This is what good wine from the Pinotage grape tastes like

Pinotage is a typical South African grape. It is produced in various styles, ranging from light with plenty of juicy red fruit to robust and spicy with dark fruit and spiciness. Pinotage has not always had a good reputation. This is not due to the grape itself. In recent years, the quality of Pinotage wines has increased enormously.

Check out our wines made from Pinotage grapes

Pinotage was bred in 1925 by Abraham Izal Perold at Stellenbosch University in South Africa. It is a cross between Pinot Noir and Cinsault. The latter was called 'Hermitage' in South Africa. The name Pinotage is therefore a contraction of the names of its 'father and mother'. Since the Second World War, (commercial) wine has been made from Pinotage in South Africa. Currently, approximately 6% of South African vineyards are planted with Pinotage. You can find it in virtually all wine regions.

Over the years, Pinotage has not always had a positive reputation. Sometimes it is associated with 'burnt rubber' or the wines were heavy. In 2010, the 'Pinotage Association' was founded in South Africa with the aim of improving the reputation and quality of Pinotage. This association discovered that excessively high fermentation temperatures, viruses, and insufficient water in the vineyard can indeed significantly affect the quality of the wine. With this knowledge, they have helped South African producers to substantially improve the quality of their wine. As a result, you can now find excellent Pinotage wines on the market.

We currently have two wines made from the Pinotage grape in our range. You can view our Pinotage wines here.