Cafe Culture Pinotage (2008)

Wine tasting 6

In short, buy this wine. Not because it is the best wine, but because it's so interesting and like a chameleon it changes the whole time. At first, the smell is fantastic. Imagine walking into a coffee roastery, layers of Mocha coffee that lingers in the air. Then moving onto the taste, which is deep, rich, creamy and really smooth. The wine was loved by all and was the first wine to almost score 4 1/2 stars. Pinotage however, is not supposed to be easy drinking. It's supposed to be strong, dark and powerful and should take a while before you get used to it. That's the reason I love Pinotage.

The problem with this wine is that it gets too much too soon. Way to much. From loving it in the beginning most hated it in the end, and most I believe won't buy it again. The coffee smell and taste becomes overpowering, and I'm scared people will think that this is what all Pinotage wines are like. Having said all of that, buy it and try it and let me know what you think. It surely is interesting.

Panel's rating: 4,24 out of 5




Country: South Africa (KWV)
Grape: 100% Pinotage
Price: 89SEK

Colour: Dark, blue red colour.

Nose: Large fragrance with distinctive character of toasted oak barrels, hints of coffee, dark berries and smoke.

Taste: Wine has distinctive character of coffee-caramel, sweet and hard toasted barrels, hints of tar, smoke and cherries. This rich and juicy Pinotage has concentrated ripe fruit and mocha flavours.

Some more info: Launched in 2007, to be a Pinotage that's based on coffee characters, or more closer to the point, Mocha. This accounts for its mocha and chocolate flavours – the richness of coffee beans, the smoothness of creamy chocolate and the freshness of ripe fruit. ”

Jacobsdal Pinotage (2004)

Wine tasting 6

Here we have my favourite wine in the world. OK not really but I love it. This is what a Pinotage is supposed to smell and taste like. It's a 2004 vintage, so 5 years in the bottle only made it so much better. We've tasted it before during wine tasting 1, where it also scored 4 stars. Have this wine one night with a cheese platter of strong blue vein cheeses and some preserves, just to bring the best out of it, you won't be disappointed.

Panel's rating: 3,84 out of 5




Country: Stellenbosch, South Africa
Grape: 100% Pinotage
Price: 110SEK

Colour: Deep ruby, garnet.

Nose: Large, slightly developed, fruity, burnt aromas with hints of barrel, tobacco, plums and meats. Plum and cherry. Subtle oak and vanilla spice.

Taste: Something developed, lightly smoked, tasteful wine, with hints of barrel, tobacco, tar pastilles and plums. Mulberry, raspberry and hints of cedar. No rough edges with fresh succulent fruit and great tannin structure.

Stellenzicht Pinotage (2006)

Wine tasting 6

During wine tasting 5 we tasted the Double gold Veritas award winning Stellenzicht Golden Triangle Shiraz (2005) which didn't score so high with the panel. This time around it was their Pinotage, which managed 4 stars. During the Veritas 2008 awards which is South Africa's premier award ceremony, no less than 6 wines from this farm scored bronze medals or better, including this wine, which scored a Silver medal. Really quality wines from a fairly unknown South African wine farm. If you can get your hands on a wine from their Cellar Master release, then buy some. It's really fantastic wines and still fairly well priced.

Panel's rating: 3,94 out of 5




Country: Stellenbosch, South Africa
Grape: 100% Pinotage
Price: 110SEK

Colour: Dense, blue red colour. Dark ruby colour.

Nose: Very fruity, slightly smoky aroma with barrel character, elements of dark berries, plums and chocolate. Mulberry fruit with rich plum, blackcurrant and earthy aromas.

Taste: Very tasteful, fruity, slightly smoky wine barrel character, plums, herbs and chocolate. Darker berry flavours on the mouth- filling palate with oak and fruit seamlessly integrated. The solid tannin structure and sturdy acidity will allow this wine to improve with further maturation.

Graham Beck Pinotage (2008)

Wine tasting 5

This wine has been tasted before during the 2nd wine tasting, and really disappointed. This time around however it was a tad better with everyone commenting favourably on it. Graham Beck is one of South Africa's best wine makers, but he also knows a thing or two about markting, and that's where this wine comes in. Selling it purely off the knowledge of his good name, which isn't always a good thing. I still think this wine needs some time to rest before it's consumed, perhaps 3-5 years. At the moment it's like a naughty child that needs to sit in the corner for a while until it matures a little.

Panel's rating: 3,69 out of 5




Country: South Africa - Robertson
Grape: Pinotage
Price: 75 SEK

Colour: Blue purple colour.

Nose: Fruity, smoky aroma with a hint of barrel, forest berries and herbs.

Taste: “Ripe cherry, strawberries and plums on the nose with ripe red berry fruit and spices on the palate. A full structured and well balanced wine with an elegant mouthfeel and silky soft tannins”. Youthful, fruity, clear and smoky flavor with hints of barrel, forest and grass.

Graham Beck Pinotage (2008)

Wine tasting 2

I was really disappointed by this wine. I've written before that Pinotage is my favourite grape variety, because I like the strong wines it produces. This wine however lacked that strong flavour I was looking forward to. Graham Beck however is one of South Africa's best wine makers and I'm sure there's more to this wine. I'm buying another bottle soon which I'll try with some blue cheese and fig preserve, perhaps then I'll discover its true character.


Panel's rating: 10.88 out of 20

Price: 74SEK
Country: South Africa
Grape: Pinotage

Colour: Blue purple colour

Nose: Fruity, smoky aroma with a hint of barrel, forest berries and herbs.

Taste: “Ripe cherry, strawberries and plums on the nose with ripe red berry fruit and spices on the palate. A full structured and well balanced wine with an elegant mouthfeel and silky soft tannins”. Youthful, fruity, clear and smoky flavor with hints of barrel, forest and grass.

Jacobsdal Pinotage (2004)

Wine tasting 1

My wine collection consists 50% just out of Pinotage, that's how much I love it. It is by far my favourite wine. Jacobsdal is one farm in South Africa that produces proper Pinotage wines, the other is Beyerskloof. I prefer strong, dark wines that feel as if they come from the deepest darkest parts of the barrel. Pinotage is that for me. The thing with it though is that because it's such a strong wine, you need to smooth it out a bit, with some blue cheese and fig preserve. The best way to enjoy this wine.

Panel's rating: 4 out of 5

Price: 105SEK

Country: South Africa

Grapes: Pinotage

Colour: It has begun to leave the blue | Dark red | Red to orange | Very dark red, purple, even blueish.

Nose: Burnt rubber, maybe plastic and gunpowder | Petroleum | Burnt rubber | Burnt smell and vanilla | Burnt rubber and gunpowder | Cherries and oil | Strong smell that lingers.

Taste: Light tannins and cherry stones | Dark berries, long taste, a tad bitter and long tannins | Tannins | Sharp | Brazillian nuts | Deep tannins with a long smooth taste.