Bibere: Fairview, Pinotage, 2010, Paarl, South Africa

Bibere is an occasional column in which my girlfriend and I will independently taste a wine, make notes on it, and then review the wine. If you have tried the wine, please comment below with your thoughts. 

Back when I first started drinking wine, I remember buying a bottle of Sebeka Pinotage from South Africa because the label displayed Edie's favorite animal, the cheetah. I really don't remember much about that wine. Now several years later, I decided to return to the lesser known wine's of South African , this time another Pinotage from Fairview Winery ($12.99 at Wine House).

Edie's notes: Cherry and cigar nose. Oaky palate with pomegranate, hibiscus, wild blueberry, and tobacco. Short finish. 

My note: Light, dewy smell with blueberries. Hints of forest. Darker taste than smell. Primarily strawberry on the palate with some tobacco.  Round with a short finish.

We thought this wine was very good and not what we were expecting. Although, I wasn't quite sure what to expect from a Pinotage. It had a decent amount of complexity, and I thought a couple of characteristics (strawberry, forest, and hibiscus) I'd expect to find in whites or rosés. It was one of the better bottles we've had in a couple of months. Definitely recommended. We'll have to try a few more wines from South Africa. I'm not familiar with other regions growing Pinotage, but I'm curious to see the effects South Africa has on more popular varietals. Anyone have recommendations for South African wine?

Previous post in Bibere:

Line 39 Cabernet Sauvignon

Luisi Barbera D'Asti

Bodega Norton Malbec

Gen 5 Cabernet Sauvignon

Firefly Ridge Syrah