Fairview barrel aged Pinotage 2016
Available from Waitrose at just under a tenner
It’s a really traditional looking label but this is a wine that just keeps on giving.
The nose – imagine the following scenario:
Take a nice clean scent free bucket and tumble in a kilo of freshly picked brambles, now pile on a punnet or three of the ripest juiciest raspberries you can lay your hands on. Fiish with a pound of ripe plums, peeled and chopped. Get your paws in and stir the fruit around a bit, warming it with your hands. Leave this mixture to stand for a couple of minutes and then stick your head into the bucket – WALLOP!
Yes, there’s a load of autumnal fruit joy in this wine, with little of the dustiness that some find to be the defining characteristic of a pinotage.
Having had a sniff and then a full inhalation, I could hardly restrain myself and I wasn’t disappointed. Ripe berries and hints of smoky spice fought for my attention – this is a real treat. There’s just enough tannin to give e wine some structure and keep the flavours layered and enticing.
All in all, it’s a hugely enjoyable wine, whether you like pinotage or not.
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