Irwin Mitchell Cheese & Wine Tasting

From Chris- "Pinotage has a reputation of being something of a “Marmite” variety and, in truth, I still blow pretty hot and cold with it. It’s very much a South African speciality - a cross between Cinsaut and Pinot Noir that’s been around for 80 or so years. At its best it’s all about lush, brambly fruit – loganberries and blackberries, at the other end of the scale it reeks of acetone and burnt rubber. I remember a tasting with Andre Van Rensberg, then winemaker with Vergelegen, who responded to a question with the retort “I’ve never killed anyone, never stolen from anyone and never planted Pinotage.” Any road up, I think this is rather good. Delheim were the first to produce a rose Pinotage in 1976 so they’ve had plenty of time to finetune their act. This is elegant and clean-as-a-whistle with more than a hint of strawberry fruit. Proper summertime rose."

Maison Roche de Bellene