Winemaker Notes
Southern Right is redefining Pinotage with this intense, classically styled wine, expressing a variety of ancient soils and packed with complex berry fruit, beautiful tannins and subtle spice. Full ripeness at lower alcohol and the longer hang-time afforded by cooler more marginal sites, combined with the complex, more classic fruit aromas and structure, resulting from both granitic and clay-rich soil, make this wine a highly individual expression of South Africa's unique grape variety.
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
From vineyards situated near the celebrated mating route of the Southern Right whales, the Southern Right 2023 Pinotage takes a notably delicate approach in a rainy vintage. Rather than the earthy black olive profile typical of warmer Stellenbosch sites, this maritime-influenced wine reveals tight red and blue fruits with lifted brightness and silky tannins. The palate is fresh and finely textured, offering clarity and poise while retaining varietal character. The wine was matured 100% in barrel for 10 months in a mix of new and seasoned oak.
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Vinous
A blend of Swartland, Hemel and Stellenbosch fruit, the 2023 Pinotage has a delightful bouquet with mulberry and light blueberry scents, fine definition and purity. Maybe you would not guess it was Pinotage if tasted blind. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins, fine acidity and a caressing texture, with a touch of black olive tapenade on the grainy textured finish. Very fine.
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.
With an important wine renaissance in full swing, impressive red and white bargains abound in South Africa. The country has a particularly long and rich history with winemaking, especially considering its status as part of the “New World.” In the mid-17th century, the lusciously sweet dessert wines of Constantia were highly prized by the European aristocracy. Since then, the South African wine industry has experienced some setbacks due to the phylloxera infestation of the late 1800s and political difficulties throughout the following century.
Today, however, South Africa is increasingly responsible for high-demand, high-quality wines—a blessing to put the country back on the international wine map. Wine production is mainly situated around Cape Town, where the climate is generally warm to hot. But the Benguela Current from Antarctica provides brisk ocean breezes necessary for steady ripening of grapes. Similarly, cooler, high-elevation vineyard sites throughout South Africa offer similar, favorable growing conditions.
South Africa’s wine zones are divided into region, then smaller districts and finally wards, but the country’s wine styles are differentiated more by grape variety than by region. Pinotage, a cross between Pinot Noir and Cinsault, is the country’s “signature” grape, responsible for red-fruit-driven, spicy, earthy reds. When Pinotage is blended with other red varieties, like Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah or Pinot Noir (all commonly vinified alone as well), it is often labeled as a “Cape Blend.” Chenin Blanc (locally known as “Steen”) dominates white wine production, with Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc following close behind.