Wine Advent-ure: Day 8

Who’s Who

Region/Country: Western Cape/South Africa
Varietal: Pinotage

For Day 8’s offering we go to South Africa, in the Western Cape region. The hybrid of Pinot Noir and Cinsault, known as “Pinotage” is perhaps the most celebrated grape varietal in South Africa, and would certainly wind up on the “Who’s Who” list of grapes, if there ever was such a list. Perhaps there should be one…

At any rate, this wine has a rather austere nose. Simple aromas of blackberry, strawberry and cherry are accompanied by cedar and spice. From the nose alone I was expecting a wine that wasn’t flashy or brilliant, with simple flavor and structure. I didn’t expect a burst of fruit. Strawberries and blackberries explode on the palate, so much so that I barely noticed the tannins, which while present in the nose, were much milder on the palate. Still they were there and with the acidity, they provide a good deal of structure to what could easily been a jammy mess. Light-bodied, this red is one that is easy to drink, and according to Aroundtheworldinwines.com it’s best paired with “rustic” dishes like smoky meats, roast chicken with herbs, gouda mac n cheese or even French onion soup. Expressive dishes for a very expressive wine.