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Varietal: Pinotage
Pinotage was created in the early 20th century by a viticultural professor in South Africa. It was made by crossing the fine Pinot Noir and Cinsaut grape varietals, to produce a grape which was hardy enough to survive and flourish in the South African climate, and which produced wines of excellent flavor and a deep red color The Pinotage grape is renowned for its versatility, and is regularly used to produce fortified and sparkling wines, as well as the more usual still red wines which are easily identified by their smoky flavor, and notes of dark bramble berries and earthy characteristics. Occasionally, Pinotage grapes will hold some tropical fruit flavors, which make them ideal for drinking with a range of different foods. Whilst Pinotage is most readily associated with South Africa, it has also been successfully cultivated in many other parts of the world.
Region: Coastal Region
South Africa is a fascinating country for wine, and the coastal regions at the very tip of the African continent are widely regarded as being one of the finest wine regions in the world. It isn't difficult to understand why the early European settlers in the 17th century saw such potential for viticulture in the area; the heat is fantastic, the summer days wonderfully long, the soil rich in minerals, and the strong winds coming from the ocean provide much needed coolness in which the grapes could ripen slowly and fully. Over time, South Africa's coastal regions became covered in strong, healthy vineyards, and today, the wine industry of the region is booming. The past few decades have seen wineries experimenting with a wide range of grape varietals, and also producing fortified wines and sparkling wines of great character alongside their classic varieties.
Country: South Africa
With its hot, long summers and oceanic winds from both the west and the east, South Africa is something of a haven for a wide range of imported grape varietals. Since the mid-18th century, the country has been associated with some very fine wines made using complex and careful blending techniques, with one of the most famous and widely loved early examples being constructed from Pontac, Muscadel and Chenin Blanc varietals. Since those colonial days, the regions around Cape Town have proven again and again to be fantastic areas for producing interesting and delicious wines, with many of the best examples of Champagne style sparkling wines originating from these fertile lands. From the scorchingly hot regions of Orange Rivers, to the far cooler and temperate appellations in Walker Bay, South Africa has developed a booming wine industry responsible for many of the finest New World wines available anywhere across the globe.