WoTM - Grayhaven Pinotage

My Wine of the Month for August is Pinotage from Grayhaven Vineyard and Winery in Virginia USA.I bought it there when I visited in September 2008. Co-owner Max Peple-Abrams fell in love with Pinotage while in South Africa, where she  met husband Deon Abrams who is winemaker at Grayhaven.

She told me then "We have less than 1/3 acre of Pinotage vines here and have to supplement with Pinotage grapes grown in California. We graft off our existing vines every year to increase our production - it's slow going. To meet the current demand for our Pinotage, we are looking to eventually have about 2000 vines. We thin our crops pretty well so the quality is high but our yield is less than 1/2 of what a large commercial vineyard would get from the same vine count."

This wine, made in 2007 is made with a blend of estate grapes and California grapes, brought to the winery by refrigerated truck, and accounting for its 'American Wine' appellation.

Yet again, I had kept an interesting - and rare - wine for too long. But it was 16% abv so it was still enjoyable. Although totally dry, the high alcohol and Pinotage sweetness gave this wine the feel of Madeira.

WoTM - Rheboksloof Pinotage 2015

 My Wine of The Month for June is Rhebokskloof Pinotage 2015 WO Paarl.

I had it with an excellent fillet steak in the Café Cru restaurant of The Imperial Hotel in Great Yarmouth where we spent a few days this month.

I've had the2015 Rheboksloof before, but this was the last bottle of this vintage at the hotel so I doubt I'll have the 2015 again.

Six years old, and matured to perfection, it was magisterial with supple plum and black cherry fruits and soft tannins. A beautiful wine. With steak it made a heavenly match.

WoTM - The Mentors Pinotage 2017

 My Wine of The Month for May is The Mentors 2017 Pinotage W.O. Coastal

Mentors is the top range in KWV's wine portfolio, and they never disappoint. This 2017 suggests on its back label to age for five to eight years, but it is drinking beautifully now after four years.

There's black fruits, damson come to mind with an intriguing underlying spiciness. It's a mouth filling, rich and satisfying wine. Must get more!

Consumers Have Moved On

Interesting article in Forbes by Cathy Huyghe who says that many people in the wine business are old fogeys with elephantine negative memories on the subject of Pinotage.

Consumers, in the meantime, have moved on. Far, far on.

It’s a telling discrepancy. On one hand are the traditionalists and their elephantine memories, who cling to negative, decades-old impressions of Pinotage the way former athletes cling to romantic idealizations of their long-ago glory days in sports. Interestingly, this group seems populated more by people in the trade than by casual consumers who comprise the alternate side of the discrepancy, who are more curious and interested in current iterations of today’s wines now rather than the versions of how yesterday’s wines used to be.

Full article  - Old Fogeys Vs The Rest Of Us: Perspectives On Pinotage Wines From South Africa

WoTM - Van Loveren 'Rhino Run' Pinotage 2018

My Wine of the Month for April is Van Loveren Vineyards 'Rhino Run' Pinotage 2018  WO Robertson.

This was my second bottle. It had a good body and structure under lots of that typical Pinotage sweet fruit.

The label confuses me. The RR logo says Royal Rhino beneath, and the back label says Royal Rhino is a donor towards Rhino conservation but it doesn't say what the connection this wine is.

The website www.rhinorunwine.co.za says "for each bottle sold, a donation is made by Van Loveren Family Vineyards towards the Player Ntombela Foundation", but no mention of Royal Rhino, and the   'spec sheet' doesn't have a vintage tho' it shows an analysis of 14.57%abv, while the 2018 has an abv of 13.5%, also the label says the wine organic.

WoTM - Fleur du Cap 'Series Privée' Pinotage 2016

My Wine of the Month for March is Fleur du Cap 'Series Privée' 2016  WO Coastal Region.

It was a 2019 Pinotage Top 10 Winner and this bottle was my first and only. I bought it in Wine Village, Hermanus, in March 2020.

On opening it had a slight vegetal nose, but this soon went. When poured it was a very dark purple colour and released a power scent of blueberries, which express themselves exuberantly in the mouth. The wine had a creamy texture with tangy spearmint to the fore.

This was a lovely wine, insisting one poured another glass and it was finished all too soon.

If I had more bottles, I would keep them with confidence as this wine, while drinking well now, will surely reward aging.

From the winery fact sheet:

The first vineyard is from Stellenbosch Kloof in Stellenbosch from trellised vines planted in 2000. The row direction is E/W and the slope is north facing.

The other two vineyards originate from bush vine vineyards in Bottelary Hills and Agter Paarl. The Paarl vineyard was planted in 1994 and is farmed under dryland conditions. The soils are Swartland shale with excellent water holding capacity. Grapes are removed to one bunch per shoot resulting in a low yield of 6 tons/ha. The Bottelary Hills vineyard was planted in 1987 in similar soils on a north-west facing slope. Supplementary irrigation was given as required, yielding 7 tons/ha.

The grapes were handpicked, carefully destemmed and lightly crushed to open top fermenters. The wine was punched down during fermentation for optimal extraction of colour and tannins. After passing through small basket presses, the wine went straight to barrel (30% new oak) for malolactic fermentation. Racking as opposed to filtration was used to clarify the wine. The final blend was completed after 16 months in barrel.

WoTM - Single Vision Pinotage 2020

 My Wine of the Month for February is Single Vision Pinotage 2020

This was a really exciting 'tage, offering lots of fresh berry fruits, well balanced acidity, that typical Pinotage sweetness and all with reasonable13.5% abv. I returned to buy more, and it was all gone.

The back label says Single Vision is a project of Duncan Savage and Thys Louw of Diemersdal.

Beyers Truter wins 1659 Award for Visionary Leadership

 

Beyers Truter  was honoured with the iconic 1659 Award for Visionary Leadership on Tuesday 2 February 2021 during the industry's 10th annual Wine Harvest Commemorative event.

The purpose of the event is to celebrate the wine industry's inception 362 years ago on 2 February 1659, to ask for the Blessing of the Harvest and to honour role players.

The criteria for the Visionary Leadership award  includes demonstrable efforts and initiatives that have benefited the South African wine industry; a lasting impact and legacy; and to encourage and inspire others in the industry.

As winemaker, wine personality and owner of Beyerskloof, Truter has done all of this as part of his mission to have the South African Pinotage variety internationally recognised as a premium red wine. 

In 1979, Truter obtained a degree in BSc Agriculture with oenology and viticulture at Stellenbosch University. At the age of 25, he became the winemaker of Kanonkop, establishing the brand worldwide with numerous awards, including the prestigious Chateau Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande Trophy for the world's best red blend with his iconic Paul Sauer 1991 Bordeaux blend. 

He also won the Robert Mondavi Trophy at the International Wine and Spirits Competition in 1991 for Best Winemaker in the World. Truter also is the founder and chairperson of the Pinotage Association.

As a true wine legend who has placed Pinotage on the world map, Truter is a commendable recipient of the 1659 Award for Visionary Leadership. 

Previous recipients are Jan Boland Coetzee, Prof Piet Goussard, the Unsung Wineworkers, Charles Back, Danie de Wet, Norma Ratcliffe, Jan Scannell, Dave Hughes and Spatz Sperling. 

WoTM - Jerome Winery Pinotage 2012

 

 

My Wine of the Month for January is Jerome Winery Pinotage   2012 from Arizona, USA.

In 2016 I was invited to present at The American Wine Society National Conference in Coast Mesa, California. 

Before the conference we took the opportunity to drive from Los Angeles to Las Vegas, and after a few nights there to the Grand Canyon for a couple of nights, then south to stay at Sedona in order to visit Jerome, before heading to Temecula Valley and back to Costa Mesa.

Jerome, said in 1903 by New York’s The Sun to be “the wickedest town in the West”, was created to support the copper mine that excavated Cleopatra Hill. The mine shut in the 1950s and the town, which is effectively three parallel streets perched up on the side of a high hill, is now a tourist destination of shops, restaurants and wineries

Jerome Winery is a label of Cellar 433 which has its winery on the edge of the town with a steep drop behind it. It is owned by John McLoughlin who makes the wines and grows the grapes in the family vineyard on Dragoons Mountain, about 300 miles south east of Jerome, in the Willcox AVA.

I was lucky when I called in meeting John (above) on one of his infrequent visits to Jerome and he gave me a tasting. Unfortunately I have mislaid or lost the notebook I used, and after this time it has still not turned up I opened the wine, perhaps having left it too long.

Its pale red colour gave that initial impression, but it had a delicious delicate taste, with spiciness and a long finish. A gorgeous wine.

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WoTM Kanonkop Estate Pinotage 2015

 My Wine of the Month for December is Kanonkop Estate Pinotage 2005.

We enjoyed this on Christmas Day with roast turkey, roast parsnip and potatoes, steamed brussels sprouts, carrot, cauliflower, cabbage, sage & onion stuffing balls and Yorkshire pudding.

I had the 2010 and 2000 vintages ready as we had planned for wine, and Pinotage, loving family to join us, but a late change to Covid rules meant we dined on our own. 

The 2015 was at a perfect stage, with everything in balance and plenty of fruit. Smooth and delicious, we look forward to a happier time in 2021 when we will open another bottle of it and then the older ones for our guest.

Goodbye 2020....

Meerendal Pinotage Tasting Menu

 Meerendal's Restaurant, Il Tesoro, is serving a five course Pinotage Wine Pairing Dinner on Thursdays. They say booking is essential; phone number is on the website here. 

Video - Meerendal Winemaker Tastes Pinotage

Meerendal winemaker Thys Smit (above) tastes Meerendal Estate Pinotage in this short video.

The vintage is not identified and the label not clearly shown, so seems to be a generic description of the wine style rather than specific.

Jancis Chooses Springfontein Pinotage for Xmas

 Jancis Robinson MW's list of recommended Christmas wines includes one Pinotage.

She says  

These celebratory reds  ...... should deliver pleasure and relative value. Even the 15 percenters taste well balanced and appetising

Springfontein, Terroir Selection Pinotage 2016 Walker Bay, South Africa 15%

Very sweet and vital ..... amazingly well balanced. A very superior Pinotage.

First published in her column in The Financial Times and available in full on her website.  

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Loma Prieta Sold

Loma Prieta Winery, California's largest Pinotage producer, has new owners.

Loma Prieta was founded by Paul and Amy Kemp in 2000. Paul soon fell in love with Pinotage, grafting all his estate Cabernet, Merlot and eventually Pinot Noir vines to Pinotage and leasing Pinotage vineyards on other parts of the State. 

Paul made three vineyard specific Pinotages, Amorosa and Karma Vineyards in Lodi and Sierra Ridge Vineyard in Sutterville,  in addition to his estate Pinotage, and was the first anywhere to produce a sparkling white Pinotage, which was made by the traditional method.

Paul Kemp died on 1 July 2018.

Loma Prieta has been bought by Chris Arriaga, a real estate developer and former U.S. Marshal. He and his daughter, Samantha, both residents of Saratoga, will continue to operate the winery under its existing name, retaining all staff, reports The San Jose Mercury News.  

Full Story here

WoTM - Babylon's Peak The Wedge Pinotage 2018

 My Wine of the Month for December is The Wedge Pinotage 2018 (WO Swartland).

I've had a couple of Pinotages this month that were new to me and which I won't be buying again,  but will be getting more of this one.

The Wedge is named after a California beach by Newport Harbour famed by surfers for huge waves which can reach 30ft high.

The Wedge has its own website www.thewedgewines.com which lists five wines under The Wedge's retro surfing labels, but the wine is made by Babylon's Peak winery.

This is the first wine I've had from this winery, and wow! Dense black red colour, intense in the glass with black cherry and damson flavours with a thread of mocha and black chocolate. Really exciting.

So how come I hadn’t encountered this winery before when that label says Est 1925 and the website of Babylon's Peak says Anno 1919? The family may have started farming then but the high A number (A1062) shows they are recent and Platter says they started making wine in 2003.

Kanonkop Black Label 2018 - Video

Kanonkop Cellar Master Abrie Beeslaar announces the launch of the 2018 Black Label Pinotage, with a tasting note and a bit of history about how and why Kanonkop decided to bottle their old 1953 vineyard separately as Black Label.

The winery made this video restricted. Click on the link to view it on YouTube

The fact sheet for Kanonkop Estate Black Label 2018 is here.

Platter 2021 5 Star Pinotages

The Platter Guide to South African Wines has announced its 5 star wines in the forthcoming 2021 annual guide, the 41st, to online subscribers.

All are listed by Angela Lloyd, the Guide’s longest serving taster, here.

Six Pinotages and two Cape Blends received the 5 Star accolade. They are

Bellevue

1953 Single Vineyard Pinotage 2018

Pinotage Reserve 2017  

Beyerskloof   

Diesel Pinotage 2018

Delheim         

Vera Cruz Pinotage 2017

Diemersdal

Pinotage The Journal 2018

Pinotage Reserve 2019  

Cape Blends

Beyerskloof   Faith 2016

KWV The Mentors Perold 2017

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Boxed Beyerskloof Pinotage

Woolworths in South Africa are the first, as far as I am aware, to put Pinotage in a bag in a box (BIB). It's their exclusive Reserve Collection label from Beyerskloof. It's been long available  by the 75cl bottle at R99.99, now it also comes in a 2 litre BIB for R189.99, saving R70 

As to what is in the smartly cream labelled Reserve Collection, only Beyerskloof and Woolworths know, but I would guess it's similar to the Reserve Selection sold in the UK which is a mid-point between the stave-aged white label and the barrel-aged black labelled Reserve and is a blend of both.

Kanonkop Black Label 2018

 Emile Joubert of Wine Goggle got to taste the newly released 2018 vintage of Kanonkop's "Rare. Expensive. Luxurious." premium Black Label Reserve Pinotage.

He came to the  wine "with nervous trepidation. 2018 was a bugger of a vintage, the preceding five years of drought and heat surely having taken a toll on the vineyard, which was 65 years old at the time of harvest. "

But "the experience on the mouth was wonderful. Plush, satin and velvet come to mind, but not of the easy and comfortable and overtly-luxurious kind. 

The tannins have settled, making the experience broader and Rubenesque. Those familiar flavours of honeyed-prunes, damp autumn bark and sappy mulberries are pushed to the fore, gracefully balanced on rounded, muscled hips cloaked in fresh linen."

Kanonkop Black Label Reserve Pinotage 2018 is available from the winery at R1,900 (around GBP 91, USD 119)

Read the full review here.

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WoTM - Kaapzicht Estate Pinotage 2017

 My Wine of the Month for October is Kaapzicht Estate Pinotage 2017

Kaapzicht is a 4th generation farm owned by the Steytler family in the prime Bottelary Hills region of Stellenbosch. I’m surprised Kaapzicht isn’t wider known. 

Danie Steytler was the winemaker when I first visited. He’s now handed over winemaking to son Danie Junior and the quality is a high as ever. Steytler is their top label and under that one finds Pinotage, Vision Cape Blend and Pentagram Bordeaux blend. I have had all these but I haven’t tried their full range of wine, although I have been able to buy their wonderful Chenin.

Kaapzicht means Cape Sight – from the top of Kaapzicht’s vineyards one can look down on Cape Town’s harbour in the distance.

This wine is quintessential Pinotage, made with a light hand by a master of the variety. There’s plum, blackberry and spices over a tannin spine – the wine was aged for two years in French oak barrels before blending. But it’s not a bruiser, instead lighter bodied and sophisticated. Delightful!