By South African Wines
From bold and smoky to coffee-scented styles, Pinotage divides opinion like no other grape. Here's why South Africa's signature variety is finally winning over UK wine lovers.
Pinotage polarises people. Some dismiss it as rustic or old-fashioned, while others champion it as South Africa's greatest contribution to the wine world. The truth is more interesting: Pinotage is intentionally different, unapologetically South African, and unlike any other red grape you'll taste.
Created in 1925 by Professor Abraham Izak Perold at Stellenbosch University, Pinotage was born from crossing Pinot Noir with Cinsault (then called Hermitage, hence the name). It was an ambitious experiment — could you combine the elegance of Burgundy's great grape with the hearty reliability of a Rhône workhorse?
The answer, after nearly a century of winemaking, is a resounding yes. But Pinotage has evolved far beyond Perold's original vision.
Here's where things get interesting. Pinotage doesn't taste like its parent grapes. Instead, it's developed its own distinctive personality — one that changes dramatically depending on how it's made.
Classic Pinotage brings dark plum and blackberry fruit, often with a signature smokiness that whispers of wood fires and braai coals. There's usually an earthy, almost meaty depth underneath, and tannins that are softer than you'd expect from such a bold wine.
Modern expressions can be surprisingly elegant — bright red fruit, gentle spice, and a silky texture that makes them brilliant with food. These wines prove that Pinotage can do restraint when winemakers choose finesse over power.
Coffee Pinotage deserves its own category. Some producers use techniques that emphasise chocolate and coffee bean characters, creating wines that smell like a rich espresso and taste like liquid mocha. It's polarising — you'll either love it or wonder why anyone would want wine to taste like coffee.
Pinotage's versatility is part of what makes it so fascinating. Here are the main styles you'll find:
Fresh and Fruity: Young wines designed for immediate drinking, bursting with berry fruit and gentle spice. Perfect for British summers when you want something red but not heavy. Serve slightly chilled — trust us on this.
Serious and Structured: Age-worthy Pinotages that can cellar for a decade or more. These wines show what happens when old bush vines meet careful winemaking. Complex, savoury, and genuinely impressive.
Oak-Aged Classics: The style that made Pinotage famous — rich, smoky, and generous. These wines want hearty food and good company. Think Sunday roasts, not weeknight suppers.
Rosé Pinotage: Yes, it exists, and it's brilliant. Pink Pinotage brings strawberry fruit with just a hint of that characteristic smokiness. Perfect for those rare British heatwaves.
Pinotage's reputation was damaged in the 1980s and 1990s when some producers pushed it too hard — over-oaked wines with aggressive extraction that emphasised the grape's more rustic qualities. International critics weren't impressed, and Pinotage became unfashionable.
But a new generation of South African winemakers has rescued Pinotage from itself. They're making wines that showcase the grape's unique character without the heavy-handed winemaking of the past. The result? Pinotage is having a renaissance, particularly among UK wine drinkers looking for something genuinely different.
Pinotage's bold flavours and soft tannins make it remarkably food-friendly, but you need to match its intensity:
Grilled meats are the classic pairing — lamb chops, beef steaks, or anything that's been near a barbecue. The wine's smoky character echoes the char on the meat.
Game dishes work beautifully — venison, duck, or rich game pies. Pinotage has enough earthiness to complement gamey flavours without overwhelming them.
Mushroom risotto might surprise you, but the wine's savoury depth makes it perfect with earthy, umami-rich dishes.
Mature cheeses — particularly aged Gouda or sharp Cheddar — bring out Pinotage's complexity.
Avoid delicate dishes. This isn't a wine for sole meunière or light pasta — it needs food with enough character to hold its own.
The key to enjoying Pinotage is choosing the right producer and style. Look for wines from established estates like Kanonkop, Beyerskloof, or Fairview — producers who understand the grape's potential and have the winemaking skills to realise it.
Region matters too. Stellenbosch produces some of the most polished examples, while the Swartland delivers more rustic, characterful styles. The coastal areas around Walker Bay create elegant, restrained versions that might surprise Pinotage sceptics.
British wine drinkers are becoming more adventurous, looking beyond the obvious choices for something with genuine character. Pinotage delivers exactly that — a wine that tastes of somewhere specific, made from a grape that exists nowhere else.
It's also excellent value. While everyone fights over expensive Burgundy or Barolo, genuinely great Pinotage can be had for the price of a decent Bordeaux. For curious UK wine lovers, that combination of uniqueness and value is compelling.
Pinotage isn't trying to be Pinot Noir or Syrah — it's unapologetically itself. Some bottles are brilliant, others less so, but the best examples offer something you simply can't get from any other grape.
If you've never tried Pinotage, start with a modern, restrained example from a respected producer. If you tried it years ago and weren't convinced, it's worth another look — the wines have improved dramatically.
Most importantly, approach it on its own terms. Pinotage is South Africa's gift to the wine world, and like the country itself, it's complex, sometimes challenging, but ultimately rewarding for those willing to explore.
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