WTN: My First South African Pinotage-03 Simonsig

2003 Simonsig Stellenbosch.

What an "unusual" wine. Definitely the cherry pinosity I would expect, but there is a lot of funkyness in this wine-amazing funkyness. Bandade? Not barnyard, but very unique savory "bretty" notes. A quite rich mouth feel, as well (14%+ abv). A strange wine-maybe a varietal I will have to explore further.

Aaagh Pinotage. One grape variety, I have never been able to get a handle on. Peter May from UK will be here shortly!!

I'm here

If you're getting brett, then its brett, not the variety. There's a particularly virulent form of brett in SA that affects a lot of wines, not just pinno.

Simonsig make two Pinotages, the standard Pinno is unwooded, the premium 'Redhill' is wooded.

There's a report on my visit last month to Simonsig with a photo of the Redhill vineyard at http://www.pinotage.org/2008/03/visiting-simonsig.html

Check out also the California Pinotages if you want to get a handle on the variety. I've not tasted Fort Ross myself, but its getting some very good reviews

One grape variety, I have never been able to get a handle on.

I have not yet had one I liked. I am sure there must be one out there somewhere, however.

Well, Peter, I'm not 100% certain it is Brett...just funkyness. Probably, but...

I have a high funkyness tolerance, whatever the source...so I found the wine very interesting.

I've actually tasted the Fort Ross Pinotage. I found it appealingly rustic, but not as funky as the Simonsig.