On 16th of April, we decided to look at various Pinotage wine from different regions, together with a few Rose wines made with this grape from the same area. The idea of the tasting was to taste wines from the colder areas that Pinot Noir thrives in to the warmer areas that Cinsault enjoys, including two outlier areas (Franschhoek and Paarl). Rose versions, were also included is to see, what a white wine made Pinotage wine would taste like? Does Pinotage, in this form taste like Pinotage red wine or should there be some skin contact to do that?
All tasters were provided with a full set of notes detailing chemical analysis, viticulture and winemaking practice, as well as the winemakers tasting notes (available upon request). Wines were tasted cold and in the same flight, the order of tasting, comments from the tasters and the average scores are as follows.
1. Whalehaven Abalone Blush Pinotage NV (website says 2016)- Hermanus
Colour- light brick-red, almost orange. Nose- musty, dusty, smoke, meaty, red fruit. Palate- crisp acidity, spice, black fruits, strawberry, meaty, Pinot Noir like (?), dusty.
Score- 16.00.
2. Wildekrans Estate Pinotage 2020- Bot River
Colour- inky purple-red, with almost no gradation to a clear rim. Nose- fynbos, Ribena, caramel, wet boerewors, smoke, red brambles, black and blue berries, prunes, leather, slight banana. Palate- crisp acidity, firm tannins, caramel, Prunes, savoury, vanilla, black cherries, plums, mulberry.
Score- 16.00.
3. Vrede en Lust Jess Rose 2023 (72% Pinotage, 23% Shiraz, 5% Grenache)- Simondium
Colour- light pink, onion skin. Nose- citrus, bubblegum, peach, dusty. Palate- crisp acidity, strawberry, raspberry and red fruit, bubblegum, peach, with a creamy finish.
Score- 16.83.
4. Allee Bleue Pinotage 2019 (98% Pinotage, 2% Viognier)- Franshhoek, but close to Boschendal
Colour- inky purple-red, with almost no gradation to a red rim. Nose- smoke, savoury with olives and sun-dried tomatoes, chemical (?), fynbos, spice, toffee, liquorice, cedar, plums. Palate- crisp acidity, firm tannins, spice, mint, toffee, cedar, olives, tobacco, liquorice, plum, black cherries and berries.
Score- 17.20 (11th best scored wine for 2024, out of 75 wines tasted).
5. L’Avenir Horizon Rose de Pinotage 2023- Paarl
Colour- light pink. Nose- coconut, citrus, raspberry, strawberry. Palate- crisp acidity, strawberry, raspberry, sharp, citrus, silky.
Score- 16.40.
6. Under Oaks Reserve Pinotage 2018- Paarl
Colour- inky purple-red, with almost no gradation to a red rim. Nose- spice with cloves and cinnamon, caramel, olives, nutty (hazelnut?), raspberry, plum, Christmas pudding. Palate- crisp acidity, with firm but softening tannins, Bovril, spice, cinnamon, cloves, plum, raspberry, fruit cake, a few felt the finish was a bit flat.
Score- 16.75.
7. Riebeek Cellars Pinotage Rosé 2023- Riebeek Kasteel (Swartland)
Colour- very light pink. Nose- bubblegum, Turkish delight, citrus, strawberry and wild berries. Palate- crisp acidity, citrus, with full strawberries on the palate that linger to the finish, a strawberry fruit bomb.
Score- 16.60.
8. Pulpit Rock Brink Pinotage 2020- Riebeek West (Swartland)
Colour- inky purple-red, with almost no gradation to a red rim. Nose- fynbos, coffee, chocolate, dark cherries and red berries. Palate- crisp acidity, firm tannins, savoury with olives, chocolate, coffee, black berry and cherries, with some red fruits, creamy, with a slight bitter finish.
Score- 16.40.
9. Du Toitskloof Pinotage Rosé 2023- Rawsonville (Breedekloof)
Colour- light pink. Nose- citrus, grapefruit, red berries and strawberries. Palate- crisp acidity, citrus with grapefruit, soft, red berries (raspberry) and cherries, strawberry.
Score- 16.67.
The Rose versions, very different to their red counterparts, none of the rich flavours that are derived from a warmer fermentation and skin contact. The rose were fresh, light, crisp fruit bombs! Lots of Strawberry on the Rose wines. The Whalehaven was almost like a light Pinot Noir in colour and palate, well made, still alive! As said above, the red wine versions were full, fruit driven, with lots of savoury components, the good wooding showing in most cases! The Wildekrans was a wild, leathery, wine with prunes and other flavours that the tasters didn’t like. But most with the exception of the Brink better scored than the Rose versions. Tops the lovely Allee Bleue (11th best wine of 2024), followed by Vrede en Lust Jess and the Under Oaks Reserve. Thanks to all those who attended and made this tasting special. A special thank you also to Gavin Horscroft, Glynis Prosser and Peter Culling for the loan of their notes, which greatly aided me in writing this report.
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