WoTM - Mhudi Pinotage 2020

 

My Wine of The Month for September is Mhudi Pinotage 2020, WO Coastal Region

Time flies - it was in 2008 that I visited the Rangakas at Mhudi and almost as long as I've tasted their Pinotage.

Thanks to The Wine Society now I again can. The first thing that struck me, after the £17.50 price, was its heavy bottle with deep punt, and DIAM cork.

Dark colour, berry flavours with plums to the fore and a really silky mouthfeel. A delicious wine.

Read about my visit to Mhudi here

I didn't notice chocolate on the nose

Pinotage Winners 2024

Winners of the Pinotage Top 10, Cape Blend and Rose competitions 2024 are:

Perold Absa Pinotage Top 10 Awards

Winners

• Beeslaar Wines - Beeslaar Pinotage 2022 (WO: Stellenbosch), Abrie Beeslaar
• Beyerskloof Wines - Beyerskloof Winemakers Reserve Pinotage 2022 (WO: Stellenbosch), Anri Truter
• Diemersdal Wine Estate - Diemersdal Pinotage Reserve 2022 (WO: Durbanville),Thys Louw, Juandre Bruwer
• Flagstone Winery - Flagstone Writer's Block Pinotage 2021 (WO: Swartland), Gerhard Swart
• Francois van Niekerk Wines - Francois van Niekerk Pinotage 2022 (WO: Coastal), Francois van Niekerk
• Kanonkop Wine Estate - Kanonkop Pinotage 2018 (WO: Simonsberg – Stellenbosch), Abrie Beeslaar
• Koelenhof Cellar - Stellenbosch 1679 Old Vine Pinotage 2022 (WO: Stellenbosch), Nicholas Husselman, Handre Visagie
• Rijk's Cellar - Rijk's Private Cellar Pinotage 2020 (WO: Tulbagh), Adriaan Jacobs
• Wellington Wines - La Cave Pinotage 2022 (WO: Wellington), Daniel Slabber
• Windmeul Cellar - Windmeul The Legend Collection Pinotage 2022 (WO: Paarl), Abraham van Heerde

Runners-up

• Beeslaar Wines - Beeslaar Pinotage 2021
• Bellingham - The Bernard Series Bushvine Pinotage 2021
• Beyerskloof Wines Beyerskloof Diesel Pinotage 2021
• Diemersdal Wine Estate - Diemersdal Pinotage Reserve 2023
• Durbanville Hills - Collectors Reserve The Promenade Pinotage 2022
• Flagstone Winery - Flagstone Truth Tree Pinotage 2021
• Glen Carlou Vineyards - The Glen Carlou Collection Pinotage 2022
• KWV - The Mentors Pinotage 2020
• Raka Wines - Raka Pinotage 2022
• Windmeul Cellar - Windmeul Reserve Pinotage 2021

Perold Absa Cape Blend Awards

Winners

• Bellevue Wine Estate - Bellevue Atticus Cape Blend, 2022, WO Bottelary, Winemaker Wilhelm Kritzinger.
• Fuselage Wines - Fuselage Wines Pilot & Navigator, 2021 , WO Paarl, Winemaker Danie Morkel.
• Koelenhof Wynkelder - Koelenbosch Nineteenfortyone, 2022, WO Stellenbosch, Winemaker Handré Visagie & Nicholas Husselman.
• Rooiberg Winery - Rooiberg Winery Reserve Cape Blend, 2022, WO Robertson, Winemaker JJ Simonis.
• uniWines Vineyards - Daschbosch The Gift, 2020, WO Breedekloof, Winemaker WS Visagie.
• Warwick Wine Estate - Warwick Three Cape Ladies Cape Blend, 2021, WO Stellenbosch, Winemaker JD Pretorius.

Runners-up

Beyerskloof - Beyerskloof Traildust, 2022, WO Stellenbosch, Winemaker Anri Truter.

Beyerskloof - Beyerskloof Faith Cape Blend, 2021, WO Stellenbosch, Winemaker Anri Truter.

L'Avenir Wine Estate - L'Avenir Stellenbosch Classic Cape Blend, 2020, WO Stellenbosch, Winemaker Dirk Coetzee.

Truter Family Wines - Truter Family Wines Agaat John David, 2022, WO Western Cape, Winemaker Hugo Truter.

Pinotage Rosé Awards

Winners

• Aaldering Vineyards - Aaldering Pinotage Rosé, 2024, WO Stellenbosch, Winemaker Jaco Parson.
• Bon Courage Estate - Bon Courage Lady of the House Pinotage Rosé, 2024, WO Robertson, Winemaker Philip Viljoen.
• De Grendel Wines - De Grendel Rosé, 2024, WO Coastal Region, Winemakers Morgan Steyn & Charles Hopkins.
• Deetlefs Wines - Deetlefs Stonecross Pinotage Rosé, 2024, WO Western Cape, Winemaker Philip Deetlefs.
• L'Avenir Wine Estate - L'Avenir Horizon Rosé de Pinotage, 2024, WO Stellenbosch, Winemaker Dirk Coetzee.
• Painted Wolf Wines - Painted Wolf The Den Pinotage Rosé, 2024, WO Coastal Region, Winemakers Jeremy Borg & Madre van der Walt.

 

WoTM-Warwick First Lady Pinotage 2023

 

My Wine of The Month for July is Warwick ‘The First Lady’ Pinotage 2023, WO Western Cape. 

‘The First Lady’ name is a tribute by the current owners to Norma Ratcliffe who, with her husband Stan, founded Warwick. Norma made the wines and was South Africa’s first female winemaker of modern times.

It has a raspberry nose, tastes include cherries and vanilla  with smooth subdued tannins and a creamy finish. Light, Burgundy styled easy going and very drinkable. A lovely wine. 13.5% abv.

I think it’s maybe not 100% Pinotage, maybe a little Merlot, but  Warwick’s website  is not forthcoming.

WoTM - Stellenrust Pinotage

 

My Wine of The Month for May is Stellenrust Pinotage 2021 and 2022.

We had the 2021 vintage at our favourite Asian restaurant, Chez Mumtaj. We've enjoyed it there several times in the past but in May this year it was sublime. Good fruit flavours with just a hint of coffee being ground. And of course, it went very well with our subtly spiced Lamb Rogan Josh.

Our local Tesco supermarket had it in their Finest range, but this was the 2022 vintage. It was delightful, but not quite to the level of the 2021. So I've bought more to open in one years time in the expectation that another year in the bottle will bring it to the heights of the 2021 this year. 

WoTM - Cloof Inkspot 2019

 

My Wine of The Month for April is Cloof Inkspot 2019. The bottle is festooned with stickers but it seems they were awarded by only two organisations.

The bottle has no information on what grape varieties are in it, but the man in the shop I got it from told me that it was a Cape Blend. According to Cloof's website they are Pinotage, Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Platter says there is a little Viognier as well.

The wine is quite firm with layers of fruit and a spine of tannins. It's well made but somehow just not very moreish and it's the first bottle in a long time that we don't finish.

WoTM - Bellevue 1953 -Vintage 2016 Pinotage

 My Wine of The Month for March is Bellevue '1953', vintage 2016.

Bellevue are a Pinotage pioneer, making the wine that was the first to be sold commercially under the Stellenbosch Family Winery brand 'Lanzerac'.

Now the old vineyard, with its twisted bush vines growing on sandy soil is having its grapes bottled separately under the year '1953' it was planted. It is one of the worlds oldest existing Pinotage vineyards. 

Only 600 bottles of 2016 vintage were produced. After nine years the wine is stately and serious. Like a fine old claret with a rounder body. The sweetness and youthful fruit has left and this wine demands a good steak or roasted loin of beef. Delicious.

 

I last had this wine at Bellevue's restaurant in 2018 when it was young and I bought a bottle home with me which I've kept till now.

See here for my report on that lunch and here for the announcement of the bottling

WoTM - 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 flavour. It was an excellent example of how good Pinotage develops as it ages.

WoTM – 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 two varieties were complementary. It was a big flavoursome wine, so I had big hopes for this.

 

It’s young; the grapes were still on the vines at the year’s beginning. It’s a pale translucent red and only 13% abv. It’s pleasant enough, but one taster thought it ‘stalky’. I didn’t get that, but found it a bit thin. It doesn’t seem to show varietal characteristics. It seems from the back label’s suggestion to serve cool that The Wine Society wanted a Beaujolais-Nouveau like wine. If it was served by the glass as a pub house wine I’d be happy, but with dinner I want more oomph.

RIP Pierre Loubser

 

Pierre in 2019

I 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. 

A friendship developed between us and we met every time I made my annual trip to the Cape. I lunched twice with him earlier this year. The last  time I saw him was at Jordan Estate in March this year.

Pierre's had suffered several years of declining  health and he was quite frail but his wits were as sharp as ever.

I shall miss his company. 

Pierre Johan Loubser

Gebore: 29 Oktober 1939 Oorlede: 22 Desember 2023

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Platter 2024

Platter'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 rating

• Fairview Primo 2021
• Francois van Niekerk 2021
• Kanonkop Black Label 2021
• Kanonkop 2021
• Lanzerac Commemorative 2019
• L'Avenir Single Block 2020
• Survivor Reserve 2021

The following Cape Blends got the top 5 Star rating

• Beaumont Vitruvian 2019
• Beyerskloof Faith 2020
• Beyerskloof Faith 2019
• Nuiba Third Post 2019
• Opstal Carl Everson Cape Blend 2021

Congratulations to all.

WoTM - Cloof 'Winemakers Reserve' Pinotage 2020

My 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?

WoTM - Laibach Pinotage 2018

My 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 Vineyards

I thought that 2017 vintage would be the last Laibach I would have and I was a little disappointed with it. But I found this bottle in an independent wine shop a long way from my home and it's a cracker with deep juicy plummy flavours and underlying soft tannins. 

With the sale in 2022 I may yet find more Laibachs. I look forward to them.

WoTM - 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 I've had.

WoTM - Rijk's Pinotage Reserve 2016

My Wine of The Month of August is Rijk's Pinotage Reserve 2016

It 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 fruit flavours, and the oaking is not obvious. Simply delicious.

WoTM - Grangehurst Pinotage 2009

My 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 plummy notes, age softened tannins from 21 months in barrel and background spices.

Perfect, just perfect.

WoTM - Kaapzicht Estate Rooiland Pinotage 2020

My 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 that varietal sweetness.

It's name 'rooiland' refers to the red soil in which the unirrigated bush vines were planted in 1995 and 1997.

After fermentation and malo the wine was aged 16-18 months in 300L oak barrels and then concrete tanks till bottling.

It's a tremendous wine by any standard and I've ordered more.

WoTM - 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 underlying taste that I couldn't identify.

WoTM - 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 fellow Pinotage fan. 

It is exceptional. Lots of blackberry fruits, tannins discreetly in the background, it's easy to drink and so rewarding. My new favourite of all Beyerskloof's portfolio. And that's saying something!

Pinotage 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/QsV6Og

The 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 wine estates. In addition to the wine tastings, there will be live entertainment, delicious food, and a private tasting with some well-known, award winning wine personalities.

"The Pinotage Festival is truly a celebration of South African wine and culture," says deputy chairman of the Pinotage Association, De Wet Viljoen. "It's a chance for people to discover the unique and exciting flavours of Pinotage wine, while enjoying the beautiful surroundings and vibrant atmosphere of the festival."

Wines will be poured by L'Avenir Wine Estate, Springfontein Wine Estate, Spijker & Bessie Wyne, Stellenbosch Hills, Amperbo, Windmeul Kelder, Middelvlei Wines, Clos Malverne, Beyerskloof Wines, Bon Courage Wine Estate, Marianne Wine Estate, De Waal Wines, Koelenhof Winery, Simonsig, DuToitskloof Cellar, Overhex, Painted Wolf and more.

 Live performances by - Francois Haasbroek, David Derman, Johnny Camel and Die Broers.

Accommodation partner is Protea Hotel by Marriott Stellenbosch, contact them for the Pinotage Festival special rate, 021 880 9500or email grmanager@phstellenbosch.com

The Pinotage Food and Wine Festival is a collaboration between Pinotage Association and Klub1000.

For more information: Sonia Haasbroek shaasbroek@paulroos.co.za  or Belinda Jacobs brand@pinotage.co.za

WoTM - 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 the cellar are  tinted windows. A visiting poet said the cellar was a cathedral of wine.

The new KWV doesn't seem to set a foot wrong, and I have enjoyed their basic Pinotage. This is about double that price, and about half that of the premium Mentors brand.

 Note how a reader might assume Dr. Perold was working for KWV when he produced Pinotage,

I like the label produced especially for the centenary of the Cathedral Cellar.