PNP as a dinner gift from a most generous guest. This is - pinotage. Exactly what you would expect from a well made bottle of this wine. You are unlikely to guess it blind but once you are told it is oinotage you get it. Dark fruit, some tar on the nose. Dense and concentrated on the palate but with a good mix of new world Pinot and old world Syrah. Lush on the finish with soft tannin but enough there to carry the wine for a bit. Not sure how it will age but with rich food this works well now and enjoyable right now. B+/A-
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Finely detailed Pinotage, and in fine fettle at 6 years post vintage.
Each wiff and swirl conjures up different notes. Smoked BBQ brisket or peppered salami, banana bread or freshly chopped chilli and cantaloupe (or was that polished leather boot, walking through vanilla, mint, and lavender). There's a base of red and dark fruits underpinning a smooth, but firm drive in the mouth, that displays all the idiosyncrasies of its nose. It's beautifully balanced, and very quaffable. Would love some more length, but that's nit-picking.
A Wozza 94 (Vivino 4.0) from me, and probably as developed as it will get before a slow decline.
Open 2 hours. Cherry to cassis, well balanced medium plus body, supported by tannin. Good depth of flavor pairing well the whitefish and onion. Not too young, may improve but excellent now.
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dense dark red. Blueberries, gravel and smoke on the nose. The palette shows lots of fruit with emphasis on blueberries and blackberries and gravel. Medium acidity and nice tannins. A bit on the sweet side.
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Deep ruby Medium nose of roasted smoked meat, roasted tomato, red plum, blueberry, vanilla, cooked red bell pepper, hibiscus, white pepper (Lyndall) Dry, medium + acid, medium + tannin, high alcohol, full body medium + intensity of roasted smoked meat, roasted tomato, red plum, blueberry, vanilla, cooked red bell pepper, hibiscus, white pepper (Lyndall)and medium + finish Plenty of complexity here whose elements are clearly defined with sufficient intensity and length to make this balanced wine ( fruit concentration vs acid) an outstanding quality wine.
There is still room for development and so suitable for ageing.
I like it but I still don't love the grapes. This is certainly one of the best expressions of the grape that I have ever encountered.
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At its peak, in my opinion. Nose of red fruit, vanilla and a tonge of camphor. Smoothed tannins. Rasberry and blackberry crumble flavors. Well integrated acidity.
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Needs more time, but is coming together nicely - plum and blackberry upfront with a sharp acid wedge, long finish with spices emerging. Alcohol well-integrated. Great grilling / braai wine.
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Medium ruby in colour. Pronounced nose intensity with developing notes of smoke, red berries, strawberries, red currant, black currant, leather, savoury, earth. Dry, high acidity, tannin and alcohol. Medium+ body, pronounced flavour intensity and long finish.
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Deep ruby. Nose recalls powerful oak (vanilla bean, mocha, Irish cream, nutmeg, cedar, bbq smoke) but fresh fruits in equal measure (black cherry, black plum/ Asian plum sauce, blackberry, a little red stuff yields a cherry cola vibe). An undercurrent of sweet and sour meat notes (teriyaki, mushroom). Some smoke from the grape, not just the oak. This is elegant and fresh considering its pedigree and the wood regime. Heavy but ripe tannin, medium acidity. Best Pinotage in the world?
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South African Reds (Vintage Wines Ltd., San Diego, CA): “100% Pinotage, dry-farmed, from 30-65 yr old bush vines grown in decomposed granite & Hutton soils, and which yielded 5.0 tons/ha; Fermented in open top concrete fermenters @ 28° C; The cap was punched down manually every 2 hrs, & the juice was drawn off the skins after 3 days. Aged for 16 mos in 225L FR Nevers oak barrels (80% new, 20% 2nd fill); 14.32% ABV, 2.0 g/L R.S., 5.8 g/L T.A., & 3.52 pH;” 4,250 cases produced, 711 cases imported.
N: Smoke slightly atop RIPE berries with notes of pyrazines?
P: LM body; Rndish entry with very NICE, ALMOST swtish frt met by an astringent pucker which stays in contact with the init frt as it morphs into a LONG, BALANCED finish with a TANGY/swtness (60:40) to the firming, dusty tannins. NEEDS through '21, poss '22, then drinking into '26, Artfully done! My EXC; 94 pts Tim Atkin, 93 Suckling, 91 Vinous (Martin, 11/1/19), & 89 WS (12/15/19). [This vendor's $34.95 is $2 < wine-searcher's lowest.]
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The nose reveals ripe, floral; blackberries, dark cherries, amazing blue fruits, plum and raspberries. Dark, rich soils, light sweet baking spices, dark spice, clove, black licorice, sweet tarriness, a little rubber toy, amazing, blue, red, dark fresh florals.
The body is near full. Nice soft, cocoa powdery tannins, meaty, tarry & sticky. Ripe, floral; blackberries, dark cherries, amazing blue fruits, plum, raspberries, dark, rich soils, light sweet baking spices, dark spice, clove, black licorice, sweet tarriness, iodine, a little rubber toy, amazing, blue, red, dark fresh florals. The acidity is outstanding. The finish is well balanced fruit & earth. It’s delicious.
Tasted at Kanonkop.
This vineyard was in the process of being ripped out the day I was there. 2019 will be the last vintage from this vineyard that lies directly across the street and contributes into making this wine. It will be another 7-8 years before they have acceptable fruit from this vineyard.
1/26/2024 - peter.mancell@mfg.com.au Likes this wine: 92 Points
Big robust, rustic, full flavoured Pinotage.
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11/17/2023 - Lemberger Likes this wine: 90 Points
Excellent, classic Pinotage. One of my favourites. Earthy with nice fruit. Still going strong. Drank with shakshuka, combination was great.
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10/28/2023 - MC wrote:
PNP as a dinner gift from a most generous guest. This is - pinotage. Exactly what you would expect from a well made bottle of this wine. You are unlikely to guess it blind but once you are told it is oinotage you get it. Dark fruit, some tar on the nose. Dense and concentrated on the palate but with a good mix of new world Pinot and old world Syrah. Lush on the finish with soft tannin but enough there to carry the wine for a bit. Not sure how it will age but with rich food this works well now and enjoyable right now. B+/A-
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7/23/2023 - peter.mancell@mfg.com.au Likes this wine: 91 Points
Big and rustic.
Huge dark fruit, massive mouth feel, maybe not quite seamless but still a terrific earthy red.
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2/15/2023 - Wozza Likes this wine: 94 Points
Finely detailed Pinotage, and in fine fettle at 6 years post vintage.
Each wiff and swirl conjures up different notes. Smoked BBQ brisket or peppered salami, banana bread or freshly chopped chilli and cantaloupe (or was that polished leather boot, walking through vanilla, mint, and lavender). There's a base of red and dark fruits underpinning a smooth, but firm drive in the mouth, that displays all the idiosyncrasies of its nose. It's beautifully balanced, and very quaffable. Would love some more length, but that's nit-picking.
A Wozza 94 (Vivino 4.0) from me, and probably as developed as it will get before a slow decline.
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12/20/2022 - peter.mancell@mfg.com.au Likes this wine: 94 Points
Excellent vino, loved it.
Great texture, dark fruit and lovely long finish.
So pleased we have 5 more.
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10/7/2022 - Joe Fischer Likes this wine: 90 Points
Sweet tobacco, plum, tar, blackberry, tannins, very well balanced, medium finish.
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3/20/2022 - sailincarib Likes this wine: 88 Points
Excellent. Wife didn't like it so much
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10/9/2021 - Empirate wrote: 92 Points
Open 2 hours. Cherry to cassis, well balanced medium plus body, supported by tannin. Good depth of flavor pairing well the whitefish and onion. Not too young, may improve but excellent now.
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9/22/2021 - Nyllet wrote: 86 Points
dense dark red. Blueberries, gravel and smoke on the nose. The palette shows lots of fruit with emphasis on blueberries and blackberries and gravel. Medium acidity and nice tannins. A bit on the sweet side.
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8/17/2021 - Heynetty Likes this wine:
Deep ruby
Medium nose of roasted smoked meat, roasted tomato, red plum, blueberry, vanilla, cooked red bell pepper, hibiscus, white pepper (Lyndall)
Dry, medium + acid, medium + tannin, high alcohol, full body medium + intensity of roasted smoked meat, roasted tomato, red plum, blueberry, vanilla, cooked red bell pepper, hibiscus, white pepper (Lyndall)and medium + finish
Plenty of complexity here whose elements are clearly defined with sufficient intensity and length to make this balanced wine ( fruit concentration vs acid) an outstanding quality wine.
There is still room for development and so suitable for ageing.
I like it but I still don't love the grapes. This is certainly one of the best expressions of the grape that I have ever encountered.
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8/11/2021 - OldHick95 Likes this wine: 91 Points
At its peak, in my opinion. Nose of red fruit, vanilla and a tonge of camphor. Smoothed tannins. Rasberry and blackberry crumble flavors. Well integrated acidity.
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6/1/2021 - dangdad Likes this wine: 91 Points
Slightly fruit forward, nice balance, light tannins, and a very smooth finish.
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5/22/2021 - WineTimeFineTime Likes this wine: 91 Points
Needs more time, but is coming together nicely - plum and blackberry upfront with a sharp acid wedge, long finish with spices emerging. Alcohol well-integrated. Great grilling / braai wine.
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12/24/2020 - rhg Likes this wine: 93 Points
Bing cherry. Chocolate mocha on the finish. Smooth, medium tannins. Hints of stewed black plum.
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11/27/2020 - Sean Tay wrote: 92 Points
Medium ruby in colour. Pronounced nose intensity with developing notes of smoke, red berries, strawberries, red currant, black currant, leather, savoury, earth. Dry, high acidity, tannin and alcohol. Medium+ body, pronounced flavour intensity and long finish.
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5/30/2020 - Cabernetdialectic Likes this wine: 91 Points
Deep ruby. Nose recalls powerful oak (vanilla bean, mocha, Irish cream, nutmeg, cedar, bbq smoke) but fresh fruits in equal measure (black cherry, black plum/ Asian plum sauce, blackberry, a little red stuff yields a cherry cola vibe). An undercurrent of sweet and sour meat notes (teriyaki, mushroom). Some smoke from the grape, not just the oak. This is elegant and fresh considering its pedigree and the wood regime. Heavy but ripe tannin, medium acidity. Best Pinotage in the world?
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4/10/2020 - boston617 Likes this wine: 88 Points
Berry forward with a tart finish. Hint of coffee.
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4/5/2020 - bowesmana Likes this wine: 92 Points
Nice and robust, needed an hour open before it evolved
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4/3/2020 - dangdad Likes this wine: 91 Points
Great body, long legs, Black raspberry on the nose. Opens up to a complexity of dark fruits, medium tannins, and a fantastic finish.
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1/18/2020 - srh Likes this wine:
South African Reds (Vintage Wines Ltd., San Diego, CA): “100% Pinotage, dry-farmed, from 30-65 yr old bush vines grown in decomposed granite & Hutton soils, and which yielded 5.0 tons/ha; Fermented in open top concrete fermenters @ 28° C; The cap was punched down manually every 2 hrs, & the juice was drawn off the skins after 3 days. Aged for 16 mos in 225L FR Nevers oak barrels (80% new, 20% 2nd fill); 14.32% ABV, 2.0 g/L R.S., 5.8 g/L T.A., & 3.52 pH;” 4,250 cases produced, 711 cases imported.
N: Smoke slightly atop RIPE berries with notes of pyrazines?
P: LM body; Rndish entry with very NICE, ALMOST swtish frt met by an astringent pucker which stays in contact with the init frt as it morphs into a LONG, BALANCED finish with a TANGY/swtness (60:40) to the firming, dusty tannins. NEEDS through '21, poss '22, then drinking into '26, Artfully done! My EXC; 94 pts Tim Atkin, 93 Suckling, 91 Vinous (Martin, 11/1/19), & 89 WS (12/15/19). [This vendor's $34.95 is $2 < wine-searcher's lowest.]
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4/25/2019 - Somm David T Likes this wine: 91 Points
The nose reveals ripe, floral; blackberries, dark cherries, amazing blue fruits, plum and raspberries. Dark, rich soils, light sweet baking spices, dark spice, clove, black licorice, sweet tarriness, a little rubber toy, amazing, blue, red, dark fresh florals.
The body is near full. Nice soft, cocoa powdery tannins, meaty, tarry & sticky. Ripe, floral; blackberries, dark cherries, amazing blue fruits, plum, raspberries, dark, rich soils, light sweet baking spices, dark spice, clove, black licorice, sweet tarriness, iodine, a little rubber toy, amazing, blue, red, dark fresh florals. The acidity is outstanding. The finish is well balanced fruit & earth. It’s delicious.
Tasted at Kanonkop.
This vineyard was in the process of being ripped out the day I was there. 2019 will be the last vintage from this vineyard that lies directly across the street and contributes into making this wine. It will be another 7-8 years before they have acceptable fruit from this vineyard.
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