My obsession with wine started many moons ago. I was a cabernet sauvignon fan and no one could say anything about it. In 2021, I contracted covid, survived, and thought I could go back to my good old cab sauv, but found myself finding it a little too heavy and dense. There came Pinotage to the rescue. This is now my fave varietal which prompted me to do more research. There was a lot to be said about Pinotage, most of which I knew already, but there was way more that I found interesting and uniquely South African.

This is what I found…

Pinotage is uniquely South African because it is a grape variety that was created in South Africa in 1925 by Abraham Izak Perold, a professor of viticulture at Stellenbosch University. Perold crossed two grape varieties, Pinot Noir and Cinsaut (known as Hermitage in South Africa), to create Pinotage.

Pinotage has since become one of South Africa’s signature grape varieties and is grown almost exclusively in the country. It is known for its bold, full-bodied red wines with flavors of dark fruit, chocolate, and smokiness. Its unique flavor profile and its origin in South Africa have made it a point of pride for the country’s wine industry.

While some winemakers outside of South Africa have attempted to grow and produce Pinotage wines, the grape variety has not achieved the same level of success as it has in its homeland. Therefore, Pinotage remains a symbol of South African wine and culture.

There you have it boys and girls: How covid got me reading on different wine. Just kidding, I feel like I am going to share more on the pinotage’s that have me raving and going crazy about it. Yes, that post will be coming soon.