The second Saturday of October is always a highlight on the wine calendar as International Pinotage Day is celebrated.
Every year, wine lovers from all over the globe celebrate this wine which is proudly South African, but it’s also the month to raise a toast to the father of pinotage Professor Abraham Perold.
Pinotage is the signature wine of South Africa, where it was cultivated in the early 1920s as a cross between pinot noir and cinsault (then known as a hermitage, hence the name).
Although very individualistic, depending on the winemaking techniques, this delightful wine is generally known for its juicy dark, red fruit flavours, like blackberry, black cherry, and black plum, sometimes including fig-like and roasted meat characteristics.
Below, the general manager at boutique wine outlet and e-commerce platform, Dry Dock Liquor, Elena Venzo shares her top choices to celebrate International Pinotage Day.
La Cave Pinotage
Soft blueberry and cherry notes are supported by hints of spice and vanilla pod, showing an excellent balance between oak and fruit. The wine is delectably layered with married aroma notes. On the palate, the wine is rounded and velvety and shows finesse. The spicy vanilla and oaky notes follow through on the palate, giving weight to the flavour profile which is refined by raspberry and plum notes.
The Den Pinotage Rose
A wonderfully enticing rosé – pale salmon with delicate aromas of cranberry and white blossom. On the palate, the wine is crisp and dry with hints of tropical guava and a refreshing minerality.
Spier 21 Gables Pinotage
Winner of Gold at the Concours Mondial de Bruxelles 2020, Double Gold at Top 100 SA Wines 2018, and 93 points from Master of Wine Tim Atkin, this is a wine to be savoured. A wine for celebrations (or for when you’re simply in the mood for something special), this Pinotage dazzles when paired with ostrich, lamb, or venison, or with a platter of robust cheeses. With initial delightful flavours of caramelised black cherries, hints of dark spice, and dark chocolate, this full palate’s smooth entry is followed by rich fruit and velvety tannins.
The Den Pinotage
A medium-bodied Pinotage with ripe boysenberry and mulberry, savoury spice, milk chocolate, and toasty wood flavours. Social wines to be enjoyed with friends and family, these wines are named for the den, the heart of all painted wolf communities.
Painted Wolf Guillermo Pinotage
This Pinotage comes from organic grapes and is bright and vibrant with spicy red berry fruit, ripe tannins, and a long, lingering finish.
Survivor Pinotage
Embodying the free spirit of the Swartland, this wine pays tribute to the Nguni cow that jumped from a truck transporting a herd of cattle. She survived, thrived, and has even produced several offspring. This is a barrel-matured wine with hearty fruit flavours including prune, plum, and cherry complemented by elegant notes of spice and cedar. This beauty makes the perfect accompaniment with sweet barbeque ribs, roast chicken, boerewors and steak, and gouda cheese.
Kaapzicht Pinotage
A full-bodied dry red wine boasting a dark deep depth of black plum with an opulent, slightly reductive nose of black cherry, mulberry, and stewed plum. Texturally there is the impressive focus, balanced finesse, and a classy, cool, elegant mouthfeel punctuated with soft supple black fruits and oak spice. This impressive expression of our uniquely South African grape variety is deliciously paired with barbecued ostrich steaks or springbok fillet from the braai.