(13.5% alcohol): Bright medium red. Captivating herbal, brushy lift to the aromas of strawberry, nutmeg and dried flowers; very distinctive Pinotage from a region not known for the variety. This wine's perfumed spicy lift reminds me of Rhône varieties like Syrah and Mourvèdre. Juicy, floral red berry fruits are framed by brisk acidity and accented by a suggestion of blood orange. Not at all a fat style but quite penetrating and delineated. I'd love to slip this silky, highly distinctive Pinotage into a blind tasting far from South Africa--but of what category of wines? Finishes with firm-edged, tongue-dusting tannins and excellent lift.

So accomplished! A thoroughbred. Excellent crunch and clarity. Pure, refined, modern. A world apart from the dirt and rubber of the old days of Pinotage. (RH)

The 2015 Pinotage comes from non-irrigated vines planted in the early 1990s in the Paardeberg Mountains. It offers brambly red berry fruit on the nose, undergrowth, fern and light granite-like aromas. The palate is medium-bodied with grippy tannin, fine acidity, winding back a little on the second half to create a more rustic, but quite complex finish that leaves traces of black pepper on the aftertaste. Enjoy this Pinotage over the next 4-6 years. (NM)