3/30/2018 - Anative Likes this wine:

Still one of my favorite California Pinotage wines. Smokey on the nose with a hint of raspberries. Smooth on the palette with lots of fruit and not as much wood as I would have thought given how smokey the nose was. Medium and smooth finish with well integrated tannins. Drink now or within the next 2 years.

2/2/2018 - Anative Likes this wine:

A bit over the peak but still drinking well.

1/19/2018 - Anative Likes this wine:

Deep ruby in the glass with leather and blackberries on the nose. Medium body with well integrated tanins and lots of fruit. Finish is also medium with a slight note of tobacco. Drinking very well now. Drink now or within the next 2-3 years.

12/20/2017 - Anative Does not like this wine:

A good as the last bottle. Wish I had more.

8/24/2017 - Anative Likes this wine:

Deep and dark in the glass with just a hint of rim variation. Still full of fruit on the nose with slight notes of leather and spice. Black fruit in the mouth with spices and leather. Tannins are still present but well integrated. Smooth finish. Wish I had more of this vintage. Drink now.

8/13/2017 - Anative Likes this wine:

Unsure if you like Pinotage? Try this one and if the answer is no they you can be sure. Nose blossoms with deep blackberries and leather. The fruit is full with hints of smoke. The finish is long and smooth. A stunning wine.

6/18/2017 - Anative Likes this wine:

Lots of fruit on the nose and palate. Nice smooth finish.

4/12/2017 - Anative Likes this wine:

Give this wine some air and it becomes magical.

Opened and drank 4 glasses with friends a few days ago and the wine was good, very good. Nose full was a bit muted, but nice. Tannins a bit strong with but full of fruit with a hint of smoke on the finish.

Left the rest of the bottle sitting on the kitchen counter and just poured it tonight. The nose is now alive with layers of dark fruit. The tannins have mellowed into a perfect balance with the fruit. The finish is now long and amazing.

4/2/2017 - Anative Likes this wine:

Good but not great. A little soft for my taste but with a little spice on the finish.

12/11/2016 - Anative Does not like this wine:

Was probably a great wine 5-6 years ago. Today there is just a hint of that left.

11/24/2016 - Anative Likes this wine:

Deep red in the glass with just the slightest hint of variation at the rim. Dark fruits on the nose with a hint of vanilla. Still an amazing amount of fruit and tanins on the palette given the age. Medium body. Silky smooth finish. So happy to have picked up these on auction. Will enjoy the other 3 bottles over the next few years.

8/4/2016 - Anative Likes this wine:

Deep dark red in the glass. Nose of fruit with a hint of mustiness. Blackberry and licorice on the palate with soft tannins and a nice finish. Good value.

7/31/2016 - Anative Likes this wine:

A nice easy drinking Pinotage. Dark red in the glass with bi sedimentation. Dark fruits with a touch of oak on the nose. Nice balance of fruit and tannins on the palate. A bit soft for my taste but a good clean wine.

7/18/2016 - Anative Likes this wine:

No sedimentation in the bottle. Clear and sparkling straw yellow in the glass. Citrus on the nose. Fresh and full of oranges and lemon zest in the mouth. A great wine and for now the only Sparking White Pinotage in the world.

6/7/2016 - Anative Likes this wine:

Cedar and rose on the nose, still has some fruit left, tannins are well integrated at this point.

5/29/2016 - Anative Likes this wine:

Light and fruit filled. No apparent oak used.

5/21/2016 - Anative Likes this wine:

In a great place right now. Fruit and cedar on the nose and pallette. Long smooth finish. Glad I have more.

5/15/2016 - Anative Likes this wine:

Much better than the previous bottle. Nose of blackberries was wonderful as soon as I popped the cork and opened up even more in the glass. Lots of fruit on the palate with cedar and florals coming through. Tanis are well integrated which make the finish smooth.

5/1/2016 - Anative Likes this wine:

Ok for the price but just barely.

4/5/2016 - Anative Likes this wine:

Nice everyday drinker. Nothing too big or complex.

3/21/2016 - Anative Likes this wine:

Great wine for the price.

3/10/2016 - Anative Likes this wine:

Deep garnet in the glass. First night was light on the nose but after being open for a day the aromatics were beautiful. Mouthfeel is nice with dark fruits leading the way. Finish is night if a little short. All in all a very nice wine that has held up nicely.

3/12/2016 - Anative Likes this wine:

Dark, almost opaque ruby. Spice and black fruit aromas. On the palate black cherry, smoke, black pepper. Nice long finish.

3/4/2016 - Anative wrote:

This bottle has some fruit still left on the nose and palate giving a hint of just how nice it must have been in it's prime.

2/19/2016 - Anative wrote:

First taste was very tight so I triple decanted through the Menu Winebreather which helped. Dark and inky in the glass. Not much on the nose. Leads with oak on the palate. Not bad for the price but won't likely but any more.

2/12/2016 - Anative Likes this wine:

Always a favorite.

1/22/2016 - Anative Likes this wine:

I found the wine to be deep garnet in color and free of any sediment. I drank this bottle over two evenings and found that the nose improved greatly after given some time to breath. The aromas of cherries that were almost non existent on the first night truly exploded into your nose on the second, give this wine some air and you will be rewarded.

On the palate the flavors of cherries dominate with hints of nutmeg and plums. The finish of this Pinotage is unlike one I have ever had. I’ve seen many described as having tastes of rose or florals but for me I just didn’t pick up on them, until this one. I was caught off guard and immediately tasted again to make sure my mind wasn’t playing tricks on me.

1/11/2016 - Anative Likes this wine:

Deep ruby in color all the way to the rim. The nose was full of red fruits with hints of plums and vanilla. The initial pour and taste brought black cherries and tight tannins. After a hour in the decanter this wine truly opened up with raspberries, cherries and pipe tobacco. The once tight tannins had settled down and provided a long smooth finish that had me holding out my tongue to get the last drop out of the glass.

1/4/2016 - Anative Likes this wine:

Dark ruby red in the glass with just a hint of rim variation. Nose full of fruit with hints of oak and tobacco, classic Pinotage. Taste is also fruit forward with smokey undertones. A great Virgina (yes we make Pinotage in the USA too) Pinotage.

12/31/2015 - Anative Likes this wine:

2nd bottle as good as the first. Great QPR.

12/24/2015 - Anative Likes this wine:

Nice balance of fruit, oak and tannins. Will be on the lookout for more.

12/24/2015 - Anative wrote:

Past it's prime. Just a hint of fruit remains.

12/24/2015 - Anative wrote:

Color is deep garnet with slight rim variation. Nothing on the nose. Some sediment but nothing excessive. Fruit and tannins are gone. Wine is flat. Not flawed just past it's prime.

12/13/2015 - Anative Likes this wine:

Past it's prime but not by much. Color has faded to red-brown with noticeable rim variation. Nose is light with subtle hints of cherry. Taste is light with no noticeable tannins and a short finish.

12/6/2015 - Anative Likes this wine:

Dark ruby red in the glass with no signs of rim variation. The nose is full of black fruits, cedar and spice. A full bodied wine with great balance of fruit, tannis and just a slight hint of heat. Steltzner says enjoy through 2012 but tasting now in 2015 I would say this wine easily has another 5 years.

11/25/2015 - Anative Likes this wine:

A light youthful Pinotage dominated blend. Tastes of cranberries and spice with a short but smooth finish. Didn't notice any oak at all. A very nice wine with many years left to drink.

11/22/2015 - Anative Likes this wine:

Drinking very well for an 11 year old Pinotage. Color is deep garnet with a rim variation that can only come with proper bottle aging. On the nose this wine has blackberries, cherries and just a touch of tobacco. The tannins have well integrated with the fruit and provide a short but balanced finish.

11/17/2015 - Anative Likes this wine:

I'm not normally a merlot fan but this merlot heavy (80%) blend was very nice. I think the 20% cab franc gave it just the right amount of punch. Color is deep garnet with just a hint of rim variation. Nose is full of red fruit. The tannis have well integrated into a smooth fruit forward wine. Throughly enjoyed this wine from Virgina.

11/15/2015 - Anative Likes this wine:

Perfectly fine for a Sunday evening with dinner. A big fruit bomb with smooth tannis. Not much of a finish.

10/30/2015 - Anative Likes this wine:

Ran through the Wine Breather Decanter a few times and pour into the glass. Color is a deep inky purple. Nose is light with a bit of fruit and oak. A bit mild on the palette for a Petite but still nice. Great QPR as it was only $15 on Last Bottle.

10/12/2015 - Anative Likes this wine:

A clearance find at the local ABC a few months ago. Luckily this bottle appears to have been stored well. Color is brick red with a nice rim. Nose is light with just a hint of blueberry. Fruit and tannins are well integrated at this point making the wine a bit more mellow than I thought it would be.

9/13/2015 - Anative Likes this wine:

Needs more time in the bottle. The tannis are still too strong.

9/12/2015 - Anative Likes this wine:

Cork crumbled but had done its job as the wine was perfect. Nose was full of cherries, color was brick red, on the palette it was a wonderful balance of fruit with a nice silky long finish. Only have two more of these...nust find more.

9/8/2015 - Anative Likes this wine:

Pop and pour. Ruby red all the way to the rim. Light on the nose. Fruit is light on the palette with just a hint of alcohol. No noticable wood or oak. Smooth finish. Will be interesting to see how other bottles develop with more age.

8/25/2015 - Anative Likes this wine:

Color is deep garnet with a rim variation that can only come with proper bottle aging. On the nose this wine sings with blackberries, cherries and just a touch of coffee. The tannins that I suspect were strong a dozen years ago have now been well integrated with the fruit into a smooth silky treat to the tongue. Just 12.7% ABV makes this a very easy drinking wine.

8/28/2015 - Anative Likes this wine:

Good but not great. Little nose. Fruity with some tannis.

8/22/2015 - Anative Does not like this wine:

Color: Sparkling Pale Yellow.

Nose: Lots of minerals with a hint of green pepper. If I was smelling it blind I would have said a dry riesling.

Taste: Tart apples, green pepper, just a hint of berry. I was surprised at how full bodied this wine is given how light and pale it is in color. Has a fizz on the palate which is a true distraction. It has a long tart finish but I'm not getting any peppery spiciness that I had expected (maybe that is the fizz that I'm getting).

Overall: Ok but I doubt I would buy again.

7/14/2015 - Anative Likes this wine:

I opened the bottle and poured a small glass for the initial tasting. The wine is Ruby colored, full-bodied with a thin sparkling rim. The wine is clear and vivid with no signs of sedimentation. From this initial pour I smell plums with quite a bit of heat from the alcohol. On the palate I get dark fruits, spice and just a slight taste of oak.

I then decanted the wine into my Menu Winebreather and let to sit for an hour. The wine really benefited from the decanting process. Now on the nose I get plums and dark cherries but the alcohol is gone. On the palate I now get hints on vanilla and black licorice with the fruit and spice. The finish is dry and the moderate tannins don’t get in the way of the fruit.

6/17/2015 - Anative Likes this wine:

Dark ruby red in the glass with no signs of sedimentation. Light aromas of fruit and a bit of green pepper. Full of dark fruit with hints of tobacco and smoke flavors. Very full bodied with well integrated tannins. A very enjoyable bottle.

6/11/2015 - Anative Likes this wine:

Light and fruity on the nose. Lots of dark fruit on the mouth with a long smooth smoky finish. The tannins are still there but well integrated with the oak into a very well balanced experience. Glad I have one more bottle, only wish I had more. I'd say at this point safe to hold onto till upwards of 2020.