Winemaker Notes
Vibrant aromas of blueberries, ripe plums, black cherries, cinnamon and vanilla on the nose. The palate is sultry and luxurious, with densely packed flavors of berry compote, wild bramble, plum tart and spicy Christmas cake. Ripe tannins are beautifully intertwined between the layers of fruit, adding a dense and broad texture to the wine. The subtle spicy tones and plush black cherry flavors on the lingering finish completes a very elegant and age-worthy wine.
Professional Ratings
-
James Suckling
This is a fragrant pinotage, showing mint-chocolate, cedar, cherry, spiced-plum and nutmeg aromas. Firm, spicy and full-bodied on the palate with firm yet ripe tannins and a long, spicy and focused finish.
-
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The Kanonkop 2022 Simonsberg Stellenbosch Pinotage Estate Wine comes from low-yielding estate blocks aged between 45 and 70 years old. It is fermented traditionally before undergoing malolactic fermentation in new French oak. Matured for 18 months in predominantly new barrels (80%), the wine shows greater impact, richness and concentration. Kanonkop’s consistent use of open-top fermenters and hands-on cellar work has defined its authoritative Pinotage style for decades.
-
Wine Enthusiast
The winery has been making Pinotage since 1973; half a century later its wine shows complexity. A perfumed nose displays notes of licorice, ground black pepper and pink peppercorn. Hints of mint lift the bouquet. The palate is vibrant, showing finely textured tannins and energetic acidity. There is a balanced and gentle mix of cranberries and other red berries. Clove, cinnamon and coriander add depth to this deliciously spicy Pinotage.
-
Wine Spectator
Around,focused red,with a toasty edge to its fig cake, raspberry compote, vanilla and singed sage flavors. This is bright with blood orange peel–infused acidity, and light, fine tannins define the savory finish of fragrant spices and tarry smoke.
South Africa’s signature grape, Pinotage is a distinctively earthy and rustic variety. In 1924 viticulturists crossed finicky Pinot Noir and productive, heat-tolerant Cinsault, and created a variety both darker and bolder than either of its parents! Today it is popular in South Africa both as a single varietal wine and in Cape blends. Somm Secret—The name “Pinotage” is a subtle portmanteau. The Pinot part is obvious, but the second half is a bit confusing. In the early 1900s, Cinsault was known in South Africa as “Hermitage”—hence Pinotage.
South Africa’s most famous wine-producing district, Stellenbosch, surrounds the historic town with the same name; fine winemaking here dates back to the late 1600s. Its valleys of granite, sandstone and alluvial loam soils between the towering blue-grey mountains of Stellenbosch, Simonsberg and Helderberg have the capacity to produce beautiful wines from many varieties. The climate is warm Mediterranean, tempered by the cool Atlantic air of nearby False Bay.
Perhaps most well-known for its Pinotage and Bordeaux blends, Stellenbosch also produces noteworthy wines from Syrah, Chenin blanc, Chardonnay and Sauvignon blanc. The district’s wards—Banghoek, Bottelary, Devon Valley, Jonkershoek Valley, Papegaaiberg, Polkadraai Hills and Simonsberg-Stellenbosch—all produce distinctive wines from vines with relatively low yields.