The Wine Stig - February 2012
Wine recommendation for February - Pinotage
Happy New Year from THE WINE STIG!
Another Christmas has come and gone and here we are recovering both bodily and in the wallet from the annual excesses of the season. I trust you also passed the 16th January unscathed, reputedly the most depressing day of the year. Things are now on the up, and all we have to do is weather the close-to-zero temperatures and with this in mind I would like to recommend a winter warmer that you may not have come across.
Pinotage [peeno-targe] is a grape variety that only seems to grow well in South Africa; most wine drinkers haven’t had as much experience with it as they have with other red wines. The situation for Pinotage is made worse by the fact that South Africans have a love /hate relationship with Pinotage; some enjoy its unique flavours while others distain it because it isn’t ‘European enough’.
Pinotage was produced by crossing the Pinot Noir grape with the Cinsault grape and it is grown almost exclusively in South Africa. Generally wine was first produced in South Africa in 1652 by the Dutch – they used it on sea voyages to give to the sailors to prevent scurvy. In 1922, Professor Peroldt created the Pinotage cross and in 1952 it was planted. Pinotage wines did not appear on the market until some years later, making it one of the youngest grape varieties. Be careful when picking a Pinotage because quality can vary. In the hands of the right wine maker it can be a great experience but if handled incorrectly Pinotage wine can turn out badly. You get a better chance of getting a decent bottle by spending a little more on it.
You will find a limited range of good Pinotage at SAGOL (just to remind you – Supermarkets And Good Off Licences) at prices ranging from £7 to £20. Pinotage has a distinctive flavour, very fruity with an underlying taste frequently compared to banana and an earthiness provided by the Cinsault grape. It can be drunk young to maintain its fruitiness and also ages well, developing and mellowing, allowing the wine to taste like a mature Bordeaux.
Pinotage is one of those wines that will warm the cockles of your heart during these cold winter evenings. Have a glass on its own or pair it with winter warming stews and other rich dishes such as game but serve it at a temperature somewhat less than ‘room temperature’.
If you get to love Pinotage there is an entire fan club dedicated to the wine on the internet!
Enjoy your selection process at SAGOL or on the web and to all you lovers out there, why not buy a bottle to share with your Valentine.