WTN: Dragon Tree 2005 (and a question on Pinotage)

From Flagstone Wines.
Western Cape.

One of those "everything but the kitchen sink" blends: Cabernet Sauvignon (49 per cent), Pinotage (21), Merlot (10), Cabernet Franc (10), Shiraz (six), Petit Verdot (four).

Very dark purple in the glass.

A rich nose, with chocolate and smoke.

A big wine, plump and quite rich in the mouth, cherry and raspberry, smoky, leathery, quite tangy, a bit of chocolate, iodine, peppery. The wine showed a bitter streak toward the end, along with some burned-charred notes that were mildly offputting.

Quite gulpable, despite the wine's hefty 14.5 per cent alcohol.

Screwcap closure.

Purchased at $15.95 (Canadian).

The back label contained a rather interesting statement about the wine, referring to "The challenge of blending with Pinotage...." It didn't explain what exactly that challenge might be. Would anyone here be able to educate me?

Pinotage is an odd grape, not to my liking. I imagine it is inherently difficult to blend...since you would be attempting to hide it's strange flavors.

Bruce, I'm not sure what was meant by "challenge" of blending with Pinotage - I have had many blends containing Pinotage that clearly showed the Pinotage component, but that were obviously different from straight-up, full-on varietal Pinotage.

I don't think I'll ever see the end of the Pinotage controversy - though I never fail to say which side I'm on personally. I love the grape - it is my #1 favourite red vinifera grape bar none. Jubilant wild-strawberry/banana (estery) forward fruit is typically combined with a smoky, leathery mid-palate and a long, tannic Lapsang Souchong / astringent black-table-grape finish. Often one will also get cured / smoked-meat nuances in the wine too. Or plum pudding ... or fruitcake.

Whatever the descriptors (and this is typically dependent on the taster), I love the unmistakable mélange of aromas that is South African Pinotage.

I don't know what Bruce meant -- I was surprised to see the list of varieties in there since I recall Dragon Tree as being a Pinotage/Cabernet blend.

The web-site just lists details of the 2002 Dragon Tree ( 54% Pinotage
46% Cabernet Sauvignon) and the 2003( Cabernet Sauvignon / Pinotage / Shiraz / Merlot - no percentages disclosed).

Bruce is a devotee of experimental blending -- his Noon Gun is delicious and has 7 varieties and he recently did a stunning Sauvignon Blanc/Morio Muscat.