Pinotage. Appassimento style.

Chamonix Greywacke Pinotage 2009

A South African take on the Ripasso style, known from the Veneto region in Italy. Method used is that the air dried grapes are added to the fresh grapes for the second fermentation. Then the wine spends two years in french barrique (of which 40% new).

Purple coloured, with watery and quite broad rims - pinkish. The nose reveals sweet oak perfume, dried mulberry, plum and smoked meat. Slightly warm.

On the palate surprisingly fresh acidity kicking in halfway through, tannins appears a bit rustique, although non aggro in any way. Well structured, albeit somewhat rough on the edges. Rich, yet still more elegant than expected. Dry finish. 

Food pairing: Quite versatile, both red and white meat suitable. The smokiness allows for succesfull pairing with BBQ dishes. (85p)

South African wines are by foreign wine critics often (and sometimes rightly) accused for unpleasant aromas of burnt rubber - Pinotage in particular subject to this unflattering description. Well, there's none of this here - whatsoever.

The producer Cape Chamonix Wine Farm is situated in lovely Franschhoek Valley. Well worth the visit, their Chardonnay and Pinot Noir among the absolute top in South Africa!

Tech stuff:

Residual sugar 2.3 g/l

Total acid 5.6 g/l

Alcohol 14.1 %

Not available in Norway, however retailing at £13 in the Oddbins stores (UK).

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