Pinotage is South Africa’s own, a red grape created here 80 years ago and still grown almost exclusively in this country. It came into being in the 1920s, when scientists crossed the noble and delicate pinot noir with the brawnier cinsault, a grape from France’s Rhóne Valley, called hermitage in South Africa. Combining the names of its parents, the new grape was christened pinotage.
Because it grew so well and easily in South Africa, some wineries took pinotage for granted — planting it in unsuitable soils, over-irrigating, allowing it to produce overly heavy yields of grapes and handling it indifferently in the winery. The result? A rustic wine.
But with the end of apartheid and South Africa’s return to the international wine market, more wineries began to realize that if they paid the grape respect, it would reward them with a delightful wine that is a great match with foods ranging from barbecues to game to roasts.
One producer of pinotage in South Africa that always has appreciated its potential is Kanonkop. Its pinotage long has been a fine, well-made, complex wine, and its 2003 bottling extends that reputation: Well-balanced with integrated fruit flavors and a velvety texture, it is a standard-bearer for pinotage. At $33, it is also one of the most expensive. Zonnebloem 2003, at a third of that price, offers a perky acidity and a clean, subtle aroma. With an extra year’s age, Simonsig 2002, priced at $15, is full-bodied and mouth-filling. All three of these originate in Stellenbosch, the center of South Africa’s wine world, in the Cape Provence.
Indalo, from Swartland, means “nature’s way.” Priced at $9, it is a bright wine with sweet fruit and, like all good pinotage, a vibrant acidity. Other worthy pinotages include Graham Beck’s Old Road ($19), which is produced from the grapes of 40-yearold vines; the berry-rich Grangehurst, one of South Africa’s best ($25); and Nederberg, a pleasant, relatively light wine with soft tannin ($10.50).
With these and more now on the American market, pinotage is ready and waiting to be discovered.
Read This Next
November 2006 Cover
2006 / November 2006
Nov 1, 2006Introducing
FX Excursions
FX Excursions offers the chance for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in destinations around the world.
#globility
Insta FeedMarch 2024
Mar 28, 2024Cruise Lines Elevate the Onboard Fine-Dining Experience
It’s been a long time since the food on cruise ships resembled the bland, uninspired fare that gave onboard dining a bad name. These days, cruise passengers can look forward to menus created by Michelin-starred chefs made with top-quality ingredients served in stunning spaces. Choices abound as well. In addition to elegant main dining rooms, cruise ships have created a huge array of specialty restaurants that focus not only on perfectly executed traditional European and North American dishes but flavors and experiences from around the globe as well. In fact, meals served aboard cruise vessels have gotten so good, they’re drawing passengers onto ships: According to a recent report by luxury travel planning network Virtuoso, advisors report after Europe (specifically Italy and France), the No. 2 dining destination for travelers is aboard an ocean or river cruise. “This shows how cruise lines have really stepped up their culinary game, with consulting chefs and new restaurants and making that a focal point,” said Misty Belles, vice president, Global Public Relations, Virtuoso.
Sponsored Content
Fill Your Heart with Ireland
Whether it's the people, the craic (fun) or the coasts, travelers always find something to love about the island of Ireland. What fills your heart?
Daily
Mar 28, 2024Athens’ National Museum of Contemporary Art Opens What if Women Ruled the World? Exhibition
National Museum of Contemporary Art Athens was founded in 1997 and is supervised and subsidized by the Hellenic Ministry of Culture and Sports. The museum began its operation in 2000, when it acquired the first artwork of its collection and the first temporary exhibition took place.
Daily
Mar 28, 2024AmaWaterways Debuts Specialty Summer Cruises in Europe
AmaWaterways recently unveiled its lineup of experiences and exclusive offers for its 2024 Summer European river cruise season, and the list includes 20 Celebration of Wine Cruises, with two hosted by Samantha Brown and Chef Joanne Weir; and three Loyalty Appreciation Cruises.
Sponsored Content
Exclusive Savings: Cruise Along the Danube River with Global Traveler
Exclusive Sailing with Global Traveler
March 2024
Mar 27, 2024Udaipur Unveiled: A Walking Tour in Rajasthan’s Most Romantic City Reveals Its Many Layers
Anyone who makes their way to Rajasthan in northern India has likely heard of Udaipur’s allure. The city revered for its lakes and marble palaces is considered by many who know not only the Indian subcontinent but the planet as a whole to be the most spectacularly romantic city on Earth.
Hotel Indigo La Paz Puerta Cortés Review
eFlyer Reviews
Mar 27, 2024Japan Airlines Purchases 32 Airbus, 10 Boeing
eFlyer News
Mar 27, 2024eFlyer News
Mar 27, 2024China Airlines Expands North American Network with Non-Stop Flights to Seattle
China Airlines will begin offering non-stop flights to Seattle (SEA) from Taipei (TPE) starting July 14. The new route expands the carrier’s passenger services to the northwestern United States by offering five weekly flights via the Airbus A350-900.
Sponsored Content
Briggs & Riley: Elevate Your Journey with Quality Luggage
Embracing a life well lived often means embracing a life well-traveled. Every journey becomes a canvas for experiences that shape our lives and at the heart of every adventure lies the indispensable companion: quality luggage.
eFlyer Deals
Mar 27, 2024Sleep Sanctuary at Sandestin Golf & Beach Resort
In West Florida, indulge in a stay at Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort. This season, the hotel’s Sleep Sanctuary offer promises premium, beachfront accommodations; and sleep-enhancing amenities. Amenities include two aroma bracelets, a handmade soap, a bath bomb and foaming sugar scrub from Artful Soap Co.
ShareThis