoep. 

Lebbie says “The movement of one era to another gave me a deeper understanding and meaning of Pinotage. It was a clear journey that unmistakably heralded Pinotage, yesterday, today and tomorrow.”

Read her full report and review of the wines for Zimbabwe’s ‘The Standard’ here.

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Kanonkop 2012 Wins IWSC Trophy

The International Wine and Spirit Competition 2015 Perold Trophy for best Pinotage has been awarded to Kanonkop Estate for their 2012 Pinotage.

Kanonkop also had the 2010 and the 2012 'Black Label' wiining Gold Outstanding medals.

The Perold Trophy is sponsored by the Pinotage Association.

Congratulations to all at Kanonkop. 

 

WotM - Springfontein Jonathan’s Ridge Pinotage 2010.

My Wine of the Month for September is Springfontein ‘Jonathan’s Ridge’ Pinotage 2010. 

This wine has depth with lush sweet fruit backed by lovely soft tannins from its 19 months  aging in 80% new  French and American barriques. It’s not until later processing the label photo I noticed 15% abv, the wine is just so well balanced and drinkable and it was deservedly a Top 10 winner in 2013.

It’s a single vineyard wine from vines planted in 2000, so less than 9 years old at time of harvest. Wild yeast fermented and unfiltered.

The label is informative, and is hand numbered. This was No. 2290 of 3839.

Springfontein is in the upcoming Stanford area. I’ve not yet visited this winery or the others nearby except for Raka. I must do so, for I have enjoyed several bottles of Jonathan’s Ridge since first being recommended it at the wine shop in Hoek Hoew farmshop.

Dr. Johst Weber bought the Walker Bay property in 1994 and decided the terroir best suited Chenin Blanc and Pinotage. The current  winemaker is Tariro Masayiti, but the 2010 vintage was made by Christo Verfeldand.