WoTM - Doran Vineyards Family Reserve Pinotage 2023

 My Wine of The Month for February is Doran Vineyards Family Reserve Pinotage 2023, WO Voor-Paardeberg.

It was in September 2016 that I had my first and, though I didn't then  know it, last Doran Vineyards wine when I met owner Edwin Doran at a wine show. (see here)

So I was pleased to see this wine in an independent wine shop, all being at more than three times the cost it is in South Africa.

In the intervening years the wine has acquired a smart modern front label and a well-designed informative rear label. But what  about the contents? 

This is so drinkable, light red berry fruits to the fore. It lightly wears its 16 months stay in older oak casks; it doesn't taste oaked. I remember wine industry guru Duimpie Bayley saying that oak aging should be like a dance floor, offering support without its presence being noticed.

The bottle had emptied before we noticed.

Ukraine Joins the Pinotage Family

 Beykush Winery in Ukraine has Pinotage. It's currently a component on its Artahia blend.

According to Wineland magazine, 2,470 vines were planted in 2012, sourced from Voor Goenberg Nurseries in Wellington, because Beykush were looking for early ripening varieties.

Beykush Winery is about 35 minutes drive south of Odesa on the Black Sea.

WoTM - Heron’s Nest 2020

 

My Wine of The Month for January is a Cape Blend, Heron’s Nest Cabernet Sauvignon/Pinotage 2020, WO Western Cape.

The label is coy; it doesn’t name the producer or the component proportions. But the A Number belongs to S A Pritchard who is the owner of Clos Malverne in Devon Valley. Clos Malverne’s flagship wine is Auret which is a Cabernet Sauvignon/Pinotage blend, but as that is more expensive in the Cape than I paid for Heron’s Nest in the UK I don’t think they are the same wine, but it’s one made in a similar way from bought in grapes. 

It’s a very enjoyable wine; the Cabernet calms down Pinotage’s exuberance and the Pinotage gives fruit and sweetness to the Cabernet. Thoughtful winemaking shows – there were no shortcuts as they used the basket presses  beloved by Clos Malverne and aged in French Oak barrels. I’d buy more, unfortunately for me they quickly sold out. 

100 Years of Pinotage

 

2025 is the 100th anniversary of the planting of the first Pinotage.

In South Africa’s autumn, at the beginning of 1925, Professor Abraham Izak Perold picked grapes from a Cinsaut vine whose female flowers he’d fertilised with Pinot Noir pollen the previous spring.

He planted seeds from those grapes in the spring of 2025. While all the subsequent vines had the same parents they were not identical. Most were unsuitable for use as commercial grape vines, but one was, and it was named Pinotage after its parents, Hermitage being the South African name for Cinsaut at that time.

It took time for grape farmers to plant the new variety, but early growers started winning wine-show awards with their Pinotages.

However the public had to wait until 1961 for the first commercially available Pinotage, a 1959 vintage released by Stellenbosch Farmers Winery under their Lanzerac label.

WoTY - Beyerskloof Pinotage 2021

 

My Wine of The Year 2024 has to be the one I’ve drunk most, which is Beyerskloof Pinotage 2021. 

It’s bulk shipped and bottled in the UK and as it’s stocked in Sainsbury’s supermarket and frequently discounted it’s easy and inexpensive to buy. This year the 2021 vintage is still being sold in the UK, but in South Africa in November we were drinking winery bottled 2022 vintage.

 

Beyersklooof Pinotage is our go-to when we have a curry, and our eldest son is a huge fan. Unfortunately we can no longer find the Reserve or Synergy Cape Blend, so white label it is. The wine is an easy drinker and  true to the variety, with good balance and bags of fruity flavours.

In total I’ve opened 77 varietal Pinotages this year and 11 Cape Blends.

(The British label says it’s made by Beyers Truter and his team, but the winery bottled 2021 (below) makes it clear on the front label that Beyer’s son, Anri, is now the winemaker.) 

WoTM - Stettyn Pinotage 2023

My Wine of the Month for November is Stettyn Pinotage 2023 (WO Stettyn). I was alerted to this wine by Dan who’d had it with lunch at My Couzens Family Restaurant in Gordon’s Bay during our all too short stay in the Cape in November.

 

I thought I knew all the Wine of Origin appellations, but I’d never heard of Stettyn or the winery of the same name. A few days later I saw Stettyn Pinotage on a shelf at Houw Hoek Farm Stall near Bot Rivier and had to buy. We consumed it the following night with a steak at Spur, and jolly enjoyable it was too.

 

There were plummy tones together with some blackberry flavours bound together with soft tannins. A quaffer that went perfectly with our steaks and the only disappointment was that I didn’t buy more bottles. This was a very young wine and I wonder what it’d be like with a bit more ageing.

 

We planned to visit the winery but ran out of time. It’s located on the R43 between Villiersdorp and Worcester. Next time. 

WoTM - KWV Mentors Pinotage 2020

My Wine of the Month for October is the KWV Mentors Pinotage 2020 (WO Stellenbosch) that I opened on Pinotage Day earlier this month.

It's a big brooding beast in a heavy statement bottle. The back label says 'Can be enjoyed now, but will benefit for aging for a further five years' which is fairly meaningless as it doesn't say when the five years starts from. Is it the vintage year, as it says further aging? Is from the bottling date although they don't say when that is? Is it when one buys it, or when one opens it? Who knows?

I opened it four and a half years since the grapes were picked and I should have kept it longer, as it was closed - keeping it's promised glories tightly packed. Oh yes, it was enjoyable but for the feeling it would blossom with more age and that I'd opened it too soon.

Pinotage Day - TODAY

 

Every year on the second Saturday of October, we celebrate Pinotage Day – a tribute to its journey from ancient soils to our tables, evolving in the hands of skilled artisans. This remarkable variety represents the heart of South African winemaking, a blend of culture, care,  and heritage.

I'm opening KWV The Mentors Pinotage 2020 today.

Wishing you the joy of a glass or more of Pinotage.

Cheers!!!

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.