Out of Africa

South African pinotages belong to us.

by Peter Burwasser

Nobody would claim zinfandel as the great American wine, and yet this zippy, distinctive varietal is a sentimental favorite, heralded as a uniquely American grape. Well, sort of. A lineage to Southern Italy's primitivo has long been assumed, and more recently, wine genealogists have made a Hungarian connection. But nearly all zinfandel is grown in the U.S. of A., so the heritage may be said to be solidly American.

There is a similar situation in the viniculture of South Africa. As in America, the red wine grape that is most coveted and praised is cabernet sauvignon, but there is a local favorite with quirky appeal, and it goes by the name of pinotage. The tag reflects the graft of pinot noir and cinsault, invented in the early 20th century by South African vintners who were attempting to fortify the notoriously fragile nature of the exalted pinot noir grape. Early efforts were not well received. British wine critics complained of a bouquet of rusty nails, and many South African winemakers have never bothered with it. Then came apartheid and the economic boycotts, and just at the time that Americans were discovering the glories of the grape in ever increasing numbers, pinotage vanished from our wine store shelves.

GRAPE EXPECTATIONS: Harvest time in the Western Cape of South Africa.

By the mid 1990s, with the end of apartheid and the boycotts, South African wine was poised to roar back into the international marketplace. It was not as if it was new to the field. The Dutch first planted grape vines in the Cape of Africa in the 17th century, and these vineyards, blessed by superb climate and soil, are today located in the heart of one of the largest wine-producing regions in the world. This re-emergence was bolstered by a sophisticated marketing campaign that seemed to be inspired by Australia's spectacularly successful assault on the world scene one generation earlier.

It was inevitable that some elements of local tradition were sacrificed on the altar of mass appeal. The major exports of South Africa bear familiar names: the aforementioned cabernet sauvignon, and amongst white wines, sauvignon blanc, chardonnay and chenin blanc. And yet, perhaps in the spirit of modernity, some traditions have been jettisoned, such as the use of the appellation steen for chenin blanc, a name now largely absent from South African wine labels.

Fortunately, pinotage continues to flow copiously from South African wineries. This is especially good news for us wine cheapskates, as this intriguing fare is sold at remarkably reasonable prices. We surveyed seven samples, and noted a consistent level of quality. Almost all of these examples evinced echoes of the elusive pinot noir magic. Any one of these wines would serve well on a trip to a favorite BYOB. Ten tasters ranked the wines as follows:

Cathedral Cellar 1999 ($13)

Here is proof positive that pinotage can age. This fascinating oddball stood out from the pack. A huge nose, with anise, beets, pepper, blue cheese, plums and, oh hell, throw the whole fridge in. Don't waste any time getting to this; one taster detected a fade, while another declared that the time to drink this is now.

Simonsig 2002 ($15)

More than a few tasters commented on the elegance of this wine. A beautiful balance of sweet and tart mouth feel, with vibrant red fruit tones on the nose. Seductive purple color. Lovely finish. Some found this a bit forward, even metallic, but the consensus was that this is a classically pretty quaff.

Spier 2004 ($11)

Another lively concoction, with bright fruit and tar overtones. Smoky, with distinct tobacco layers. The host detected a mildly distracting cherry-cough-drop quality in the mouth.

Fairview 2005 ($13)

This came across as a racy young thing, with a tartness that crossed the line into sourness for some. Flowers lurking in the nose. The host detected rotten fruit on the back of the tongue, but in a good way. Screw top enclosure is a hip touch.

Oracle 05 ($8.50)

Smokiness and herbs tended to dominate the underlying vivacity of the fruit. Lightweight yet solid. Rather startling when freshly uncorked; this youngster needs to breathe.

Fleur du Cap 2004 ($9)

A chameleon, it would seem, conjuring woodiness, raspberries, spice (possibly nutmeg?) and apricots. The host picked up moldy cheese, reminiscent of the classic barnyard bouquet of many great Burgundies, which are made with the pinot noir grape. Salsalike for another. Salsa? Boring wines these ain't.

Nederburg 03 ($8.50)

The last of the bunch, but not at all bad. Caramel and raspberries, light but tart. One taster described this wine with a phrase that might be apt for the whole lot: trick and treat.

(p_burwasser@citypaper.net)